2 Kings4

Elisha performs several miracles, beginning with the multiplication of a widow's oil to pay her debts. He then blesses a hospitable Shunammite woman with a son, whom he later miraculously raises from the dead after the child suddenly dies. The chapter concludes with Elisha purifying poisoned food and miraculously feeding one hundred men with limited provisions during a famine.
Listen to this chapter
0:00 0:00

Elisha Multiplies the Widow's Oil

1
Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. ​
2
And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil. ​
3
Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. ​
4
And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.
5
So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.
6
And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. ​
7
Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest. ​

The Shunammite Woman Shows Hospitality

8
And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. ​
9
And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.
10
Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither. ​
11
And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there.
12
And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.
13
And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people. ​
14
And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old. ​
15
And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.
16
And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid. ​
17
And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.

The Shunammite’s Son Dies

18
And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. ​
19
And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.
20
And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.
21
And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.
22
And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again.
23
And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well. ​
24
Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.
25
So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite: ​
26
Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well. ​
27
And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me. ​
28
Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me? ​
29
Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child. ​
30
And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her. ​
31
And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked. ​
32
And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.

Elisha Raises the Boy

33
He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD. ​
34
And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. ​
35
Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. ​
36
And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son.
37
Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out. ​

Elisha Purifies the Poisoned Stew

38
And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets. ​
39
And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not. ​
40
So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, O thou man of God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eat thereof.
41
But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot. ​

Elisha Feeds a Hundred Men

42
And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat. ​
43
And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the LORD, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof. ​
44
So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the word of the LORD. ​

Study Notes for 2 Kings 4

Verse 1

The 'sons of the prophets' were a dedicated community group. The widow’s desperation stems from the law that allowed creditors to take children as bondmen (cf. Exod 21:7; Lev 25:39), highlighting her immediate financial and familial crisis.

Verse 2

Elisha’s question focuses on what God can work *with*. Even the smallest resource possessed by the faithful—a pot of oil—becomes the catalyst for divine provision.

Verse 3

The command to borrow 'not a few' vessels tests the woman's faith and obedience. The extent of the miracle depended directly on her preparation and expectation.

Verse 6

The oil stopped only when there were no more vessels to fill, illustrating that God’s provision is often limited only by the capacity of human faith or need.

Verse 7

Elisha ensures the woman not only pays her debt but also has enough resources remaining to sustain her and her children, demonstrating holistic divine care and security.

Verse 8

Shunem was a town in the Jezreel Valley. The description 'a great woman' (Hebrew: *ishshah g'dolah*) implies she was wealthy, influential, and pious, recognizing Elisha’s status.

Verse 10

Building a separate chamber on the roof ('alîyah) shows extraordinary reverence and hospitality, aiming to provide the prophet a quiet, dedicated space for rest and prayer.

Verse 13

Elisha offers to use his influence with the royal court. Her reply, 'I dwell among mine own people,' expresses contentment and independence, suggesting she trusts God’s provision over political favor.

Verse 14

Gehazi, Elisha's servant, identifies the woman's deep, unspoken need. Having a son was vital for inheritance, security, and continuation of the family line in Israelite society.

Verse 16

The promise of a son 'according to the time of life' (i.e., the next year) parallels the miraculous promise given to Abraham and Sarah (Gen 18:10), signaling a divine intervention in nature.

Verse 18

The child is old enough to join his father in the field during the harvest, suggesting several years have passed since his miraculous birth.

Verse 23

New Moons and Sabbaths were typical days for seeking prophetic counsel or instruction. Her brief answer, 'It shall be well,' expresses determined faith, masking the tragedy from her husband.

Verse 25

The woman travels approximately 20 miles to Mount Carmel, a significant location associated with Elisha’s powerful ministry, demonstrating her urgency and faith.

Verse 26

Her repeated affirmation, 'It is well' (shalom), is a powerful statement of belief, refusing to confess the death until she reaches the prophet himself.

Verse 27

Elisha admits that God had intentionally concealed the tragedy from him, demonstrating that prophetic knowledge is a gift received from God, not an inherent human quality.

Verse 28

Her grief-stricken question reminds Elisha that the pain of losing a miraculous gift is greater than the pain of never having received it at all.

Verse 29

Gehazi is sent ahead with Elisha's staff, symbolizing delegated authority. The command not to salute anyone emphasizes the extreme urgency of the mission (cf. Luke 10:4).

Verse 30

The mother’s refusal to leave Elisha shows she has faith not in the object (the staff) or the servant, but in Elisha's personal presence and God's power working through him directly.

Verse 31

The failure of the staff alone indicates that God's power sometimes requires the prophet's direct engagement, prayer, and sustained physical effort.

Verse 33

Elisha shuts the door, emphasizing the necessity of solitary prayer and direct communion with God when undertaking a momentous miracle.

Verse 34

This physical contact (mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes) is an intense act of identification and prayer, replicating the actions of Elijah when he raised the widow's son (1 Kings 17:21).

Verse 35

The process involves sustained prayer and effort. The boy sneezing seven times marks the completion of the restoration of life.

Verse 37

The woman's reaction is profound gratitude and worship, recognizing God’s miraculous power delivered through the prophet, receiving her son back as a second gift.

Verse 38

Elisha returns to Gilgal, a location associated with covenant renewal. The 'dearth in the land' (famine) demonstrates the ongoing hardship faced by the prophetic community.

Verse 39

The 'wild gourds' were likely colocynth, known for its bitter, purgative, and occasionally lethal properties, mistaken for edible vegetables due to starvation.

Verse 41

The addition of meal (flour) acts as a symbolic agent of purification. The miracle demonstrates God's ability to transform death and toxic situations into life and safety through the prophet's word.

Verse 42

The man brought 'firstfruits' (barley loaves and corn), an act of pious devotion that acknowledges God’s sovereignty. This offering becomes the source material for the next miracle.

Verse 43

The servant's disbelief highlights the extreme scarcity. Elisha’s confident command, 'for thus saith the LORD,' establishes the multiplication as a divinely guaranteed act, not human probability.

Verse 44

This miracle of mass feeding foreshadows the later ministry of Jesus (e.g., Matt 14:13-21) and concludes the chapter by demonstrating God's abundant provision through his prophet.

Use ← → arrow keys to navigate
Settings

Reading Style

Typeface

Font Size 19px

Options