2 Kings 4:8-44
day <03117> [it fell on. Heb. there was.]
Shunem <07766> [Shunem.]
This city was situated in the tribe of Issachar, five miles south from mount Tabor, according to Eusebius; and is probably the place which he calls Sanim, in Acrabatene, in the neighbourhood of Samaria or Sebaste.
prominent woman <0802 01419> [a great woman.]
insisted ....... meal ............... meal <02388 0398> [she constrained him. Heb. she laid hold on him.]
said <0559> [she said.]
special <06918> [this is.]
husband ................. prophet <0376 0430> [man of God.]
make ........ furnish <06213 07760> [Let us.]
small ... upper room <06996 05944> [a little chamber.]
An {ƒleeyah,} or {ole„h,} as the Arabs call it; a small back house annexed to the principal dwelling, in which the prophet could live in a great privacy as in his own house, and to which he could retire at pleasure, without breaking in upon the private affairs of the family, or being in his turn interrupted by them in his devotions. See the notes on Jud 3:20.
Gehazi <01522> [Gehazi.]
servant <05288> [servant.]
treated <02729> [thou hast.]
king <04428> [to the king.]
commander <08269> [to the captain.]
secure <03427> [I dwell.]
army ...... secure <08432 05971> [among mine.]
son <01121> [she hath no child.]
next year <04150> [About this.]
next year <04150> [season. Heb. set time. thou shalt.]
master <0113> [my lord.]
lie <03576> [do not lie.]
harvest <07114> [to the reapers.]
head ... head <07218> [My head.]
From this peculiar exclamation, and the season of the year, it is probable he was affected by the {coup de soleil,} or stroke of the sun, which is by no means uncommon in hot climates, and often proves fatal.
mother <0517> [his mother.]
died <04191> [and then died.]
bed <04296> [the bed.]
so ..... see .... quickly <07323> [I may run.]
new moon <02320> [new moon.]
fine <07965> [well. Heb. peace.]
saddled <02280> [Then she.]
donkey <0860> [an ass.]
These animals were not anciently, as now, used only by the lower classes, but were in general use among the noble and chief personages of the East, and it was not unusual for even the husband to walk by the side of his wife while thus riding; the driver, as was the custom, following. The Shunammite, when she went to the prophet, did not desire so much attendance; but only requested her husband to send her an ass and its driver.
Lead <05090> [Drive.]
<06113 07392> [slack not thy riding for me. Heb. restrain not for me to ride.]
Mount <02022> [to mount.]
run ... meet <07323 07125> [Run now.]
well ........ well ...... fine <07965> [Is it well with thee.]
well ........ well ...... fine <07965> [It is well.]
feet <07272> [him by the feet. Heb. by his feet.]
push ... away <01920> [thrust.]
Leave ... alone <07503> [Let her alone.]
very upset <04843> [vexed. Heb. bitter.]
hidden ...... tell <05956 05046> [hid it from me.]
ask <07592> [Did I desire.]
mislead <07952> [Do not.]
Tuck ...... belt <02296 04975> [Gird up thy loins.]
take ... staff ............. staff <03947 04938> [take my.]
Tuck .................. anyone <01288 0376> [salute him not.]
staff ........... Place ... staff <04938 07760> [lay my staff.]
Lord <03068> [As the Lord.]
leave <05800> [I will not.]
sound <06963> [neither voice.]
response <07182> [hearing. Heb. attention.]
wake up <06974> [not awaked.]
child <05288> [the child.]
closed ... door <01817 05462> [shut the door.]
prayed <06419> [prayed.]
[to and fro. Heb. once hither and once thither. and the child opened.]
called ........ Shunammite <07121 07767> [Call this Shunammite.]
Take <05375> [Take up.]
fell .... feet <07272 05307> [fell at his feet.]
Elisha <0477> [Elisha.]
famine <07458> [a dearth.]
<01121> [the sons.]
visiting <03427> [were sitting.]
Put ... big pot on <08239 01419 05518> [Set on the great pot.]
field ......... wild vine ....... fruit <07704 01612> [a wild vine.]
field ......... wild ........ fruit <06498 07704> [wild gourds.]
The word {pakk“th,} from {peka,} in Chaldee, to burst, and in Syriac, to crack, thunder, is generally supposed to be the fruits of the coloquintida, or colocynth; whose leaves are large, placed alternately, very much like those of the vine, whence it might be called a wild vine: the flowers are white, and the fruit of the gourd kind, of the size of a large apple, and when ripe, of a yellow colour, and a pleasant and inviting appearance. It ranks among vegetable poisons, as all intense bitters do; but, judiciously employed, it is of considerable use in medicine. It is said that the fruit, when ripe, is so full of wind that it bursts, and throws its liquor and seeds to a great distance: and if touched, before it breaks of itself, it flies open with an explosion, and discharges its foetid contents in the face of him who touched it.
men .................... prophet <0376> [O thou.]
Death <04194> [death.]
threw <07993> [he cast.]
anything <01697> [there.]
anything <01697> [harm. Heb. evil thing.]
Baal Shalisha <01190> [Baal-shalisha.]
food ...... loaves of bread <03899> [bread.]
barley <08184> [of barley.]
said <06861 0559> [the husk thereof. or, his scrip, or garment.]
Note: Parched corn, or corn to be parched; full ears before they are ripe, parched on the fire: a very frequent food in the East. The loaves were probably extremely small, as their loaves of bread still are in eastern countries. But small as this may appear, it would be a considerable present in the time of famine; though very inadequate to the number of persons. Baal-shalisha, of which the person who made this seasonable present was an inhabitant, was situated, according to Eusebius and Jerome, fifteen miles north of Diospolis, or Lydda.
attendant <08334> [his servitor.]
I .......... Set it <05414> [What.]
eat ........... eat <0398> [They shall eat.]
