5 So she went H3212 from him, and shut H5462 the door H1817 upon her and upon H1157 her sons, H1121 who H1992 brought H5066 the vessels to her; and she poured out. H3332
And she went H3212 and did H6213 according to the saying H1697 of Elijah: H452 and she, and he, and her house, H1004 did eat H398 many days. H3117 And the barrel H3537 of meal H7058 wasted H3615 not, neither did the cruse H6835 of oil H8081 fail, H2638 according to the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 which he spake H1696 by H3027 Elijah. H452
By faith G4102 Noah, G3575 being warned of God G5537 of G4012 things not G3369 seen G991 as yet, G3369 moved with fear, G2125 prepared G2680 an ark G2787 to G1519 the saving G4991 of his G846 house; G3624 by G1223 the which G3739 he condemned G2632 the world, G2889 and G2532 became G1096 heir G2818 of the righteousness G1343 which is by G2596 faith. G4102 By faith G4102 Abraham, G11 when he was called G2564 to go out G1831 into G1519 a place G5117 which G3739 he should after G3195 receive G2983 for G1519 an inheritance, G2817 obeyed; G5219 and G2532 he went out, G1831 not G3361 knowing G1987 whither G4226 he went. G2064
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.