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Texts -- 2 Kings 4:1-37 (NET)

Context
Elisha Helps a Widow and Her Sons
4:1 Now a wife of one of the prophets appealed to Elisha for help , saying , “Your servant , my husband is dead . You know that your servant was a loyal follower of the Lord . Now the creditor is coming to take away my two boys to be his servants .” 4:2 Elisha said to her, “What can I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house ?” She answered , “Your servant has nothing in the house except a small jar of olive oil .” 4:3 He said , “Go and ask all your neighbors for empty containers . Get as many as you can. 4:4 Go and close the door behind you and your sons . Pour the olive oil into all the containers ; set aside each one when you have filled it.” 4:5 So she left him and closed the door behind her and her sons . As they were bringing the containers to her, she was pouring the olive oil. 4:6 When the containers were full , she said to one of her sons , “Bring me another container .” But he answered her, “There are no more .” Then the olive oil stopped flowing . 4:7 She went and told the prophet . He said , “Go , sell the olive oil . Repay your creditor , and then you and your sons can live off the rest of the profit.”
Elisha Gives Life to a Boy
4:8 One day Elisha traveled to Shunem , where a prominent woman lived. She insisted that he stop for a meal . So whenever he was passing through , he would stop in there for a meal . 4:9 She said to her husband , “Look , I’m sure that the man who regularly passes through here is a very special prophet . 4:10 Let’s make a small private upper room and furnish it with a bed , table , chair , and lamp . When he visits us, he can stay there .” 4:11 One day Elisha came for a visit; he went into the upper room and rested . 4:12 He told his servant Gehazi , “Ask the Shunammite woman to come here.” So he did so and she came to him. 4:13 Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tell her, ‘Look , you have treated us with such great respect . What can I do for you? Can I put in a good word for you with the king or the commander of the army ?’” She replied , “I’m quite secure .” 4:14 So he asked Gehazi, “What can I do for her?” Gehazi replied , “She has no son , and her husband is old .” 4:15 Elisha told him, “Ask her to come here.” So he did so and she came and stood in the doorway . 4:16 He said , “About this time next year you will be holding a son .” She said , “No , my master ! O prophet , do not lie to your servant !” 4:17 The woman did conceive , and at the specified time the next year she gave birth to a son , just as Elisha had told her. 4:18 The boy grew and one day he went out to see his father who was with the harvest workers . 4:19 He said to his father , “My head ! My head !” His father told a servant , “Carry him to his mother .” 4:20 So he picked him up and took him to his mother . He sat on her lap until noon and then died . 4:21 She went up and laid him down on the prophet’s bed . She shut the door behind her and left . 4:22 She called to her husband , “Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys , so I can go see the prophet quickly and then return .” 4:23 He said , “Why do you want to go see him today ? It is not the new moon or the Sabbath .” She said , “Everything’s fine .” 4:24 She saddled the donkey and told her servant , “Lead on . Do not stop unless I say so.” 4:25 So she went to visit the prophet at Mount Carmel . When he saw her at a distance , he said to his servant Gehazi , “Look , it’s the Shunammite woman. 4:26 Now , run to meet her and ask her, ‘Are you well ? Are your husband and the boy well ?’” She told Gehazi, “Everything’s fine .” 4:27 But when she reached the prophet on the mountain , she grabbed hold of his feet . Gehazi came near to push her away , but the prophet said , “Leave her alone , for she is very upset . upset . The Lord has kept the matter hidden from me; he didn’t tell me about it.” 4:28 She said , “Did I ask my master for a son ? Didn’t I say , ‘Don’t mislead me?’” 4:29 Elisha told Gehazi , “Tuck your robes into your belt , take my staff , and go ! Don’t stop to exchange greetings with anyone ! Place my staff on the child’s face .” 4:30 The mother of the child said , “As certainly as the Lord lives and as you live , I will not leave you.” So Elisha got up and followed her back . 4:31 Now Gehazi went on ahead of them. He placed the staff on the child’s face , but there was no sound or response . When he came back to Elisha he told him, “The child did not wake up .” 4:32 When Elisha arrived at the house , there was the child lying dead on his bed . 4:33 He went in by himself and closed the door . Then he prayed to the Lord . 4:34 He got up on the bed and spread his body out over the boy ; he put his mouth on the boy’s mouth , his eyes over the boy’s eyes , and the palms of his hands against the boy’s palms . He bent down over him, and the boy’s skin grew warm . 4:35 Elisha went back and walked around in the house . Then he got up on the bed again and bent down over him. The child sneezed seven times and opened his eyes . 4:36 Elisha called to Gehazi and said , “Get the Shunammite woman.” So he did so and she came to him. He said to her, “Take your son .” 4:37 She came in, fell at his feet , and bowed down . Then she picked up her son and left .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Elisha

    [ebd] God his salvation, the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, who became the attendant and disciple of Elijah (1 Kings 19:16-19). His name first occurs in the command given to Elijah to anoint him as his successor (1 Kings 19:16). ...
    [isbe] ELISHA - e-li'-sha 'elisha`, "God is salvalion"; Septuagint Eleisaie; New Testament Elisaios, Eliseus, (Lk 4:27 the King James Version)): I. HIS CALL AND PREPARATION 1. His Call 2. His Preparation 3. The Parting Gift of Elij...
    [smith] (God his salvation), son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah; the attendant and disciple of Elijan, and subsequently his successor as prophet of the kingdom of Israel. The earliest mention of his name is in the command to Elijah in th...
    [nave] ELISHA, successor to the prophet Elijah. Elijah instructed to anoint, 1 Kin. 19:16. Called by Elijah, 1 Kin. 19:19. Ministers to Elijah, 1 Kin. 19:21. Witnesses Elijah's translation, receives a double portion of his spirit...

  • Shunem

    [ebd] two resting-places, a little village in the tribe of Issachar, to the north of Jezreel and south of Mount Gilboa (Josh. 19:18), where the Philistines encamped when they came against Saul (1 Sam. 28:4), and where Elisha was h...
    [isbe] SHUNEM - shoo'-nem (shunem; Codex Vaticanus Sounan; Codex Alexandrinus Sounam): A town in the territory of Issachar named with Jezreel and Chesulloth (Josh 19:18). Before the battle of Gilboa the Philistines pitched their ca...
    [smith] (double resting-place), one of the cities allotted to the tribe of Issachar. (Joshua 13:18) It is mentioned on two occasions -- (1 Samuel 23:4; 2 Kings 4:8) It was besides the native place of Abishag. (1 Kings 1:3) I...
    [nave] SHUNEM A city allotted to the tribe of Issachar, Josh. 19:18. Elisha dwells at, with the Shunammite, 2 Kin. 4. A young woman found in, to nourish David, 1 Kin. 1:3.

  • JEHOAHAZ

    [isbe] JEHOAHAZ - je-ho'-a-haz, je-ho-a'-haz (yeho'achaz, "Yah has grasped"; Ioachas; 2 Ki 13:1-9): (1) Son of Jehu, and 11th king of Israel. He is stated to have reigned 17 years. 1. Chronology of Reign: Josephus was already aware...

  • IMAGES

    [isbe] IMAGES - im'-aj-iz (tselem; eikon): 1. Definition 2. Origin 3. Historical Beginnings and Early Developments 4. Bible References and Palestinian Customs 5. Most Important Technical Terms (1) Matstsebhah ("pillar") (2) 'Ashera...

  • DANIEL, BOOK OF

    [isbe] DANIEL, BOOK OF - dan'-yel: I. NAME II. PLACE IN THE CANON III. DIVISIONS OF THE BOOK IV. LANGUAGES V. PURPOSE OF THE BOOK VI. UNITY VII. GENUINENESS 1. The Predictions 2. The Miracles 3. The Text 4. The Language 5. The Hist...

  • JEHORAM; JORAM

    [isbe] JEHORAM; JORAM - je-ho'-ram, written also in the abbreviated form, (yehoram, yoram, "Yahweh is high"; the Revised Version (British and American) retains "Joram" for Hebrew yehoram in 2 Ki 9:15-24): (1) Ninth king of Israel (...

  • Gehazi

    [ebd] valley of vision, Elisha's trusted servant (2 Kings 4:31; 5:25; 8:4, 5). He appears in connection with the history of the Shunammite (2 Kings 4:14, 31) and of Naaman the Syrian. On this latter occasion he was guilty of dupli...
    [isbe] GEHAZI - ge-ha'-zi (gechazi, except in 2 Ki 4:31; 5:25; 8:4,5, where it is gechazi, perhaps "valley of vision"): The confidential servant of Elisha. Various words are used to denote his relation to his master. He is generall...
    [smith] (valley of vision), the servant or boy of Elisha. He was sent as the prophet?s messenger on two occasions to the good Shunammite, (2 Kings 4:1) ... (B.C. 889-887); obtained fraudulently money and garments from Naaman, was ...
    [nave] GEHAZI Servant of Elisha, 2 Kin. 4:12, 29, 31. Greed of, and the judgment of leprosy upon, 2 Kin. 5:20-27. Mentions to King Jehoram the miracles of Elisha, his master, 2 Kin. 8:4, 5.

  • Shunammite

    [ebd] a person of Shunem (1 Kings 1:3; 2 Kings 4:12). The Syr. and Arab. read "Sulamite."
    [isbe] SHUNAMMITE - shoo'-na-mit (shunammith, shunammith; Codex Vaticanus Somaneitis; Codex Alexandrinus Soumanites): Applied to natives of Shunem. (1) Abishag, who was brought to minister to the aged king David, love for whom led ...
    [nave] SHUNAMMITE 1. A person from Shunem. Abishag, the woman who nourished David, 1 Kin. 1:3; desired by Adonijah as wife, 1 Kin. 2:13-25. 2. A woman who gave hospitality to Elisha, and whose son he raised to life, 2 Kin. 4:8-37....

  • Women

    [nave] WOMEN Creation of, Gen. 1:27; 2:21, 22. Named, Gen. 2:23. Fall of, and curse upon, Gen. 3:1-16; 2 Cor. 11:3; 1 Tim. 2:14. Promise to, Gen. 3:15. Had separate apartments in dwellings, Gen. 24:67; 31:33; Esth. 2:9, 11. Ve...

  • Miracles

    [nave] MIRACLES. Index of Sub-topics Catalog of, and Supernatural Events, Of Jesus, in Chronological Order, Of the Disciples of Jesus; Convincing Effect of; Design of; Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit; Miscellany of Minor Sub-...

  • Children

    [smith] The blessing of offspring, but especially of the male sex, is highly valued among all eastern nations, while a the absence is regarded as one of the severest punishments. (Genesis 16:2; 7:14; 1 Samuel 1:6; 2 Samuel 6:23...
    [nave] CHILDREN In answer to prayer: To Abraham, Gen. 15:2-5, with Gen. 21:1, 2; Isaac, Gen. 25:21; Leah, Gen. 30:17-22; Rachel, Gen. 30:22-24; Haah, 1 Sam. 1:9-20; Zacharias, Luke 1:13. Treatment of, at birth, Ezek. 16:4-6; Luke ...

  • Afflictions and Adversities

    [nave] AFFLICTIONS AND ADVERSITIES. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Benefits of; Benefits of, Illustrated; Consolation in; Deliverance from; Design of; Despondency in; Dispe...

  • Carmel

    [ebd] a park; generally with the article, "the park." (1.) A prominent headland of Central Palestine, consisting of several connected hills extending from the plain of Esdraelon to the sea, a distance of some 12 miles or more. At ...
    [smith] (fruitful place or park). A mountain which forms one of the most striking and characteristic features of the country of Palestine. It is a noble ridge, the only headland of lower and central Palestine, and forms its southern...
    [nave] CARMEL 1. A fertile and picturesque mountain in Palestine, Song 7:5; Isa. 33:9; 35:2; Jer. 46:18; 50:19; Amos 1:2. Forests of, 2 Kin. 19:23. Caves of, Amos 9:3; Mic. 7:14. An idolatrous high place upon; Elijah builds an a...

  • Oil

    [isbe] OIL - oil (shemen; elaion): 1. Terms 2. Production and Storage 3. Uses (1) As a Commodity of Exchange (2) As a Cosmetic (3) As a Medicine (4) As a Food (5) As an Illuminant (6) In Religious Rites (a) Consecration (b) Offerin...
    [nave] OIL Sacred, Ex. 30:23-25; 31:11; 35:8, 15, 28; 37:29; 39:38; Num. 4:16; 1 Chr. 9:30. Punishment for profaning, Ex. 30:31-33. Used for idols, Ezek. 23:41. Illuminating, for tabernacle, Ex. 25:6; 27:20; Lev. 24:2-4. For do...

  • Poor

    [nave] POOR Atonement money of, uniform with that of the rich, Ex. 30:15. Inexpensive offerings of the poor, Lev. 5:7; 12:8; 14:21, 22. See: Beneficence; Giving; Liberality; Orphans; Poverty; Widow. Also See: Rich; Riches. Uncl...

  • Debtor

    [nave] DEBTOR, Laws Concerning Ex. 21:2-6; Ex. 22:10-15; Lev. 25:14-17, 25-41, 47-55; Neh. 10:31; Matt. 5:25, 26, 40; Matt. 18:25 Unclassified Scriptures Relating to 2 Kin. 4:1-7; Neh. 5:3-5; Job 20:18, 19; Matt. 18:23-33; Luke...

  • DEBT; DEBTOR

    [isbe] DEBT; DEBTOR - det, det'-er: It is difficult nowadays to think of debt without associating with it the idea of interest, and even usury. Certain it is that this idea is associated with the Old Testament idea of the word, at ...

  • Servant

    [nave] SERVANT Distinguished as bond servant, who was a slave, and hired servant. Bond Laws of Moses concerning, Ex. 21:1-11, 20, 21, 26, 27, 32; Lev. 19:20-22; 25:6, 10, 35-55; Deut. 15:12, 14, 18; 24:7. Kidnapping forbidden, D...

  • Widow

    [nave] WIDOW Vows of, binding, Num. 30:9. When daughters of priests, to be supported by their fathers, Lev. 22:13. Priests forbidden to marry, Lev. 21:14. Marriage of, authorized, Rom. 7:3; 1 Cor. 7:39. Widows' Inheritance, See...

  • Readings, Select

    [nave] READINGS, SELECT. Judah's Defense Gen. 44:18-34 Joseph Revealing His Identity Gen. 45:1-15 The Deliverance of the Israelites from Pharaoh Ex. 14:5-30 Song of Moses When Pharaoh and His Army Were Overthrown Ex. 15:1-1...
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Hymns

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  • [2Ki 4:3] Bring Your Vessels, Not A Few
  • [2Ki 4:26] Safely, Safely, Gathered In

Sermon Illustrations

Accounts of People Raised from the Dead; Ten Biblical & Practical Reasons to Give to the Lord’s Work; Why Give 10% or More of Your Income to the Lord's Work

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • God ordered that priests should announce His movement of the people by blowing two silver trumpets because the Israelites would not watch the cloud continuously. The blasts from the trumpets would reach the farthest tents in ...
  • David was wondering if he had done something wrong that had provoked Saul's hatred (v. 1). Walking with God is sometimes confusing. We need to learn, as David did, that when we try to follow God faithfully some people will op...
  • God had a very unusual ministry for Elijah to perform in which he would stand alone against hundreds of opponents (18:16-40). This section reveals how the Lord prepared him for it.The site of Zarephath was between Tyre and Si...
  • (Continued from notes on 1 Kings)3. Ahaziah's evil reign in Israel -1 Kings 22:51-2 Kings 1:184. Jehoram's evil reign in Israel 2:1-8:155. Jehoram's evil reign in Judah 8:16-246. Ahaziah's evil reign in Judah 8:25-9:29C. The ...
  • The Gilgal in view may have been the one between Jericho and the Jordan, or it may have been one about seven miles north of Bethel since Elijah and Elisha went down to Bethel (v. 2).10This account presupposes previous revelat...
  • In contrast to the incident above, this one shows God's blessing on a wealthy woman. She was not the marriage partner of a prophet but a simple faithful believer in Yahweh (cf. vv. 8-10, 16, 21-22, 24-25, 27, 30, 37). She was...
  • Hazael was the governor of Damascus.50The Gentile King of Aram had more interest in inquiring of Yahweh than Jehoram's predecessor did (v. 8; cf. 1:2). It was customary in the Near East to make a great show of giving gifts. I...
  • Jehoash (Joash) had respect and affection for Elisha. He anticipated the loss that the death of God's spiritual warrior would be to Israel (v. 14). He recognized that Israel's real defense lay in Yahweh's angelic army and in ...
  • This vision may have come to Jeremiah immediately after the preceding one or at some other time.1:13 The Lord next directed Jeremiah to view a boiling pot (cauldron used for cooking or washing, Heb. sir) that was tipped so th...
  • Whereas the previous verses have focused on the Antichrist, those in this pericope concern Israel. Here we learn that this "end time"will definitely be a time of intense persecution of Jews. This section constitutes the clima...
  • Having given His essential response to the people's repentance, the Lord now explained what He would do in more detail. This section is chiastic with the focus of emphasis on verses 21-24. Verses 19 and 26-27 promise a restor...
  • Not all the sins that Amos identified appear in verses 6-8; two more appear in verse 12. Amos named seven sins of Israel all together rather than just one, as in the previous oracles, though he continued to use the "for three...
  • 7:10 Amaziah, who was one of the apostate priests who served at the Bethel sanctuary (cf. 1 Kings 12:26-33), felt that Amos was being unpatriotic in what he was prophesying. So Amaziah sent a message to King Jeroboam II charg...
  • 7:14 Amos replied that he was not a prophet by his own choosing; he did not decide to pursue prophesying as a career. Neither had he become a prophet because his father had been one. In Amos' culture it was common and expecte...
  • The title of the book is the name of its writer.All we know for sure about Habakkuk was that he was a prophet who lived during the pre-exilic period of Israel's history.1The meaning of his name is questionable. It may come fr...
  • 6:5-6 Jesus assumed that His disciples would pray, as He assumed they would give alms (v. 2) and fast (v. 16). Again He warned against ostentatious worship. The synagogues and streets were public places where people could pra...
  • 9:18-19 This incident evidently happened shortly after Jesus and His disciples returned from Gadara on the east side of the lake (cf. Mark 5:21-22; Luke 8:40-41). The name of this Capernium synagogue ruler was Jairus (Mark 5:...
  • Jesus had previously fed 5,000 men, but that was near the northeast coast of Galilee, where the people were Jews (14:13-21). Now He fed 4,000 men on the east coast of Galilee, where the people were mainly Gentiles.15:32-33 Ma...
  • This is one of the sections of Mark's Gospel that has a chiastic structure (cf. 3:22-30; 6:14-29; 11:15-19).A The appeal of Jairus for his daughter 5:21-24B The healing of the woman with the hemorrhage 5:25-34A' The raising o...
  • This miracle raised the popular appreciation of Jesus' authority to new heights. Luke also continued to stress Jesus' compassion for people, in this case a widow whose son had died, by including this incident in his Gospel. T...
  • The effect of Luke's omission of the conversation Jesus had with the disciples about Elijah is clear. This healing appears as the work of the Son of God whom the Transfiguration presented."It is the Jesus who has been transfi...
  • The theme of discipleship training continues in this section of verses. The 70 disciples that Jesus sent out contrast with the three men Luke just finished presenting (9:57-62). This was a second mission on which Jesus sent a...
  • "John evidently wants us to see that the activity of Jesus as the Light of the world inevitably results in judgment on those whose natural habitat is darkness. They oppose the Light and they bring down condemnation on themsel...
  • "From 20:5 through the end of Acts (28:31), Luke's narrative gives considerable attention to ports of call, stopovers, and time spent on Paul's travels and includes various anecdotes. It contains the kind of details found in ...
  • Paul continued the emphasis he began in the previous section (vv. 3-10) by appealing to Timothy to pursue spiritual rather than physical goals in his life. He seems to have intended his instructions for all the faithful Ephes...
  • 11:32 The Old Testament is full of good examples of persevering, living faith. The writer selected these few for brief mention along with what such faith accomplished.372Each individual that the writer mentioned was less than...
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