4:1a Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons
of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband
is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did b fear the
LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons
to be c bondmen.
(a) (2Ki 2:3).
(b) And therefore did not fall into debt by carelessness or
excess but by the hand of the Lord.
(c) Because I am poor and not able to pay.
4:2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me,
what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid
hath not any thing in the house, save a d pot of oil.
(d) Thus God permits his to be brought many times to extreme
necessity, before he helps them, that afterward they may
praise his mercy even more.
4:4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon
thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into e all
those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.
(e) The Prophet declares by this to her, that God never
fails to provide for his servants, their wives and
children, it they trust in him.
4:6 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 f stayed.
(f) Or ceased to increase.
4:7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell
the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of
the g rest.
(g) God here not only provided for his servant, that his
debts should be paid and so kept his doctrine and
profession without slander, but also for his wife and
children.
4:10 Let us make a h little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall;
and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a
stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh
to us, that he shall turn in thither.
(h) Which would be separate from the rest of the house,
that he might more conveniently give himself to study
and prayers.
4:13 And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast
been careful for us with all this care; i what [is] to be
done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or
to the captain of the host? And she answered, I k dwell
among mine own people.
(i) Thus the servants of God are not unthankful for the
benefits they receive.
(k) I am content with what God has sent me, and can lack
nothing that one can do for another.
4:14 And he said, What then [is] to be done for her? And Gehazi
answered, Verily she hath l no child, and her husband is
old.
(l) Which was shameful and therefore he would that his
master should pray to God for her that she might be
fruitful.
4:19 And he said unto his father, m My head, my head. And he
said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.
(m) His head was hurt badly and therefore he cried.
4:23 And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? [it is]
neither n new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, [It shall
be] well.
(n) For at such times the people were wont to resort to the
prophets for doctrine and consolation.
4:27 And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she o
caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her
away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul
[is] vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid [it] from me,
and hath not told me.
(o) In token of humility and joy that she had met with him.
4:29 Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my
staff in thine hand, and go thy way: p if thou meet any
man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not
again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.
(p) Make such speed that nothing may stop you in the way,
(Lu 10:4).
4:34 And he went up, and q lay upon the child, and put his
mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his
hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the
child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
(q) Elijah did the same to the widow's son at Zarephath
(1Ki 17:21) and Paul in (Ac 20:10) signifying
the care that should be in them, who bear the word of
God and are distributors of spiritual life.
4:35 Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and
went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child
sneezed r seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
(r) Meaning, often.
4:38 And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and [there was] a dearth
in the s land; and the sons of the prophets [were]
sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on
the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the
prophets.
(s) That is, in the land of Israel.
4:39 And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found
a t wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap
full, and came and shred [them] into the pot of pottage:
for they knew [them] not.
(t) Which the apothecaries call colloquintida, and is most
vehement and dangerous in purging.
4:40 So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass,
as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out,
and said, O [thou] man of God, [there is] u death in the
pot. And they could not eat [thereof].
(u) They feared that they were poisoned because of the
bitterness.
4:43 And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an
hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may
eat: for thus saith the LORD, They shall eat, and x shall
leave [thereof].
(x) It is not the quantity of bread that satisfies, but the
blessing that God gives.
