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| 1 Now, a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets, made outcry unto Elisha, saying–Thy servant, my husband, is dead, and, thou, knowest that, thy servant, was one who revered Yahweh,–now, the creditor, hath come to take my two boys to himself as bondmen. |
A certain woman – Josephus claims that this woman was the widow of Obadiah. R3430:6
Of the wives – Indicating that the school of the prophets was not a monastic order. R3430:3
Sons of the prophets – See comments on 2 Kings 2:3.
Unto Elisha – Her cry to the prophet of the Lord was a cry to the Lord himself. R3431:3
Fear the LORD – That is, he reverenced, worshipped and sought to serve the Lord. R3430:6
To be bondmen – According to the terms of the law her sons must serve the creditor until the debt was paid or until the Jubilee year. R2345:3
Represents how the whole world of Adam's family was sold under sin and obligated to pay the wages of sin, death. R3430:3
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| 2 And Elisha said unto her–What shall I do for thee? tell me what thou, hast, in the house. And she said–Thy maid-servant hath, nothing at all, in the house, save a flask of oil. |
Elisha – Elisha may also typify the Ancient Worthies (See 2 Kings 2:14). R5780:1, R4758:2; B265; R3417:2
What shall I do – Showing the Lord's willingness to help us to pay our honest debts; and our responsibility to pay them. R2345:5
What hast thou – During the Millennium the Lord will bless what people may have according to their faith. R5780:4
We should look to see what we have in our possession. R5419:3, R5780:4
God can use our humblest talent to his praise. R5419:2
Hath not any thing – The woman did not appeal for divine aid until she was in extremities, and neither should we. R3431:3
A pot of oil – God is pleased to bless the use of things which we have rather than to send us other things. R2345:5
Olive oil was used for light, cooking, and as butter in those days; a household necessity and an article of ready sale. R3431:2
The Lord used what she had on hand. R5419:4
Olive oil is used in the Scriptures as a symbol of the holy Spirit. R3431:4
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| 3 And he said–Go, ask thee vessels, from without, of all thy neighbours,–empty vessels, let them not be few. |
Even empty vessels – It is for us to see that we are emptied vessels; empty that he may fill us with his Spirit. R3431:5
Borrow not a few – Her faith was tested and developed by the prophet's requirement that she and her sons should cooperate in the borrowing of vessels. R3431:4, R2345:5
The fact that she was able to borrow from her neighbors implies a good reputation. R3431:2
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| 4 And, when thou hast come in, then shalt thou shut the door behind thee and behind thy sons, and shalt pour out into all these vessels,–and, that which is full, shalt thou set aside.
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| 5 So she went out from his presence, and shut the door behind her, and behind her sons,–they bringing near to her, and she pouring out. |
She poured out – Reminding us that during the Millennial age his Spirit shall be poured upon all flesh. (Joel 2:28) R3431:4, R558:4
A beautiful picture of restitution blessings. R4758:5, R2345:5
Thus, as we acknowledge divine mercies and render thanks, the blessing is only increased. F687
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| 6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son–Bring me a vessel more. And he said unto her–There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. |
The vessels were full – Illustrating the blessed rewards of faith that the Lord will grant during the Millennium. R5780:4
Representing how the antitypical Elisha will help the poor to secure the oil of joy for the spirit of heaviness in the Millennium. B266
Every vessel fitted for its reception shall be filled with the Spirit to its full. R3431:4, R558:4
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| 7 Then came she in, and told the man of God, and he said–Go, sell the oil, and pay thy creditor,–and, thou and thy sons, shall live of the rest. |
Pay thy debt – Justice was not to be violated. R5780:4, R2345:5
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| 8 And so it was, on a day, that Elisha passed over unto Shunem, where was a woman of position, and she constrained him to eat bread,–and so it came about, whensoever he passed that way, that he turned aside thither, to eat bread. |
A great woman – Evidently widely known as a good and wise woman, and probably possessed of a large estate. R3431:3, R2345:6
The kind of greatness, too, which recognizes goodness and reverences the Lord and those who are his. R2345:6
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| 9 Then said she unto her husband, Lo! I pray thee–I perceive that, a holy man of God, he is,–passing our way continually. |
Unto her husband – Manifesting a commendable wifely deference to his wishes. R2346:1
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| 10 I pray thee, let us make a little upper chamber on the wall and set for him there–a bed, and a table, and a seat, and a lampstand,–so shall it be, when he cometh to us, that he can turn in thither. |
A little chamber – Every home, if possible, should have such a guest chamber for the Lord's servants. R2346:1, R3432:1
Present day arrangements for public hotels are calculated to hinder the development of the spirit of hospitality. R3432:1
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| 11 And it came to pass, on a day, that he came thither,–so he turned aside into the upper chamber, and slept there. |
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| 12 Then said he unto Gehazi, his young man, Call this Shunammitess. And he called her, and she stood before him. |
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| 13 And he said to him–I pray thee, say unto her–Lo! thou hast cared for us with all this anxious care, what can be done for thee? Is it, that we should speak for thee, unto the king, or unto the general of the army? But she said, In the midst of mine own people, do, I, dwell. |
What is to be done – Those who accept the favors of others and lack the desire to do as much in return are lacking the Lord's spirit. R2346:2
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| 14 So he said, What then can be done for thee? And Gehazi said, Verily, she hath no, son, and, her husband, is, old. |
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| 15 And he said–Call her. So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. |
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| 16 Then said he–At this season, about the time of spring, thou, shalt be embracing a son. And she said–Nay! my lord, thou man of God, do not delude thy maid-servant. |
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| 17 And the woman conceived, and bare a son, at this season, about the time of spring, when Elisha, had spoken unto her. |
The woman conceived – The miraculous interposition of divine power quickening the dormant and inoperative forces. R560:6*
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| 18 And, when the child was grown, it came to pass, on a certain day, that he went out unto his father, unto the reapers; |
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| 19 and he said unto his father–My head! my head! So he said unto the young man, Carry him to his mother. |
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| 20 And, when he had carried him, and brought him in unto his mother, he sat on her knees until noon, and then died. |
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| 21 And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God,–and shut him in, and then went out. |
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| 22 And she called unto her husband, and said–Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses,–that I may run unto the man of God, and return! |
To the man of God – Her faith in the prophet corresponds very well to our faith in the Lord Jesus. R3432:4
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| 23 And he said–Wherefore art thou going unto him, today, neither new moon nor sabbath? And she said–Peace! |
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| 24 Then saddled she the ass, and said unto her young man–Lead on, and go forward,–do not slacken, for my sake, the riding, except I have bidden thee. |
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| 25 So she went her way, and came unto the man of God, unto Mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her, opposite, that he said unto Gehazi young man, Lo! this Shunammitess! |
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| 26 Now, run, I pray thee, to meet her, and say to her–Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she said, Well! |
It is well – Avoiding the questions of Elisha's servant. R3432:3
An answer of faith having full confidence in the power of God, through the prophet, to awaken her son from the dead. R2346:2
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| 27 But, when she came unto the man of God, on the mount, she caught hold of his feet,–and Gehazi drew near to thrust her away, when the man of God said–Let her alone! for, her life, is embittered to her, howbeit, Yahweh, hath hidden it from me, and hath not told me. |
Hid it from me – It was not by any power that the prophet himself possessed that he had any special knowledge, but by revelations from the Lord. R2349:6
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| 28 Then said she, Did I ask a son, of my lord? Said I not, Thou must not mislead me? |
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| 29 And he said to Gehazi–Gird thy loins, and take my staff in thy hand, and go thy way, if thou meet with any man, thou must not bless him, and, if any man bless thee, thou must not respond to him,–then shalt thou lay my staff upon the face of the boy. |
Take my staff – Much after the same style that the Apostle Paul sent napkins and handkerchiefs to the sick. R3432:3
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| 30 But the mother of the boy said, By the life of Yahweh and by the life of thine own soul, I will not leave thee. So he arose and followed her. |
I will not leave thee – Possibly realizing that the servant was not such a man as his master. R3432:3
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| 31 Now, Gehazi, had passed on before them, and laid the staff on the face of the boy, but there was neither voice, nor attention,–so he returned to meet him, and told him, saying–The boy hath not awaked. |
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| 32 And, when Elisha had come into the house, lo! the boy, was dead, laid upon his bed. |
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| 33 So he went in, and shut the door upon them two,–and prayed unto Yahweh. |
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| 34 Then gat he up, and lay upon the child, and put his own mouth upon his mouth, and his own eyes upon his eyes, and his own hands upon his hands, and bowed himself upon him,–and the flesh of the child, waxed warm. |
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| 35 Then retraced he, and walked in the house–once to and fro, and then went up and bowed himself upon him,–and the boy sneezed as many as seven times, and the boy opened his eyes. |
Then he returned – The Lord is pleased to exercise his power, either slowly or quickly, according to circumstances and conditions. R2346:5
Walked ... to and fro – Apparently the prophet was perplexed by this case. R2346:4
Child opened his eyes – This restoration of life was a foreshadowing of the great Times of Restitution. HG336:1
Picturing coming restitution work of the Millennium, when all the sleeping dead will be awakened. R5781:2; B266; R4758:5
Was merely awakened, not "resurrected," not "raised to life again." F703, F704; R2346:5
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| 36 Then called he Gehazi, and said–Call this Shunammitess. So he called her, and, when she was come in unto him, he said–Take up thy son. |
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| 37 So she came in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground,–and took up her son, and went forth. |
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| 38 Now, Elisha, returned to Gilgal, and there was, a famine, in the land, and, the sons of the prophets, being seated before him, he said to his young man–Put on the large pot, and boil a mess of food, for the sons of the prophets. |
There was a dearth – Representing a lack of spiritual food. B266
Sons of the prophets – Representing theologians. B266; R558:4.
See comments on 2 Kings 2:3.
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| 39 And one went out into the field, to gather herbs, and found a vine in the field, and gathered thereof wild gourds, his lap full, and came in, and sliced them into the pot; for they knew them not. |
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| 40 So they poured out for the men to eat,–and it came so pass, as they were eating of the mess, that, they, made outcry and said–Death in the pot, O man of God! And they could not eat. |
Death in the pot – Deadly doctrines, error and superstition, combined with Satan's great falsehood. R4758:4, R558:4
This will be effectually offset by the blessings of the Lord through his glorified Kingdom. R4758:4
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| 41 And he said–Then fetch meal. And he cast it into the pot,–and then said–Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot. |
That they may eat – May represent a healing of the food of theologians by the putting of an antidote into their poisonous mess. R558:4
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| 42 And, a man, came in from Baal-Shalisha, and brought for the man of God firstfruit bread, twenty barley loaves, and garden grain in the husk thereof. And he said–Give to the people, that they may eat. |
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| 43 But his attendant said–How can I set this before a hundred men? And he said–Give to the people, that they may eat, for, Thus, saith Yahweh, They are about to eat and to leave remaining. |
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| 44 So he set before them, and they did eat and left remaining, according to the word of Yahweh. |
And they did eat – Representing that spiritual food shall be made wholesome and plentiful. B266; R558:4
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