38 And Elisha H477 came again H7725 to Gilgal: H1537 and there was a dearth H7458 in the land; H776 and the sons H1121 of the prophets H5030 were sitting H3427 before H6440 him: and he said H559 unto his servant, H5288 Set H8239 on the great H1419 pot, H5518 and seethe H1310 pottage H5138 for the sons H1121 of the prophets. H5030
Then spake H1696 Elisha H477 unto the woman, H802 whose son H1121 he had restored to life, H2421 saying, H559 Arise, H6965 and go H3212 thou and thine household, H1004 and sojourn H1481 wheresoever H834 thou canst sojourn: H1481 for the LORD H3068 hath called H7121 for a famine; H7458 and it shall also come H935 upon the land H776 seven H7651 years. H8141
And the sons H1121 of the prophets H5030 that were at Bethel H1008 came forth H3318 to Elisha, H477 and said H559 unto him, Knowest H3045 thou that the LORD H3068 will take away H3947 thy master H113 from thy head H7218 to day? H3117 And he said, H559 Yea, I know H3045 it; hold ye your peace. H2814
I G1473 am G1510 verily G3303 a man G435 which am a Jew, G2453 born G1080 in G1722 Tarsus, G5019 a city in Cilicia, G2791 yet G1161 brought up G397 in G1722 this G5026 city G4172 at G3844 the feet G4228 of Gamaliel, G1059 and taught G3811 according G2596 to the perfect manner G195 of the law G3551 of the fathers, G3971 and was G5225 zealous G2207 toward God, G2316 as G2531 ye G5210 all G3956 are G2075 this day. G4594
And G2532 she G3592 had G2258 a sister G79 called G2564 Mary, G3137 which G3739 also G2532 sat G3869 at G3844 Jesus' G2424 feet, G4228 and heard G191 his G846 word. G3056
Then G1161 they went out G1831 to see G1492 what was done; G1096 and G2532 came G2064 to G4314 Jesus, G2424 and G2532 found G2147 the man, G444 out of G575 whom G3739 the devils G1140 were departed, G1831 sitting G2521 at G3844 the feet G4228 of Jesus, G2424 clothed, G2439 and G2532 in his right mind: G4993 and G2532 they were afraid. G5399
And G1161 some G5100 days G2250 after G3326 Paul G3972 said G2036 unto G4314 Barnabas, G921 G1211 Let us go again G1994 and visit G1980 our G2257 brethren G80 in G2596 every G3956 city G4172 where G1722 G3739 we have preached G2605 the word G3056 of the Lord, G2962 and see how G4459 they do. G2192
How G5613 God G2316 anointed G5548 Jesus G2424 of G575 Nazareth G3478 with the Holy G40 Ghost G4151 and G2532 with power: G1411 who G846 G3739 went about G1330 doing good, G2109 and G2532 healing G2390 all G3956 that were oppressed G2616 of G5259 the devil; G1228 for G3754 God G2316 was G2258 with G3326 him. G846
As soon G5613 then G3767 as they were come G576 to G1519 land, G1093 they saw G991 a fire of coals G439 there, and G2532 fish G3795 laid G2749 thereon, G1945 and G2532 bread. G740
Then G3767 Jesus G2424 saith G3004 unto them, G846 Children, G3813 have ye G2192 any G3387 meat? G4371 They answered G611 him, G846 No. G3756
But G1161 he said G2036 unto G4314 them, G846 Give G1325 ye G5210 them G846 to eat. G5315 And G1161 they said, G2036 We G2254 have no G3756 G1526 more G4119 but G2228 five G4002 loaves G740 and G2532 two G1417 fishes; G2486 except G1509 we G2249 should go G4198 and buy G59 meat G1033 for G1519 all G3956 this G5126 people. G2992
Now G1161 the man G435 out of G575 whom G3739 the devils G1140 were departed G1831 besought G1189 him G846 that he might be G1511 with G4862 him: G846 but G1161 Jesus G2424 sent G630 him G846 away, G630 saying, G3004
The LORD H3068 shall smite H5221 thee with a consumption, H7829 and with a fever, H6920 and with an inflammation, H1816 and with an extreme burning, H2746 and with the sword, H2719 and with blasting, H7711 and with mildew; H3420 and they shall pursue H7291 thee until thou perish. H6 And thy heaven H8064 that is over thy head H7218 shall be brass, H5178 and the earth H776 that is under thee shall be iron. H1270 The LORD H3068 shall make H5414 the rain H4306 of thy land H776 powder H80 and dust: H6083 from heaven H8064 shall it come down H3381 upon thee, until thou be destroyed. H8045
But G1161 I tell G3004 you G5213 of G1909 a truth, G225 many G4183 widows G5503 were G2258 in G1722 Israel G2474 in G1722 the days G2250 of Elias, G2243 when G3753 the heaven G3772 was shut up G2808 G1909 three G5140 years G2094 and G2532 six G1803 months, G3376 when G5613 great G3173 famine G3042 was G1096 throughout G1909 all G3956 the land; G1093
And G2532 it came to pass, G1096 that after G3326 three G5140 days G2250 they found G2147 him G846 in G1722 the temple, G2411 sitting G2516 in G1722 the midst G3319 of the doctors, G1320 both G2532 hearing G191 them, G846 and G2532 asking G1905 them G846 questions. G1905
I have compassion G4697 on G1909 the multitude, G3793 because G3754 they have G4357 now G2235 been G4357 with me G3427 three G5140 days, G2250 and G2532 have G2192 nothing G3756 G5101 to eat: G5315 And G2532 if G1437 I send G630 them G846 away G630 fasting G3523 to G1519 their own G846 houses, G3624 they will faint G1590 by G1722 the way: G3598 for G1063 divers G5100 of them G846 came G2240 from far. G3113 And G2532 his G846 disciples G3101 answered G611 him, G846 From whence G4159 can G1410 a man G5100 satisfy G5526 these G5128 men with bread G740 here G5602 in G1909 the wilderness? G2047 And G2532 he asked G1905 them, G846 How many G4214 loaves G740 have ye? G2192 And G1161 they said, G2036 Seven. G2033 And G2532 he commanded G3853 the people G3793 to sit down G377 on G1909 the ground: G1093 and G2532 he took G2983 the seven G2033 loaves, G740 and gave thanks, G2168 and brake, G2806 and G2532 gave G1325 to his G846 disciples G3101 to G2443 set before G3908 them; and G2532 they did set them before G3908 the people. G3793
And utter H4911 a parable H4912 unto the rebellious H4805 house, H1004 and say H559 unto them, Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Set on H8239 a pot, H5518 set it on, H8239 and also pour H3332 water H4325 into it:
Son H1121 of man, H120 when the land H776 sinneth H2398 against me by trespassing H4603 grievously, H4604 then will I stretch out H5186 mine hand H3027 upon it, and will break H7665 the staff H4294 of the bread H3899 thereof, and will send H7971 famine H7458 upon it, and will cut off H3772 man H120 and beast H929 from it:
The word H1697 of the LORD H3068 that came to Jeremiah H3414 concerning H1697 the dearth. H1226 Judah H3063 mourneth, H56 and the gates H8179 thereof languish; H535 they are black H6937 unto the ground; H776 and the cry H6682 of Jerusalem H3389 is gone up. H5927 And their nobles H117 have sent H7971 their little ones H6810 to the waters: H4325 they came H935 to the pits, H1356 H1360 and found H4672 no water; H4325 they returned H7725 with their vessels H3627 empty; H7387 they were ashamed H954 and confounded, H3637 and covered H2645 their heads. H7218 Because the ground H127 is chapt, H2865 for there was no rain H1653 in the earth, H776 the plowmen H406 were ashamed, H954 they covered H2645 their heads. H7218 Yea, the hind H365 also calved H3205 in the field, H7704 and forsook H5800 it, because there was no grass. H1877 And the wild asses H6501 did stand H5975 in the high places, H8205 they snuffed up H7602 the wind H7307 like dragons; H8577 their eyes H5869 did fail, H3615 because there was no grass. H6212
Blessed H835 is the man H120 that heareth H8085 me, watching H8245 daily H3117 H3117 at my gates, H1817 waiting H8104 at the posts H4201 of my doors. H6607
Then there was a famine H7458 in the days H3117 of David H1732 three H7969 years, H8141 year H8141 after H310 year; H8141 and David H1732 enquired H1245 of H6440 the LORD. H3068 And the LORD H3068 answered, H559 It is for Saul, H7586 and for his bloody H1818 house, H1004 because he slew H4191 the Gibeonites. H1393
And Saul H7586 sent H7971 messengers H4397 to take H3947 David: H1732 and when they saw H7200 the company H3862 of the prophets H5030 prophesying, H5012 and Samuel H8050 standing H5975 as appointed H5324 over them, the Spirit H7307 of God H430 was upon the messengers H4397 of Saul, H7586 and they also prophesied. H5012
And he went H1980 from H1767 year H8141 to year H8141 in circuit H5437 to Bethel, H1008 and Gilgal, H1537 and Mizpeh, H4709 and judged H8199 Israel H3478 in all those places. H4725 And his return H8666 was to Ramah; H7414 for there was his house; H1004 and there he judged H8199 Israel; H3478 and there he built H1129 an altar H4196 unto the LORD. H3068
Thou shalt carry H3318 much H7227 seed H2233 out H3318 into the field, H7704 and shalt gather H622 but little H4592 in; H622 for the locust H697 shall consume H2628 it. Thou shalt plant H5193 vineyards, H3754 and dress H5647 them, but shalt neither drink H8354 of the wine, H3196 nor gather H103 the grapes; for the worms H8438 shall eat H398 them. Thou shalt have olive trees H2132 throughout all thy coasts, H1366 but thou shalt not anoint H5480 thyself with the oil; H8081 for thine olive H2132 shall cast H5394 his fruit.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Kings 4
Commentary on 2 Kings 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
Great service Elisha had done, in the foregoing chapter, for the three kings: to his prayers and prophecies they owed their lives and triumphs. One would have expected that the next chapter would tell us what honours and what dignities were conferred on Elisha for this, that he should immediately be preferred at court, and made prime-minister of state, that Jehoshaphat should take him home with him, and advance him in his kingdom. No, the wise man delivered the army, but no man remembered the wise man, Eccl. 9:15. Or, if he had preferment offered him, he declined it: he preferred the honour of doing good in the schools of the prophets before that of being great in the courts of princes. God magnified him, and that sufficed him-magnified him indeed, for we have him here employed in working no fewer than five miracles.
2Ki 4:1-7
Elisha's miracles were for use, not for show; this recorded here was an act of real charity. Such also were the miracles of Christ, not only great wonders, but great favours to those for whom they were wrought. God magnifies his goodness with his power.
2Ki 4:8-17
The giving of a son to such as were old, and had been long childless, was an ancient instance of the divine power and favour, in the case of Abraham, and Isaac, and Manoah, and Elkanah; we find it here among the wonders wrought by Elisha. This was wrought in recompence for the kind entertainment which a good woman gave him, as the promise of a son was given to Abraham when he entertained angels. Observe here,
2Ki 4:18-37
We may well suppose that, after the birth of this son, the prophet was doubly welcome to the good Shunammite. He had thought himself indebted to her, but henceforth, as long as she lives, she will think herself in his debt, and that she can never do too much for him. We may also suppose that the child was very dear to the prophet, as the son of his prayers, and very dear to the parents, as the son of their old age. But here is,
2Ki 4:38-44
We have here Elisha in his place, in his element, among the sons of the prophets, teaching them, and, as a father, providing for them; and happy it was for them that they had one over them who naturally cared for their state, under whom they were well fed and well taught. There was a dearth in the land, for the wickedness of those that dwelt therein, the same that we read of, ch. 8:1. It continued seven years, just as long again as that in Elijah's time. A famine of bread there was, but not of hearing the word of God, for Elisha had the sons of the prophets sitting before him, to hear his wisdom, who were taught, that they might teach others. Two instances we have here of the care he took about their meat. Christ twice fed those to whom he preached. Elisha was in the more care about it now because of the dearth, that the sons of the prophets might not be ashamed in this evil time, but, even in the days of famine, might be satisfied, Ps. 37:19.