2 Kings 8:1
New International Version
Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Go away with your family and stay for a while wherever you can, because the LORD has decreed a famine in the land that will last seven years.”

New Living Translation
Elisha had told the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “Take your family and move to some other place, for the LORD has called for a famine on Israel that will last for seven years.”

English Standard Version
Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Arise, and depart with your household, and sojourn wherever you can, for the LORD has called for a famine, and it will come upon the land for seven years.”

Berean Standard Bible
Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Arise, you and your household; go and live as a foreigner wherever you can. For the LORD has decreed a seven-year famine, and it has already come to the land.”

King James Bible
Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the LORD hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.

New King James Version
Then Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise and go, you and your household, and stay wherever you can; for the LORD has called for a famine, and furthermore, it will come upon the land for seven years.”

New American Standard Bible
Now Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise and go with your household, and live wherever you can live; for the LORD has called for a famine, and it will indeed come on the land for seven years.”

NASB 1995
Now Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise and go with your household, and sojourn wherever you can sojourn; for the LORD has called for a famine, and it will even come on the land for seven years.”

NASB 1977
Now Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise and go with your household, and sojourn wherever you can sojourn; for the LORD has called for a famine, and it shall even come on the land for seven years.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Now Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise and go with your household, and sojourn wherever you can sojourn; for Yahweh has called for a famine, and it will even come on the land for seven years.”

Amplified Bible
Now Elisha had said to the [Shunammite] woman whose son he had restored to life, “Prepare and go, you and your household, and stay temporarily wherever you can; for the LORD has called for a famine, and moreover, it will come on the land [and continue] for seven years.”

Christian Standard Bible
Elisha said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Get ready, you and your household, and go live as a resident alien wherever you can. For the LORD has announced a seven-year famine, and it has already come to the land.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Elisha said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Get ready, you and your household, and go and live as a foreigner wherever you can. For the LORD has announced a seven-year famine, and it has already come to the land.”

American Standard Version
Now Elisha had spoken unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thy household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for Jehovah hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Elisha said to the woman to whose son he had given life: “Arise, go, you and your household, and dwell wherever you will dwell, because LORD JEHOVAH has called for a famine. It also comes on the land for seven years.”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Elisaie spoke to the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thy house, and sojourn wherever thou mayest sojourn: for the Lord has called for a famine upon the land; indeed it is come upon the land for seven years.

Contemporary English Version
Elisha told the woman whose son he had brought back to life, "The LORD has warned that there will be no food here for seven years. Take your family and go live somewhere else for a while."

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Eliseus spoke to the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying: Arise, and go thou and thy household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst find: for the Lord hath exiled a famine, and it shall come upon the land seven years.

English Revised Version
Now Elisha had spoken unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the LORD hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Elisha had told the woman whose son he had brought back to life, "Go away with your family. Stay wherever you can. The LORD has decided to send a famine on this country, and it will last seven years."

Good News Translation
Now Elisha had told the woman who lived in Shunem, whose son he had brought back to life, that the LORD was sending a famine on the land, which would last for seven years, and that she should leave with her family and go and live somewhere else.

International Standard Version
Meanwhile, Elisha urged the woman whose son he had restored to life, "You must get up and leave with your household to go live wherever you can, because the LORD has called for a famine, and it's going to come over the land for seven years."

JPS Tanakh 1917
Now Elisha had spoken unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying: 'Arise, and go thou and thy household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn; for the LORD hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.'

Literal Standard Version
And Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had revived, saying, “Rise and go, you and your household, and sojourn where you sojourn, for YHWH has called for a famine, and also, it is coming to the land [for] seven years.”

Majority Standard Bible
Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Arise, you and your household; go and live as a foreigner wherever you can. For the LORD has decreed a seven-year famine, and it has already come to the land.”

New American Bible
Elisha once said to the woman whose son he had restored to life: “Get ready! Leave with your household and live wherever you can, because the LORD has decreed a seven-year famine which is coming upon the land.”

NET Bible
Now Elisha advised the woman whose son he had brought back to life, "You and your family should go and live somewhere else for a while, for the LORD has decreed that a famine will overtake the land for seven years."

New Revised Standard Version
Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Get up and go with your household, and settle wherever you can; for the LORD has called for a famine, and it will come on the land for seven years.”

New Heart English Bible
Now Elisha had spoken to the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, "Arise, and go, you and your household, and stay for a while wherever you can; for the LORD has called for a famine. It shall also come on the land seven years."

Webster's Bible Translation
Then Elisha spoke to the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thy household, and sojourn wherever thou canst sojourn: for the LORD hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.

World English Bible
Now Elisha had spoken to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise, and go, you and your household, and stay for a while wherever you can; for Yahweh has called for a famine. It will also come on the land for seven years.”

Young's Literal Translation
And Elisha spake unto the woman whose son he had revived, saying, 'Rise and go, thou and thy household, and sojourn where thou dost sojourn, for Jehovah hath called for a famine, and also, it is coming unto the land seven years.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Shunammite's Land Restored
1Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Arise, you and your household; go and live as a foreigner wherever you can. For the LORD has decreed a seven-year famine, and it has already come to the land.” 2So the woman had proceeded to do as the man of God had instructed. And she and her household lived as foreigners for seven years in the land of the Philistines.…

Cross References
Genesis 41:27
Moreover, the seven thin, ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind--they are seven years of famine.

Genesis 41:54
the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. And although there was famine in every country, there was food throughout the land of Egypt.

Ruth 1:1
In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a certain man from Bethlehem in Judah, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the land of Moab.

2 Kings 4:18
And the child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the harvesters.

2 Kings 4:31
Gehazi went on ahead of them and laid the staff on the boy's face, but there was no sound or response. So he went back to meet Elisha and told him, "The boy has not awakened."

2 Kings 4:38
When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. As the sons of the prophets were sitting at his feet, he said to his attendant, "Put on the large pot and boil some stew for the sons of the prophets."

2 Kings 7:20
And that is just what happened to him. The people trampled him in the gateway, and he died.


Treasury of Scripture

Then spoke Elisha to the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go you and your household, and sojourn wherever you can sojourn: for the LORD has called for a famine; and it shall also come on the land seven years.

A.

2 Kings 4:18,31-35
And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers…

sojourn

Genesis 12:10
And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.

Genesis 26:1
And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.

Genesis 47:4
They said moreover unto Pharaoh, For to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen.

the Lord

Genesis 41:25,28,32
And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do…

Leviticus 26:19,20,26
And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass: …

Deuteronomy 28:22-24,38-40
The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish…

called for a famine

Jeremiah 25:29
For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts.

seven years

Genesis 41:27
And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.

2 Samuel 21:1
Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.

2 Samuel 24:13
So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.

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2 Kings 8
1. The Shunammite, having left her country seven years, to avoid the famine,
5. for Elisha's miracle's sake has her land restored by the king.
7. Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad and succeeds him
16. Jehoram's wicked reign in Judah
20. Edom and Libnah revolt
23. Ahaziah succeeds Jehoram
25. Ahaziah's wicked reign
28. He visits Joram, being wounded, at Jezreel














VIII.

(1-6) How the kindness of the Shunammite woman to Elisha was further rewarded through the prophet's influence with the king.

(1) Then spake Elisha.--Rather, Now Elisha had spoken. The time is not defined by the phrase. It was after the raising of the Shunammite's son (2Kings 8:1), and before the healing of Naaman the Syrian, inasmuch as the king still talks with Gehazi (2Kings 8:5).

Go thou.--The peculiar form of the pronoun points to the identity of the original author of this account with the writer of 2 Kings 4. Moreover, the famine here foretold appears to be that of 2Kings 4:38, seq., so that the present section must in the original document have preceded 2 Kings 5. Thenius thinks the compiler transferred the present account to this place, because he wished to proceed chronologically, and supposed that the seven years' famine came to an end with the raising of the siege of Samaria.

For a famine.--To the famine. The sword, the famine, the noisome beasts, and the pestilence were Jehovah's "four sore judgments," as we find in Ezekiel 14:21. . . .

Verse 1. - Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life. There is no "then" in the original, of which the simplest rendering would be, "And Elisha spake unto the woman," etc. The true sense is, perhaps, best brought out by the Revised Version, which gives the following: Now Elisha had spoken unto the woman, etc. The reference is to a time long anterior to the siege of Samaria. Saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the Lord hath called for a famine. A famine is mentioned in 2 Kings 4:38, which must belong to the reign of Jehoram, and which is probably identified with that here spoken cf. Elisha, on its approach, recommended the Shunammite, though she was a woman of substance (2 Kings 4:8), to quit her home and remove to some other residence, where she mighty, escape the pressure of the calamity He left it to her to choose the place of her temporary abode. The phrase, "God hath called for a famine," means no more and no less than "God has determined that there shall be a famine." With God to speak the word is to bring about the event. And it shall also come upon the land seven years. Seven years was the actual duration of the great famine, which Joseph foretold in Egypt (Genesis 41:27), and was the ideally perfect period for a severe famine (2 Chronicles 24:13). Many of the best meteorologists are inclined to regard the term of "seven years" as a cyclic period in connection with weather changes.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Now Elisha
וֶאֱלִישָׁ֡ע (we·’ĕ·lî·šā‘)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 477: Elisha -- 'God is salvation', a well-known Israelite prophet

said
דִּבֶּ֣ר (dib·ber)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the woman
הָאִשָּׁה֩ (hā·’iš·šāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

whose son
בְּנָ֜הּ (bə·nāh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1121: A son

he had restored to life,
הֶחֱיָ֨ה (he·ḥĕ·yāh)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2421: To live, to revive

“Arise,
ק֤וּמִי (qū·mî)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

you
אַ֣תְּ (’at)
Pronoun - second person feminine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

and your household,
וּבֵיתֵ֔ךְ (ū·ḇê·ṯêḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

and go
וּלְכִי֙ (ū·lə·ḵî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

and live as a foreigner
וְג֖וּרִי (wə·ḡū·rî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 1481: To turn aside from the road, sojourn, to shrink, fear, to gather for, hostility

wherever
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

you can.
תָּג֑וּרִי (tā·ḡū·rî)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular
Strong's 1481: To turn aside from the road, sojourn, to shrink, fear, to gather for, hostility

For
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the LORD
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

has decreed
קָרָ֤א (qā·rā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read

a seven-year
שֶׁ֥בַע (še·ḇa‘)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 7651: Seven, seven times, a week, an indefinite number

famine,
לָֽרָעָ֔ב (lā·rā·‘āḇ)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7458: Famine, hunger

and it has already come
בָּ֥א (bā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the land.�
הָאָ֖רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land


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OT History: 2 Kings 8:1 Now Elisha had spoken to the woman (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 7:20
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