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2 Kings Chapter
Four
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 4
This
chapter treats of the miracles of Elisha
of his multiplying a poor widow's pot
of oil for the payment of her husband's debts
2 Kings 4:1 of
obtaining a son for a Shunamitish woman
who had been very hospitable to him
2 Kings 4:8
of his
raising up her son to life when dead
2 Kings 4:18
of
his curing the deadly pottage made of wild gourds
2 Kings 4:38
and
of his feeding one hundred men with twenty barley loaves
2 Kings 4:42.
2 Kings 4:1 A
certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha
saying
“Your servant my husband is dead
and you know that your servant feared
the Lord.
And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.”
YLT
1And a certain woman of the
wives of the sons of the prophets hath cried unto Elisha
saying
`Thy servant
my husband
is dead
and thou hast known that thy servant was fearing Jehovah
and the lender hath come to take my two children to him for servants.'
Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the
prophets unto Elisha
.... This
according to the Targum
was the wife of Obadiah
who
had hid the prophets by fifty in a cave in the times of Ahab; and so JosephusF17Antiqu.
l. 9. c. 4. sect. 2.
and it is the commonly received notion of the Jewish
writers; though it does not appear that he was a prophet
or the son of a
prophet
but the governor or steward of Ahab's house; she was more likely to be
the wife of a meaner person; and from hence it is clear that the prophets and
their disciples married:
saying
thy servant my husband is dead; which is the
lot of prophets
as well as others
Zechariah 1:5.
and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord; her husband
was well known to the prophet
and known to be a good man
one of the 7000 who
bowed not the knee to Baal
for the truth of which she appeals to Elisha; and
this character she gives of her husband
lest it should be thought that his
poverty
and leaving her in debt
were owing to any ill practices of his:
and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be
bondmen; which it seems were allowed of when men became poor and
insolvent
and died so
to which the allusion is in Isaiah 1:1; see
Gill on Matthew 18:25.
JosephusF18Ibid. suggests
that the insolvency of this man was owing
to his borrowing money to feed the prophets hid in the cave; and it is a common
notion of the Jews that this creditor was Jehoram the son of Ahab; and in later
times it was a law with the AtheniansF19Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier.
l. 6. c. 10.
that if a father had not paid what he was fined in court
the
son was obliged to pay it
and in the mean while to lie in bonds
as was the
case of CimonF20Cornel. Nep. in Vita Cimon. l. 5. c. 1.
and
others.
2 Kings 4:2 2 So Elisha said to her
“What shall I do for you? Tell me
what do you have in the house?” And she
said
“Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”
YLT
2And Elisha saith unto her
`What do I do for thee? declare to me
what hast thou in the house?' and she
saith
`Thy maid-servant hath nothing in the house except a pot of oil.'
And Elisha said unto her
what shall I do for thee?.... Or can I
do
being poor himself
and unable to relieve her out of his substance
and not
knowing where to get anything for her; and so what could she expect from him?
signifying
that he pitied her case
but all that he could do was to give her
his best advice
and pray for her:
tell me what thou hast in thy house? that she could part with
and dispose of
in order to pay her debt; and satisfy her creditor:
and she said
thine handmaid hath not anything in the house
save
a pot of oil; that is
nothing of any value; she might have some things
some
sort of household goods
though perhaps she had parted with most of them in her
poverty; this was the most valuable thing she had.
2 Kings 4:3 3 Then he said
“Go
borrow
vessels from everywhere
from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather
just a few.
YLT
3And he saith
`Go
ask for
thee vessels from without
from all thy neighbours -- empty vessels -- let
[them] not be few;
Then he said
go
borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours
.... For he
perceived that she had none:
even empty vessels; which they might more readily lend her:
borrow not a few; but as many as she could get; the prophet
under a divine impulse
was directed to say this to her
foreseeing
by a
spirit of prophecy
that a large quantity of oil would be given her.
2 Kings 4:4 4 And when you have come in
you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those
vessels
and set aside the full ones.”
YLT
4and thou hast entered
and
shut the door upon thee
and upon thy sons
and hast poured out into all these
vessels
and the full ones thou dost remove.'
And when thou art come in
.... Into her house:
thou shall shut the door upon thee
and upon thy sons; that they
might be alone in the house while the miracle was working; that they might not
be interrupted in what they were to do
by the creditor coming in upon them
or
by neighbours
who would be for getting the oil from them in the vessels they
had lent them: and that the miracle might appear the plainer
no oil being
brought into the house by any:
and shalt pour out into all these vessels; out of the
single pot of oil into all they borrowed:
and thou shalt set aside that which is full; by itself
and fill the rest of the empty ones.
2 Kings 4:5 5 So she went from him and
shut the door behind her and her sons
who brought the vessels to her;
and she poured it out.
YLT
5And she goeth from him
and
shutteth the door upon her
and upon her sons; they are bringing nigh unto her
and she is pouring out
So she went from him
.... And did as he
advised her
borrowed many empty vessels of her neighbours
having faith in
what the prophet had said to her:
and shut the door upon her
and upon her sons; and then went
to work as she was directed
with her sons:
who brought the vessels to her; the empty ones she had
borrowed: and she poured out; the oil out of her pot into them.
2 Kings 4:6 6 Now it came to pass
when
the vessels were full
that she said to her son
“Bring me another vessel.” And
he said to her
“There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased.
YLT
6and it cometh to pass
at
the filling of the vessels
that she saith unto her son
`Bring nigh unto me a
vessel more
' and he saith unto her
`There is not a vessel more;' and the oil
stayeth.
And it came to pass when the vessels were full
.... For the
oil being miraculously increased as it was poured forth
there was enough to
fill all the vessels; Ben Gersom and Abarbinel say
that when the pot was
emptied
all the air that entered it was turned into oil:
that she said to her son
bring me yet a vessel; as she had
two sons
one it is probable was employed in setting aside the full vessels
as
she poured into them
and the other in bringing to her the empty vessels
and
to whom she thus speaks:
and he said unto her
there is not a vessel more; not an empty
one
they were all filled:
and the oil stayed; it ran no longer
it was no more
multiplied; there was no necessity of continuing the miracle: this oil may be
an emblem of the grace that flows from the fulness of it in Christ
to which it
is compared
which will be always flowing
as long as there is a vessel of
salvation
or faith in any to receive it; see Matthew 25:3 1 John 2:20.
2 Kings 4:7 7 Then she came and told the
man of God. And he said
“Go
sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and
your sons live on the rest.”
YLT
7And she cometh and
declareth to the man of God
and he saith
`Go
sell the oil
and repay thy
loan; and thou [and] thy sons do live of the rest.'
Then she came and told the man of God
.... Elisha
the prophet
what had been done
what a quantity of oil she had
and advised
with him what was to be done with it:
and he said
go
sell thy oil
and pay thy debt; what was thus
miraculously produced was no doubt very good and excellent
and would fetch a
good price; and she is therefore bid to turn it into money
and pay her debts
with it; she was not to keep it all for her own use
and indulge to luxury with
it
but first pay her just debt
as everyone ought to do that is able:
and live thou and thy children of the rest; so that it
seems there was enough to pay her debt with it
rid her of her troubles
and
somewhat remaining for the support of herself and children.
2 Kings 4:8 8 Now it happened one day
that Elisha went to Shunem
where there was a notable woman
and she
persuaded him to eat some food. So it was
as often as he passed by
he would
turn in there to eat some food.
YLT
8And the day cometh that
Elisha passeth over unto Shunem
and there [is] a great woman
and she layeth
hold on him to eat bread
and it cometh to pass
at the time of his passing
over
he turneth aside thither to eat bread
And it fell on a day
.... Or so it was at a
certain time:
that Elisha passed to Shunem; a city in the tribe of
Issachar; of which see Joshua 19:18
where was a great woman; of great wealth and
riches
of great benevolence and hospitality
and of great grace and piety;
that feared sin
as the Targum paraphrases it; a woman of great credit and
reputation on all accounts. The Jews sayF21T. Bab. Bava Bathra
fol.
57. 2. she was the sister of Abishag the Shunammite
and the mother of Iddo the
prophet:
and she constrained him to eat bread; she had
observed him at all times pass that way
and guessed by his habit and
deportment that he was a religious man
and therefore took an opportunity to
invite him into her house
and take a dinner with her; but he being modest and
shy
she was obliged to use some pressing language
and be importunate with
him
that he would accept of her invitation
which he did:
and so it was
that
as oft as he passed by
he turned in thither
to eat bread; being made very welcome
and encouraged by the free and kind
entertainment he met with
as often as he had occasion to come that way
he
called and took a meal with her; and this it seems was pretty often
for Shunem
was not far from Carmel
which he frequented
and lay in the way to Samaria
Bethel
and Jericho
places he often visited
the schools of the prophets being
there.
2 Kings 4:9 9 And she said to her
husband
“Look now
I know that this is a holy man of God
who passes by
us regularly.
YLT
9and she saith unto her
husband
`Lo
I pray thee
I have known that a holy man of God he is
passing
over by us continually;
And she said unto her husband
.... Not being willing to
do any thing without his leave and consent:
behold now
I perceive that this is an holy man of God which
passeth by us continually: and calls here frequently: this she
perceived by his discourse and conversation; and by his carriage and behaviour
he appeared to be a prophet
and one very eminent for holiness and religion.
2 Kings 4:10 10 Please
let us make a
small upper room on the wall; and let us put a bed for him there
and a table
and a chair and a lampstand; so it will be
whenever he comes to us
he can
turn in there.”
YLT
10let us make
I pray thee
a
little upper chamber of the wall
and we set for him there a bed
and a table
and a high seat
and a candlestick; and it hath been
in his coming in unto us
he doth turn aside thither.'
Let us make a little chamber
I pray thee
on the wall
.... Either of
the city
to which their house might join
or of their garden
a little
distance from the house; though the Jewish writers commonly understand it of a
little edifice built up of walls of stone or bricks
and not one with reeds
or
stud and mud:
let us set for him there a bed; that he may stay all
night when he pleases:
and a table; not only to eat his food
but to write on
and lay his books on
he reads. Of the table of a scholar of the wise men
in later times
we are
toldF20Pirke Eliezer
c. 33.
that two thirds of it were covered
with a cloth
and the other third was uncovered
on which stood the plates and
the herbs:
and a stool; to sit upon at table:
and a candlestick; with a candle in it
to light him in the
night to read by
and the like:
and it shall be
when he cometh to us
that he shall turn in
thither; where he would be free from the noise of the house
and be more
retired for prayer
reading
meditation
and study
and not be disturbed with
the servants of the family
and be mixed with them; all this she contrived
both for his honour
and for his quietness and peace.
2 Kings 4:11 11 And it happened one day
that he came there
and he turned in to the upper room and lay down there.
YLT
11And the day cometh
that he
cometh in thither
and turneth aside unto the upper chamber
and lieth there
And it fell on a day that he came thither
.... As he had
been wont to do:
and he turned into the chamber; built for him
and to
which he was directed:
and lay there; all night
and which no doubt was
frequently repeated by him
he accepting of the kindness of his host.
2 Kings 4:12 12 Then he said to Gehazi his
servant
“Call this Shunammite woman.” When he had called her
she stood before
him.
YLT
12and he saith unto Gehazi
his young man
`Call for this Shunammite;' and he calleth for her
and she
standeth before him.
And he said to Gehazi his servant
.... Who attended him
wherever he went
and ministered to him
and lay very probably in the same
chamber with him; he might be one of the sons of the prophets:
call this Shunammite; tell her I desire to
speak with her:
and when he had called her
she stood before him; at the door
of the chamber
in great reverence of him
and with much humility
waiting to
hear what he had to say to her: this must be understood after what had further
passed between Elisha and Gehazi
and between Gehazi and the woman
who
returned to his master
and acquainted him with what she had said to him
upon
which he was sent to call her
and she came.
2 Kings 4:13 13 And he said to him
“Say
now to her
‘Look
you have been concerned for us with all this care. What can
I do for you? Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the
commander of the army?’” She answered
“I dwell among my own people.”
YLT
13And he saith to him
`Say
I pray thee
unto her
Lo
thou hast troubled thyself concerning us with all
this trouble; what -- to do for thee? is it to speak for thee unto the king
or
unto the head of the host?' and she saith
`In the midst of my people I am
dwelling.'
And he said unto him
....
To Gehazi
before
he went to call her:
say now unto her
behold
thou hast been careful for us with all
this care; in building a chamber
and furnishing it with proper household
goods
and providing food for them from time to time:
what is to be done for thee? can anything be thought
of by thee that will be acceptable
and in my masters power to do for thee
or
thy husband?
wouldest thou be spoken for to the king
or to the captain of the
host? that her husband might be promoted to some post in the court
or
in the camp; intimating
that if either of these was agreeable
Elisha would
speak on his behalf
having interest in both through his services in Edom:
and she answered
I will dwell among my own people she was
content and satisfied with her present state of life
and the situation she was
in
and with her friends and neighbours she lived among
and did not care to
remove
though it was to a higher rank of life
and to greater dignity and
honour; and she had no suit to make to the king or general
nothing to complain
of; and she had friends enough to speak for her
should she want any
assistance.
2 Kings 4:14 14 So he said
“What then is
to be done for her?” And Gehazi answered
“Actually
she has no son
and her
husband is old.”
YLT
14And he saith
`And what --
to do for her?' and Gehazi saith
`Verily she hath no son
and her husband [is]
aged.'
And he said
.... That is
Elisha to Gehazi
when he returned to him
and told
him what the Shunammite said:
what then is to be done for her? something he thought
should be done in gratitude
the favours they had received
and advises with
his servant what could be thought of
he being one about the house:
and Gehazi answered
verily she hath no child
and her husband is
old; and so not likely to have any by him; as children were always
very desirable by women
and especially in those days
the servant suggests
that no doubt to have one would be very acceptable to her.
2 Kings 4:15 15 So he said
“Call her.”
When he had called her
she stood in the doorway.
YLT
15And he saith
`Call for
her;' and he calleth for her
and she standeth at the opening
And he said
call her
.... Perhaps finding an
impulse on his own mind
from the Spirit of God
that this was the thing to be
done for her:
and when he had called her
she stood in the door; of his
chamber: See Gill on 2 Kings 4:12.
2 Kings 4:16 16 Then he said
“About this
time next year you shall embrace a son.” And she said
“No
my lord. Man of
God
do not lie to your maidservant!”
YLT
16and he saith
`At this
season
according to the time of life
thou art embracing a son;' and she
saith
`Nay
my lord
O man of God
do not lie unto thy maid-servant.'
And he said
about this season
.... In the next year:
according to the time of life; the usual time women go
with child:
thou shalt embrace a son; in thine arms
that
shall be born of thee
which she should have in her lap
and in her bosom:
and she said
nay
my lord
do not lie unto thine handmaid; or speak unto
her what was not truth; it was so great
and so unaccountable
how it could be
in her circumstances
that she could not believe it to be true
though she
wished it might; or do not deceive me with vain and false words
or flatter me
jest with me
which would be unbecoming his character as a man of God
and
prophet of the Lord; according to the Targum
she wished it might prove true
and she not deceived; see 2 Kings 4:28.
2 Kings 4:17 17 But the woman conceived
and bore a son when the appointed time had come
of which Elisha had told her.
YLT
17And the woman conceiveth
and beareth a son
at this season
according to the time of life
that Elisha
spake of unto her.
And the woman conceived
and bare a son at the season that Elisha
said unto her
.... Quickly after this she conceived
and became pregnant
and
by that time the year came round
she was brought to bed of a son:
according to the time of life: when she had gone her
full time to have a son born alive
and live.
2 Kings 4:18 18 And the child grew. Now it
happened one day that he went out to his father
to the reapers.
YLT
18And the lad groweth
and
the day cometh that he goeth out unto his father
unto the reapers
And when the child was grown
.... Perhaps was six or
seven years of age
or more:
it fell on a day that he went out to his father to the reapers; it was
harvest time
and the men were reaping the corn in the fields; and his father
though a wealthy man
was with them to direct them
and see they did their
business well
as Boaz formerly; and the child went out from the house to the
field
to see his father and the reapers
for his recreation and diversion.
2 Kings 4:19 19 And he said to his father
“My head
my head!” So he said to a servant
“Carry him to his mother.”
YLT
19and he saith unto his
father
`My head
my head;' and he saith unto the young man
`Bear him unto his
mother;'
And he said unto his father
my head
my head
.... After he
had been some time with him
he complained of a pain in his head
which might
be owing
as Abarbinel thinks
to the sun's beating upon it
being harvest
time
and hot weather; and the pain being exceeding great and vehement
he
repeated his complaint
see Jeremiah 4:19.
and he said to a lad
carry him home to his mother; his father
gave orders to a lad that attended the reapers to have him home to his mother
that she might give him something to ease him of his pain.
2 Kings 4:20 20 When he had taken him and
brought him to his mother
he sat on her knees till noon
and then died.
YLT
20and he beareth him
and
bringeth him in unto his mother
and he sitteth on her knees till the noon
and
dieth.
And when he had taken him
and brought him to his mother
.... The lad
led him home
and delivered him to his mother:
he sat on her knees till noon
and then died; out of her
great affection
she took him on her knees
and laid his head in her bosom to
sooth the pain
and in this posture he continued until the middle of the day
and then expired; by which it appears it was in the morning when he went into
the field
and when the sun was pretty high
and beat strongly on him; which
it may be
produced a fever
and which issued in his death.
2 Kings 4:21 21 And she went up and laid
him on the bed of the man of God
shut the door upon him
and went out.
YLT
21And she goeth up
and
layeth him on the bed of the man of God
and shutteth [the door] upon him
and
goeth out
And she went up
.... Into the little chamber built for the
prophet:
and laid him on the bed of the man of God; not from any
imagination of any virtue in it to bring her child to life; though she might
think of the prophet
and have faith that he could raise it to life
as Elijah
raised the widow of Zarephath's son laid on his bed
of which she might have
heard; but this being a private room
and into which none went
she laid it
here to conceal its death from her husband and family
and to prevent grief
and that they might not bury it until she returned:
and shut the door upon him; that no creature might
enter
and
do any damage to his corpse:
and went out; not out of the chamber
that she did before
she shut the door
but out of the house.
2 Kings 4:22 22 Then she called to her
husband
and said
“Please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys
that I may run to the man of God and come back.”
YLT
22and calleth unto her
husband
and saith
`Send
I pray thee
to me
one of the young men
and one of
the asses
and I run unto the man of God
and return.'
And she called unto her husband
.... In the field
who
might be within call
or by a messenger she sent to him:
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; intimating
that she should not be long gone
but should return again presently; saying not
a word of the death of the child
or of the occasion of her going.
2 Kings 4:23 23 So he said
“Why are you
going to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath.” And she
said
“It is well.”
YLT
23And he saith
`Wherefore
art thou going unto him to-day? -- neither new moon nor sabbath!' and she
saith
`Peace [to thee]!'
And he said
wherefore wilt thou go to him today?.... What
reason is there for it? what is the meaning of it?
it is neither new moon nor sabbath; neither the first day of
the month
nor the seventh day of the week
times which were religiously
observed; so with the Heathens the new moon and the seventh of the week
and so
the fourth
were sacredF21Hesiod. Opera & Dies
l. 2. ; which
notions they borrowed from the Jews; see Gill on 1 Samuel 20:5 and
when
it seems
it was usual to frequent the house of the prophet
to hear the
word of God read and explained
and other religious exercises performed
as
praying and singing praise
and receiving some good instructions and advice.
Joseph Kimchi gives a different sense of these words:"there is not a month
past
no
not a week
since thou sawest him;'why therefore shouldest thou be in
such haste to go to him? so the words for new moon and sabbath may signify:
and she said
it shall be well; it was right for her to
go
and it would be well for him and her
and the family; or
"peace"F23שלום "pax"
Pagninus
Montanus
&c.
be easy
and quiet
farewell: it is much he had no mistrust of the death of the child
or that it was worse
since it went from him ill.
2 Kings 4:24 24 Then she saddled a donkey
and said to her servant
“Drive
and go forward; do not slacken the pace for me
unless I tell you.”
YLT
24And she saddleth the ass
and saith unto her young man
`Lead
and go
do not restrain riding for me
except I have said [so] to thee.'
Then she saddled an ass
.... Her servant did it
by her order:
and said to her servant
drive
and go forward; make all the
haste he could:
slack not thy riding for me
except I bid thee; do not be
afraid of riding too fast for me; if thou dost
I will tell thee; till then
keep on a good pace: Abarbinel says she walked afoot all the way
and ordered
the man not to slacken his pace in riding for her
unless she called to him;
and the Targum seems to favour this sense
"do not press me to ride unless
I call to thee;'so that the ass was for Elijah to ride on; but one would think
that
as she was in haste
quicker dispatch would be made by her riding than by
walking
see 2 Kings 4:22.
2 Kings 4:25 25 And so she departed
and
went to the man of God at Mount Carmel. So it was
when the man of God saw her
afar off
that he said to his servant Gehazi
“Look
the Shunammite woman!
YLT
25And she goeth
and cometh
in unto the man of God
unto the hill of Carmel
and it cometh to pass
at the
man of God's seeing her from over-against
that he saith unto Gehazi his young
man
`Lo
this Shunammite;
So she went and came unto the man of God at Mount Carmel
.... Where
Elijah used to be
and where
perhaps
was a school of the prophets; this
according to BuntingF24Travels
&c. p. 207.
was sixteen miles
from Shunem:
and it came to pass
when the man of God saw her afar off; as he might
from the eminence of the mountain:
that he said to Gehazi his servant
behold
yonder is that
Shunammite; that has so often and so hospitably entertained us at her house.
2 Kings 4:26 26 Please run now to meet
her
and say to her
‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your
husband? Is it well with the child?’” And she answered
“It is
well.”
YLT
26now
run
I pray thee
to
meet her
and say to her
Is there peace to thee? is there peace to thy
husband? is there peace to the lad?' and she saith
`Peace.'
Run now
I pray thee
to meet her
.... In respect to her
and to know the occasion of her coming; something is the cause of it:
and say unto her
is it well with thee? is it well with thy
husband? is it well with the child? has any disaster
befallen thee
thy husband
or the child? are all in good health? or does any
disorder attend any of them?
and she answered
it is well; as in general they were
the greatest part
she and her husband; and though the child was dead
yet
if
gone to heaven
as she might hope
it was well too; and it is right to judge
and say
that all that the Lord does is well: she gives a short answer to the
servant
not being willing to be detained
and being desirous of telling her
case to the prophet himself.
2 Kings 4:27 27 Now when she came to the
man of God at the hill
she caught him by the feet
but Gehazi came near to
push her away. But the man of God said
“Let her alone; for her soul is
in deep distress
and the Lord has hidden it from
me
and has not told me.”
YLT
27And she cometh in unto the
man of God
unto the hill
and layeth hold on his feet
and Gehazi cometh nigh
to thrust her away
and the man of God saith
`Let her alone
for her soul [is]
bitter to her
and Jehovah hath hidden [it] from me
and hath not declared [it]
to me.'
And when she came to the man of God to the hill
.... To the
top of it:
she caught him by the feet; in reverence to him
and
as a supplicant
she prostrated herself at his feet
and
out of affection to
him
caught hold on them
and held them fast
and determined not to leave him
until he had promised to go with her
see Matthew 28:9. It
was usual with the Jews to lay hold on and kiss the feet or knees of those to
whom they did homage
or made supplication
see Matthew 28:9. See
Gill on Luke 7:38
and so
with the Greeks
as may be observed in various passages in HomerF25Vid.
Barthium ad Claudian. de Raptu Proserpin. l. 1. ver. 50. and others:
but Gehazi came near to thrust her away; as being
troublesome and disagreeable to his master
and not for her honour and credit:
and the man of God said
let her alone
for her soul is vexed
within her; or "is bitter"F26מרה
"amara"
Pagninus
Montanus
&c.
full of trouble and distress
and knows not what to do
nor very well what she does:
and the Lord hath hid it from me
and hath not told me: what is the
cause of this her trouble; for prophets did not know things of themselves
nor
had they the vision of prophecy at their will and pleasure
but according to the
will of God.
2 Kings 4:28 28 So she said
“Did I ask a
son of my lord? Did I not say
‘Do not deceive me’?”
YLT
28And she saith
`Did I ask a
son from my lord? did I not say
Do not deceive me?'
Then she said
did I
desire a son of my lord?.... It was not at her request she had one
at least the first
motion was not from her; the prophet first told her
and assured her she should
have one
without her asking for it; she might be pleased with it
and desire
the promise might be fulfilled; but it was not an inordinate
importunate
desire of one
in which she had exceeded
that so the taking it away from her
might be a correction of her for it:
did I not say
do not deceive me; by giving hopes of a
child
and yet have none; and now it was equally the same
or worse
to have
one
and then to have it taken away again as soon as had almost; so the
Targum
"did I not say unto thee
if a child is given me
let it live
if
not
do not trouble or grieve me;'and then
no doubt
she told him plainly the
child was dead
and where she had laid it
though not recorded.
2 Kings 4:29 29 Then he said to Gehazi
“Get yourself ready
and take my staff in your hand
and be on your way. If you
meet anyone
do not greet him; and if anyone greets you
do not answer him; but
lay my staff on the face of the child.”
YLT
29And he saith to Gehazi
`Gird up thy loins
and take my staff in thy hand
and go; when thou dost meet
a man
thou dost not salute him; and when a man doth salute thee
thou dost not
answer him; and thou hast laid my staff on the face of the youth.'
Then he said to Gehazi
gird up thy loins
.... His loose and long garments about him
that he might make
quicker dispatch in travelling:
and take my staff in thine hand
and go thy way; not for the
sake of travelling with it
but for an end after mentioned:
if thou meet any man
salute him not; and if any salute thee
answer him not again; that so no time may be lost:
and lay my staff upon the face of the child; he not
intending when he said this to go himself
but at the time
as near as he
could
when this action was performed
would pray to God to restore life to the
child; for he could not imagine that by this bare action it could be done.
2 Kings 4:30 30 And the mother of the
child said
“As the Lord lives
and as your
soul lives
I will not leave you.” So he arose and followed her.
YLT
30And the mother of the youth
saith
`Jehovah liveth
and thy soul liveth -- if I leave thee;' and he riseth
and goeth after her.
And the mother of the
child said
.... Having no faith in what the servant was to do
or could do:
as the Lord liveth
and as thy soul liveth
I will not leave thee; signifying
she would not go with his servant
but insisted upon it that he himself went
with her
or she would not depart:
and he arose
and followed her; influenced by her
importunity
and a sense of favours he had received from her
and more
especially by the Spirit of God.
2 Kings 4:31 31 Now Gehazi went on ahead
of them
and laid the staff on the face of the child; but there was
neither voice nor hearing. Therefore he went back to meet him
and told him
saying
“The child has not awakened.”
YLT
31And Gehazi hath passed on
before them
and layeth the staff on the face of the youth
and there is no
voice
and there is no attention
and he turneth back to meet him
and
declareth to him
saying
`The youth hath not awaked.'
And Gehazi passed on
before them
.... The prophet and the Shunammite:
and laid the staff upon the face of the child; as he was
ordered:
but there was neither voice nor hearing: it seems as
if he spoke when he laid the staff on the child
but it heard and answered him
not
so that there was no sign of life in it:
wherefore he went again to meet him; upon the road between
Carmel and Shunem:
and told him
saying
the child is not awaked; by which he
expresses its being dead; or
if he knew nothing of its death
he supposed it
fast asleep
which was the reason of its not hearing and answering
though the
former seems best.
2 Kings 4:32 32 When Elisha came into the
house
there was the child
lying dead on his bed.
YLT
32And Elisha cometh in to the
house
and lo
the youth is dead
laid on his bed
And when Elisha was come
into the house
.... Of the Shunamite
and into the chamber built for him:
behold
the child was dead
and laid upon the bed; upon his bed
and where he found it really dead.
2 Kings 4:33 33 He went in therefore
shut
the door behind the two of them
and prayed to the Lord.
YLT
33and he goeth in and
shutteth the door upon them both
and prayeth unto Jehovah.
He went in therefore
and
shut the door upon them twain
.... Himself and the dead child; that nobody
might come in and interrupt him in his prayers for the restoration of it to
life
nor see the motions and gestures he used
and the postures he put himself
in:
and prayed unto the Lord; that he would restore
the child to life.
2 Kings 4:34 34 And he went up and lay on
the child
and put his mouth on his mouth
his eyes on his eyes
and his hands
on his hands; and he stretched himself out on the child
and the flesh of the
child became warm.
YLT
34And he goeth up
and lieth
down on the lad
and putteth his mouth on his mouth
and his eyes on his eyes
and his hands on his hands
and stretcheth himself upon him
and the flesh of
the lad becometh warm;
And he went up
.... To the
bed
which was on an ascent in the chamber; see Gill on 2 Kings 1:4 and lay
upon the child; as Elijah did on the widow's son of Zarephath
1 Kings 17:21.
and put his mouth upon his mouth
and his eyes upon his eyes
and
his hands upon his hands
and stretched himself upon the child; that is
he
did each of these one after another
since the disproportion of their bodies
would not admit of their being done together:
and the flesh of the child waxed warm; not from any
virtue imparted to it by these motions and actions of the prophet
but from
life being infused into it by the Lord
which caused an heat in the several
parts of the body.
2 Kings 4:35 35 He returned and walked
back and forth in the house
and again went up and stretched himself out on
him; then the child sneezed seven times
and the child opened his eyes.
YLT
35and he turneth back and
walketh in the house
once hither and once thither
and goeth up and stretcheth
himself upon him
and the youth sneezeth till seven times
and the youth
openeth his eyes.
Then he returned and
walked in the house to and fro
.... Left the chamber
and came down to the
house where the family chiefly resided
and walked to and fro in deep thought
and meditation
and
no doubt
in fervent ejaculations for the wished for blessing
to be completed:
and went up; to the chamber again
and up to the bed in it:
and stretched himself upon him; as before:
and the child sneezed seven times; which was a sign of
life
and even of health; and hereby his head was cleared
as some observe
of
those humours that had caused the pains in itF1Vid. Plin. Nat. Hist.
l. 28. c. 6. Aristot. Problem. sect. 33. qu. 9.
and had issued in death:
and the child opened his eyes; upon the prophet
another sign of life.
2 Kings 4:36 36 And he called Gehazi and
said
“Call this Shunammite woman.” So he called her. And when she came in to
him
he said
“Pick up your son.”
YLT
36And he calleth unto Gehazi
and saith
`Call unto this Shunammite;' and he calleth her
and she cometh in
unto him
and he saith
`Lift up thy son.'
And he called Gehazi
and
said
call this Shunammite
.... To come up to the chamber to him:
so he called her: and when she was come in unto him
he said
take
up thy son; from off the bed
alive
safe
and sound.
2 Kings 4:37 37 So she went in
fell at
his feet
and bowed to the ground; then she picked up her son and went out.
YLT
37And she goeth in
and
falleth at his feet
and boweth herself to the earth
and lifteth up her son
and goeth out.
Then she went in
and fell
at his feet
and bowed herself to the ground
.... In reverence of him
and with the most profound gratitude and thankfulness for the mercy received:
and took up her son
and went out; of the chamber into her
house
with great joy and gladness.
2 Kings 4:38 38 And Elisha returned to
Gilgal
and there was a famine in the land. Now the sons of the prophets
were sitting before him; and he said to his servant
“Put on the large
pot
and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.”
YLT
38And Elisha hath turned back
to Gilgal
and the famine [is] in the land
and the sons of the prophets are
sitting before him
and he saith to his young man
`Set on the great pot
and
boil pottage for the sons of the prophets.'
And Elisha came again to
Gilgal
.... Where he was with Elijah a little before his assumption to
heaven
2 Kings 2:1 and
whither he went
there being a school of the prophets
as he did to all places
where there were any
and where he had been before with Elijah; partly to
instruct
encourage
and strengthen them
and partly to confirm his office as a
prophet by miracles
which he did in several places he came to:
and there was a dearth in the land; a famine through drought:
and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: as disciples
before their master
see Acts 22:3.
and he said unto his servant; very probably Gehazi:
set on the great pot
and seethe pottage for the sons of the
prophets; who seemed to have lived together in one house or college
and
to be to the number of one hundred
see 2 Kings 4:43 and
therefore required to have a large pot set on to boil pottage for them all.
2 Kings 4:39 39 So one went out into the
field to gather herbs
and found a wild vine
and gathered from it a lapful of
wild gourds
and came and sliced them into the pot of stew
though they
did not know what they were.
YLT
39And one goeth out unto the
field to gather herbs
and findeth a vine of the field
and gathereth of it
gourds of the field -- the fulness of his garment -- and cometh in and
splitteth [them] into the pot of pottage
for they knew [them] not;
And one went out into the
fields to gather herbs
.... To put into the pottage
the gardens affording none in this
time of dearth; or
however
being scarce
were at too great a price for the
sons of the prophets to purchase them; and therefore one of them went out into
the field to gather what common herbs he could:
and found a wild vine
and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap
full; thought to be the same with coloquintida
the leaves of which
are very like to a vine
of a very bitter taste
and a very violent purgative
which
if not remedied
will produce ulcerations in the bowels
and issue in
death; some think the white brier or white vine is meant
the colour of whose
berries is very inviting to look at
but very bitter and ungrateful
and it
vehemently purgesF2Vid. Scheuchzer. Physic. Sacr. vol. 3. p.
605
859. ; the Arabs call a sort of mushroom that is white and soft by this
nameF3Golius
Colossians 1817.
but
cannot be meant here
because it has no likeness to a wild vine:
and came and shred them into the pot of pottage; cut or
chopped them small
and put them into the pot:
for they knew them not; what they were
the
nature and virtue of them
being unskilful in botany.
2 Kings 4:40 40 Then they served it to the
men to eat. Now it happened
as they were eating the stew
that they cried out
and said
“Man of God
there is death in the pot!” And they could not
eat it.
YLT
40and they pour out for the
men to eat
and it cometh to pass at their eating of the pottage
that they
have cried out
and say
`Death [is] in the pot
O man of God!' and they have
not been able to eat.
So they poured out for the
men to eat
.... When the pottage was boiled
they poured it out into dishes
or basins
for the sons of the prophets 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; poison
the
cause of death; the pottage was so exceeding bitter
that they concluded there
must be some poisonous herb in it; and coloquintida is so bitter
that it is
called "the gall of the earth":
and they could not eat thereof: they stopped eating
it
being so very disagreeable
and
as they supposed
dangerous.
2 Kings 4:41 41 So he said
“Then bring
some flour.” And he put it into the pot
and said
“Serve it to
the people
that they may eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.
YLT
41And he saith
`Then bring
ye meal;' and he casteth into the pot
and saith
`Pour out for the people
and
they eat;' and there was no evil thing in the pot.
But he said
then bring
meal: and he cast it into the pot
.... And stirred it about
in it:
and he said
pour out for the people
that they may eat; as they now
might freely
and without any danger
as he intimated:
and there was no harm in the pot; or anything that could
do any harm or mischief to the health of men: this was not owing to the natural
virtue of meal
but to a miraculous power attending it
whereby the pottage was
cured of its malignity
as the bad waters of Jericho were by salt
in a
preceding miracle.
2 Kings 4:42 42 Then a man came from Baal
Shalisha
and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits
twenty loaves of
barley bread
and newly ripened grain in his knapsack. And he said
“Give it
to the people
that they may eat.”
YLT
42And a man hath come from
Baal-Shalishah
and bringeth in to the man of God bread of first-fruits
twenty
loaves of barley
and full ears of corn in its husk
and he saith
`Give to the
people
and they eat.'
And there came a man from
Baalshalisha
.... Of which place See Gill on 1 Samuel 9:4
the
Targum is
from the south country:
and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits
twenty loaves
of barley; so that it was now barley harvest
and this the first fruits of
it
which
according to the law
Leviticus 23:10
was to be brought to the priest; but being forbid in the land of Israel going
up to Jerusalem
religious men brought their firstfruits to the prophets
and
here to Elisha
the father of them; believing it would be dispensed with
and
acceptable
since they were not allowed to carry them to the proper person; and
in this time of famine was very agreeable to the man of God
supposing it only
a present:
and full ears of corn in the husk thereof; these were
green ears of corn
which they used to parch; but might not be eaten until the
firstfruits were offered
and then they might
Leviticus 23:14
the Targum renders it
"in his garment"
in the skirt of his clothes;
and to the same purpose are the Syriac and Arabic versions; and so Jarchi
interprets it; and Ben Gersom says
it signifies some vessel in which he
brought them:
and he said
give unto the people
that they may eat; Elisha did
not reserve this offering or present for himself
but
as he had freely
received
he freely gave.
2 Kings 4:43 43 But his servant said
“What? Shall I set this before one hundred men?” He said again
“Give it to the
people
that they may eat; for thus says the Lord: ‘They shall
eat and have some left over.’”
YLT
43And his minister saith
`What -- do I give this before a hundred men?' and he saith
`Give to the
people
and they eat
for thus said Jehovah
Eat and leave;'
And his servitor said
.... His
servant Gehazi very probably:
what
should I set this before one hundred men? for so many
it seems
the sons of the prophets were in this place; and these loaves being
very small
no more
it is thought by some
than one man could eat
and the ears
of corn but few
the servant suggests they would be nothing comparatively to
such a company of men:
he said again
give the people
that they may eat; he insisted
upon it that his orders should be obeyed:
for thus saith the Lord
they shall eat
and shall leave thereof; it was
suggested to him by a spirit of prophecy
there would be enough for them
and
to spare.
2 Kings 4:44 44 So he set it before
them; and they ate and had some left over
according to the word of the Lord.
YLT
44and he giveth before them
and they eat and leave
according to the word of Jehovah.
So he set it before them
.... The
twenty barley loaves
and the full ears of corn:
and they did eat
and left thereof
according to the word of the
Lord; as the disciples did at the miracle of the loaves and fishes;
though that must be allowed to be a greater miracle than this
Matthew 14:17.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》