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Texts -- 2 Kings 4:6-44 (NET)

Context
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 .
Elisha Makes a Meal Edible
4:38 Now Elisha went back to Gilgal , while there was famine in the land . Some of the prophets were visiting him and he told his servant , “Put the big pot on the fire and boil some stew for the prophets .” 4:39 Someone went out to the field to gather some herbs and found a wild vine . He picked some of its fruit , enough to fill up the fold of his robe . He came back , cut it up , and threw the slices into the stew pot , not knowing they were harmful. 4:40 The stew was poured out for the men to eat . When they ate some of the stew , they cried out , “Death is in the pot , O prophet !” They could not eat it. 4:41 He said , “Get some flour .” Then he threw it into the pot and said , “Now pour some out for the men so they may eat .” There was no longer anything harmful in the pot .
Elisha Miraculously Feeds a Hundred People
4:42 Now a man from Baal Shalisha brought some food for the prophet – twenty loaves of bread made from the firstfruits of the barley harvest, as well as fresh ears of grain . Elisha said , “Set it before the people so they may eat .” 4:43 But his attendant said , “How can I feed a hundred men with this ?” He replied , “Set it before the people so they may eat , for this is what the Lord says , ‘They will eat and have some left over .’” 4:44 So he set it before them; they ate and had some left over , just as the Lord predicted .

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...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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...
    [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...

  • Minister

    [ebd] one who serves, as distinguished from the master. (1.) Heb. meshereth, applied to an attendant on one of superior rank, as to Joshua, the servant of Moses (Ex. 33:11), and to the servant of Elisha (2 Kings 4:43). This name i...
    [smith] This term is used in the Authorized Version to describe various officials of a religious and civil character. Its meaning, as distinguished from servant, is a voluntary attendant on another. In the Old Testament it is applied...
    [nave] MINISTER, a sacred teacher. Index of Sub-topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-topics; Call of; Character and Qualifications of; Charge Delivered to; Courage of; Duties of; Duties of the Church to; Emoluments of; Faithful, Instanc...

  • Quotations and Allusions

    [nave] QUOTATIONS AND ALLUSIONS. In the New Testament from, and to, the Old Testament Matt. 1:23 Isa. 7:14. Matt. 2:6 Mic. 5:2. Matt. 2:15 Hos. 11:1. Matt. 2:18 Jer. 31:15. Matt. 3:3 Isa. 40:3. Matt. 4:4 Deut. 8:3; Luke 4:4. Matt...

  • Intercession

    [isbe] INTERCESSION - in-ter-sesh'-un (pagha`, "to make intercession"; originally "to strike upon," or "against"; then in a good sense, "to assail anyone with petitions," "to urge," and when on behalf of another, "to intercede" (Ru...
    [nave] INTERCESSION. Of One Person with Another 1 Sam. 2:25 Instances of: Reuben for Joseph, Gen. 37:21, 22. Judah for Joseph, Gen. 37:26, 27. Pharaoh's chief baker for Joseph, Gen. 41:9-13, with Gen. 40:14. Jonathan for David...

  • Dead

    [nave] DEAD Raised to life, instances of: Son of the widow of Zarephath, 1 Kin. 17:17-23; Shunammite's son, 2 Kin. 4:32-37; young man laid in Elisha's sepulchre, 2 Kin. 13:21; widow's son, Luke 7:12-15; Jairus' daughter, Luke 8:49-...

  • Gilgal

    [ebd] rolling. (1.) From the solemn transaction of the reading of the law in the valley of Shechem between Ebal and Gerizim the Israelites moved forward to Gilgal, and there made a permanent camp (Josh. 9:6; 10:6). It was "beside ...
    [isbe] GILGAL - gil'-gal (gilgal, "circle"; Galgala): The article is always with the name except in Josh 5:9. There are three places to which the name is attached: (1) The first camp of Israel after crossing the Jordan (Josh 4:19; ...
    [smith] (a wheel; rolling). The site of the first camp of the Israelites on the west of the Jordan, the place at which they passed the first night after crossing the river, and where the twelve stones were set up which had been take...
    [nave] GILGAL 1. Place of the first encampment of the Israelites W. of the Jordan, Josh. 4:19; 9:6; 10:6, 43; 14:6. Monument erected in, to commemorate the passage of the Jordan by the children of Israel, Josh. 4:19-24. Circumcis...

  • PROPHET

    [ebd] (Heb. nabi, from a root meaning "to bubble forth, as from a fountain," hence "to utter", comp. Ps. 45:1). This Hebrew word is the first and the most generally used for a prophet. In the time of Samuel another word, ro'eh, "s...
    [smith] The ordinary Hebrew word for prophet is nabi , derived from a verb signifying "to bubble forth" like a fountain; hence the word means one who announces or pours forth the declarations of God. The English word comes from the G...

  • Gourd

    [ebd] (1.) Jonah's gourd (Jonah 4:6-10), bearing the Hebrew name kikayon (found only here), was probably the kiki of the Egyptians, the croton. This is the castor-oil plant, a species of ricinus, the palma Christi, so called from ...
    [smith] Kikayan only in (Jonah 4:6-10) The plant which is intended by this word, and which afforded shade to the prophet Jonah before Nineveh, is the Ricinus commnunis , or castor-oil plant, which, a native of Asia, is now naturaliz...
    [nave] GOURD Jonah's, believed to be a vine resembling the American squash, used in Assyria to cover booths, Jonah 4:6-10. The wild gourd mentioned 2 Kin. 4:39 is supposed to be a plant in appearance like the cucumber.
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The point of this section is the importance of maintaining purity in the marriage relationship to preserve God's blessing on Israel.In verses 11-15 the writer explained the first steps an Israelite man who suspected his wife ...
  • 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...
  • God again disciplined Israel by withholding fertility from the land and producing a famine (v. 38). The people were not only hungry for bread but also for what would truly satisfy their spiritual hunger, namely, the Word of G...
  • Archaeologists debate the site of Baal-salishah. In obedience to the Mosaic Law the man in view brought Elisha his offering of first-fruits to honor God by giving this offering to His servants (Num. 18:13; Deut. 18:4). This s...
  • Several details in this incident hinge on timing that God supernaturally controlled to bring blessing on the woman as God had promised. God directed her away from the famine before it came on Israel for the nation's apostasy ...
  • 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:...
  • Matthew's record of this miracle, which all four Gospels contain, stresses Jesus' power to create, His compassion, and the disciples' responsibility to minister to multitudes as Jesus' representatives. It also previews the ki...
  • 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...
  • This is the only miracle that all four evangelists recorded. It is important because it is the climax of Jesus' miracles that authenticated His person as divine (cf. Ps. 146:7). It was perhaps the most forceful demonstration ...
  • 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...
  • The importance of this sign is clear in that all four Gospels contain an account of it. Apparently John was familiar with the other evangelists' versions of this miracle as well as being an eyewitness of the event. His story ...
  • "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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