Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, "Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!" Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophetsThis phrase introduces us to a woman whose identity is tied to her husband, a member of the "sons of the prophets." The "sons of the prophets" were groups or guilds of prophets in Israel, often seen as disciples or followers of a leading prophet like Elisha. Historically, these groups were communities dedicated to preserving and teaching the word of God during times of spiritual decline in Israel. The mention of the wife highlights the familial and communal aspects of prophetic ministry, emphasizing the interconnectedness of their lives and the impact of their faith on their families. cried out to Elisha
The act of crying out signifies desperation and urgency. In Hebrew, the word used here can imply a loud, emotional plea for help. Elisha, as the successor of Elijah and a prominent prophet in Israel, is seen as a mediator of God's power and compassion. This reflects the biblical theme of turning to God's appointed leaders in times of distress, trusting in their ability to intercede and bring divine intervention. Your servant my husband is dead
This statement reveals the woman's vulnerability and the gravity of her situation. Her husband, referred to as "your servant," indicates his dedication and service to Elisha and, by extension, to God. The death of her husband not only brings personal grief but also economic and social instability, as he was likely the primary provider. This highlights the precarious position of widows in ancient Israel, who often relied on the community and God's provision for survival. and you know that your servant feared the LORD
The phrase "feared the LORD" is a biblical expression denoting reverence, obedience, and faithfulness to God. It underscores the righteousness of her husband, suggesting that his life was marked by devotion and integrity. This appeal to Elisha's knowledge of her husband's character serves as a basis for her plea, implying that those who fear the Lord are deserving of His mercy and intervention in times of need. Now his creditor is coming
This introduces the immediate crisis: the threat of the creditor. In ancient Israel, debts could lead to severe consequences, including the loss of personal freedom. The creditor's approach signifies impending judgment and the harsh realities of economic hardship. This situation reflects the broader biblical concern for justice and compassion towards the poor and indebted, as seen in various laws and prophetic teachings. to take my two children as his slaves
The potential enslavement of her children underscores the severity of the debt and the desperation of the widow's plight. In the ancient Near East, selling oneself or one's family into servitude was a common practice to repay debts. This phrase evokes a deep emotional response, highlighting the vulnerability of the innocent and the need for divine justice and mercy. It serves as a poignant reminder of God's call to protect and provide for the marginalized and oppressed within the community. Persons / Places / Events 1. The Wife of the ProphetA widow who is in distress due to her husband's death and the impending threat of her children being taken as slaves to pay off debt. 2. The Sons of the ProphetsA group of prophets or disciples who were under the mentorship of a leading prophet, in this case, Elisha. 3. ElishaA prophet of God who succeeded Elijah and performed many miracles. He is approached by the widow for help. 4. The CreditorAn unnamed individual who is owed a debt by the widow's deceased husband and is threatening to take her children as slaves. 5. The LORDThe God of Israel, whom the deceased prophet feared and served. Teaching Points God's Compassion for the VulnerableThe widow's situation highlights God's heart for those in distress. Believers are called to reflect God's compassion by supporting those in need. The Role of Faith in Times of CrisisThe widow's appeal to Elisha demonstrates her faith in God's provision. In times of crisis, believers should turn to God and His representatives for help and guidance. The Importance of Community SupportThe involvement of Elisha, a leader among the prophets, underscores the importance of community and spiritual leadership in addressing personal and communal challenges. Trusting God with Our NeedsThe widow's account encourages believers to trust God with their needs, knowing that He is aware of their circumstances and has the power to intervene. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the widow's situation in 2 Kings 4:1 reflect the broader biblical theme of God's care for the vulnerable, and how can we apply this in our communities today? 2. In what ways does the widow's approach to Elisha demonstrate faith, and how can we emulate this faith in our own times of need? 3. How can the church today act as a support system for those facing financial or personal crises, similar to Elisha's role in this passage? 4. What are some practical ways we can show compassion to widows, orphans, and others in distress, as instructed in James 1:27? 5. Reflect on a time when you faced a crisis. How did your faith community support you, and how can you offer similar support to others in need? Connections to Other Scriptures Exodus 22:22-24This passage speaks about God's concern for widows and orphans, emphasizing His justice and compassion, which is relevant to the widow's plight in 2 Kings 4:1. James 1:27This verse highlights the importance of caring for widows and orphans, aligning with the widow's situation and the call for believers to act justly and compassionately. Psalm 68:5Describes God as a father to the fatherless and a defender of widows, reinforcing the idea of divine care and protection for those in vulnerable positions. People Elisha, GehaziPlaces Baal-shalishah, Edom, Gilgal, Mount Carmel, ShunemTopics Bondmen, Bond-men, Boys, Company, Creditor, Cried, Crying, Dead, Debt, Elisha, Eli'sha, Fear, Feared, Fearing, Hast, Husband, Lender, Payment, Prophets, Revered, Saying, Servant, Servants, Slaves, Sons, Wife, Wives, WorshipperDictionary of Bible Themes 2 Kings 4:1 5274 credit
5289 debt
5447 poverty, causes
5448 poverty, attitudes to
5569 suffering, hardship
5901 loneliness
7447 slavery, in OT
7778 school of prophets
8027 faith, testing of
8343 servanthood, in society
8811 riches, attitudes to Library When the Oil Flows
'And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.'--2 KINGS iv. 6. The series of miracles ascribed to Elisha are very unlike most of the wonderful works of even the Old Testament, and still more unlike those of the New. For about a great many of them there seems to have been no special purpose, either doctrinal or otherwise, but simply the relief of trivial and transient distresses. …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureA Miracle Needing Effort
'So she went, and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite: 26. Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband! is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well. 27. And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Infant Salvation
Now, let every mother and father here present know assuredly that it is well with the child, if God hath taken it away from you in its infant days. You never heard its declaration of faith--it was not capable of such a thing--it was not baptized into the Lord Jesus Christ, not buried with him in baptism; it was not capable of giving that "answer of a good conscience towards God;" nevertheless, you may rest assured that it is well with the child, well in a higher and a better sense than it is well …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 7: 1861 That the Grace of Devotion is Acquired by Humility and Self-Denial
The Voice of the Beloved Thou oughtest to seek earnestly the grace of devotion, to ask it fervently, to wait for it patiently and faithfully, to receive it gratefully, to preserve it humbly, to work with it diligently, and to leave to God the time and manner of heavenly visitation until it come. Chiefly oughtest thou to humble thyself when thou feelest inwardly little or no devotion, yet not to be too much cast down, nor to grieve out of measure. God ofttimes giveth in one short moment what He …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ Extracts No. Ix.
[As the objector here begins to give up his ground, his letters from this place will be given nearly entire. He commences this number as follows, viz.] "Dear sir and brother--Your reply to my seventh number has been received, and hereby duly acknowledged. I have just given it a second reading, with peculiar care and attention; and I must add, generally speaking, with peculiar satisfaction too; for as it has tended in some degree to revive my almost extinguished faith in divine revelation, so it …
Hosea Ballou—A Series of Letters In Defence of Divine Revelation Abram's Horror of Great Darkness.
"And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him." If we consider the sketch, given us in scripture, of the life of this patriarch, we shall find that few have had equal manifestations of the divine favor. But the light did not at all times shine on him. He had his dark hours while dwelling in this strange land. Here we find an horror of great darkness to have fallen upon him. The language used to describe his state, on this occasion, …
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects The Soul.
Man as we behold him is not all there is of man. He is a wonderful being. He stands in the highest order of God's creation. He Is A Compound. Man was created a physical and spiritual organism. He possesses an animal and a spiritual life. Thus he is connected with two worlds. The physical creation is termed the "outward man," and the spiritual, the "inward man." "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." 2 Cor. 4:16. "For we know …
Charles Ebert Orr—The Gospel Day Answer to the Jewish Rabby's Letter.
WE Are now come to the letter of Mr. W's Jewish Rabby, whom Mr. W. calls his friend, and says his letter consists of calm and sedate reasoning, p. 55. I on the other hand can see no reason in it. But the reader than not need to rely upon my judgment. Therefore I will transcribe some parts of it, and then make some remarks. The argument of the letter is, that the story of Lazarus's being raised is an imposture; or else the Jews could not have been so wicked, as to be on that account provoked against …
Nathaniel Lardner—A Vindication of Three of Our Blessed Saviour's Miracles Supplementary Note to Chapter ii. The Year of Christ's Birth.
The Christian era commences on the 1st of January of the year 754 of the city of Rome. That our Lord was born about the time stated in the text may appear from the following considerations-- The visit of the wise men to Bethlehem must have taken place a very few days after the birth of Jesus, and before His presentation in the temple. Bethlehem was not the stated residence of Joseph and Mary, either before or after the birth of the child (Luke i. 26, ii. 4, 39; Matt. ii. 2). They were obliged to …
William Dool Killen—The Ancient Church Synagogues: their Origin, Structure and Outward Arrangements
It was a beautiful saying of Rabbi Jochanan (Jer. Ber. v. 1), that he who prays in his house surrounds and fortifies it, so to speak, with a wall of iron. Nevertheless, it seems immediately contradicted by what follows. For it is explained that this only holds good where a man is alone, but that where there is a community prayer should be offered in the synagogue. We can readily understand how, after the destruction of the Temple, and the cessation of its symbolical worship, the excessive value attached …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links 2 Kings 4:1 NIV2 Kings 4:1 NLT2 Kings 4:1 ESV2 Kings 4:1 NASB2 Kings 4:1 KJV
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