2 Kings 4:1

Elisha Helps a Widow and Her Sons

4:1 Now a wife of one of the prophets ¹  appealed ²  to Elisha for help, saying, “Your servant, my husband is dead. You know that your servant was a loyal follower of the Lord. ³  Now the creditor is coming to take away my two boys to be his servants.”

2 Kings 5:25

5:25 When he came and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” He answered, “Your servant hasn’t been anywhere.”

2 Kings 5:15

5:15 He and his entire entourage returned to the prophet. Naaman ⁴  came and stood before him. He said, “For sure ⁵  I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel! Now, please accept a gift from your servant.”

2 Kings 5:17

5:17 Naaman said, “If not, then please give your servant a load of dirt, enough for a pair of mules to carry, ⁶  for your servant will never again offer a burnt offering or sacrifice to a god other than the Lord. ⁷ 

2 Kings 8:13

8:13 Hazael said, “How could your servant, who is as insignificant as a dog, accomplish this great military victory?” ⁸  Elisha answered, “The Lord has revealed to me that you will be the king of Syria.” ⁹ 

2 Kings 16:7

16:7 Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your dependent. ¹⁰  March up and rescue me from the power ¹¹  of the king of Syria and the king of Israel, who have attacked ¹²  me.”

[4:1]  ¹ tn Heb “a wife from among the wives of the sons of the prophets.”

[4:1]  ² tn Or “cried out.”

[4:1]  ³ tn Heb “your servant feared the Lord.” “Fear” refers here to obedience and allegiance, the products of healthy respect for the Lord’s authority.

[5:15]  ⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Naaman) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:15]  ⁵ tn Heb “look.”

[5:17]  ⁷ tn Heb “and [if] not, may there be given to your servant a load [for] a pair of mules, earth.”

[5:17]  ⁸ tn Heb “for your servant will not again make a burnt offering and sacrifice to other gods, only to the Lord.”

[8:13]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “Indeed, what is your servant, a dog, that he could do this great thing?” With his reference to a dog, Hazael is not denying that he is a “dog” and protesting that he would never commit such a dastardly “dog-like” deed. Rather, as Elisha’s response indicates, Hazael is suggesting that he, like a dog, is too insignificant to ever be in a position to lead such conquests.

[8:13]  ¹¹ tn Heb “The Lord has shown me you [as] king over Syria.”

[16:7]  ¹³ tn Heb “son.” Both terms (“servant” and “son”) reflect Ahaz’s subordinate position as Tiglath-pileser’s subject.

[16:7]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “hand, palm.”

[16:7]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “who have arisen against.”