40 So they poured out H3332 for the men H582 to eat. H398 And it came to pass, as they were eating H398 of the pottage, H5138 that they cried out, H6817 and said, H559 O thou man H376 of God, H430 there is death H4194 in the pot. H5518 And they could H3201 not eat H398 thereof.
Now therefore forgive, H5375 I pray thee, my sin H2403 only this once, H6471 and intreat H6279 the LORD H3068 your God, H430 that he may take away H5493 from me this death H4194 only.
And she said H559 unto Elijah, H452 What have I to do with thee, O thou man H376 of God? H430 art thou come H935 unto me to call H2142 my sin H5771 to remembrance, H2142 and to slay H4191 my son? H1121
Then the king H4428 sent H7971 unto him a captain H8269 of fifty H2572 with his fifty. H2572 And he went up H5927 to him: and, behold, he sat H3427 on the top H7218 of an hill. H2022 And he spake H1696 unto him, Thou man H376 of God, H430 the king H4428 hath said, H1696 Come down. H3381
And he sent H7971 again H7725 a captain H8269 of the third H7992 fifty H2572 with his fifty. H2572 And the third H7992 captain H8269 of fifty H2572 went up, H5927 and came H935 and fell H3766 on his knees H1290 before H5048 Elijah, H452 and besought H2603 him, and said H1696 unto him, O man H376 of God, H430 I pray thee, let my life, H5315 and the life H5315 of these fifty H2572 thy servants, H5650 be precious H3365 in thy sight. H5869
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.