By James R. Strange, Ph.D.
Professor of Biblical and Religious studies, Samford University
God’s Hand in Meeting Others’ Needs
2 Kings 4:8–17, 32–37
Today is our third of five studies on Elisha (“My God is Salvation”). Each week we are looking for the hand of God at work in the ministry of this ninth century B.C. Israelite prophet.
Last week, we read a story in which God, through Elisha, saved a widow from losing her children to slavery. A miraculous flow of oil enabled her to pay her debt and to support her family afterwards.
This week’s story follows immediately after last week’s, although the text suggests we are not getting the episodes in a particular order.
The story recalls two earlier biblical events: Elijah’s revival of a widow’s son in 1 Kings 17:17–24 and the visitation of three men to childless Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 18:1–15.
Read all of chapter 4.
Look for opportunities to be a blessing to others. (8–10)
Shunem is mentioned two other times in the Bible (1 Sam. 28:4 and 1 Kings 1:1). It lay around 10 miles northeast of Megiddo in the Jezreel Plain, through which Elijah ran ahead of the chariot of King Ahab (1 Kings 18:46).
The story emphasizes the wealthy woman’s agency: it is she who feeds the “holy man of God,” she who tells her husband to build a small chamber for Elisha’s use, and she who travels many miles to Elisha on Mount Carmel when her son dies (22–25).
The flat roofs of Israelite houses provided both work and sleeping space. Many probably had rooms for various purposes, but the couple built and furnished this one for God’s prophet. Note, however, that the woman first feeds Elisha as an act of hospitality and begins to suspect that he is a holy man only after several visits.
God’s blessings come to us in surprising ways. (11–17)
This is the first we see of Gehazi, who apparently serves Elisha as Elisha had served Elijah. He appears in two stories, and in the second we learn that, unlike Elisha, he is greedy (5:19–27). He is also, however, insightful (4:14).
Elisha offers an important but mundane benefit to the woman: to speak on her behalf to the two most powerful men in Israel. We assume, therefore, that her wealth puts her in a position to interact with them. Her indirect response is probably a Hebrew idiom for declining an offer politely.
Elisha now predicts far more than he first offered, for this gift comes from God alone: the woman will have a child. Like Abraham and Sarah, she does not believe the news, and like them, in due time she holds her infant son.
She declines one offer and does not believe the second. This means that even when she learned about Elisha’s status, she helped him, not for gain but because she was generous (28).
Trust in God’s power. (32–37)
The couple suffers a common tragedy, for infant and child mortality was high. Surely this mother and father knew many people who had lost children. Now what they fear most happens to them.
It is unclear whether the woman means to chastise Elisha or to ask for a miracle. Perhaps it is both. The cause of the woman’s bitter distress is hidden from Elisha, and she does not tell him outright what has happened. Nevertheless, he figures it out.
We also don’t know why Gehazi fails to rouse the boy. We notice that Elisha prays first, trusting not only in his actions but in God’s mercy.
The child warms, signifying the restored heartbeat, then sneezes, signifying the return of breath. The number seven is probably meant to show the completeness of his revival.
The woman’s generosity foreshadows God’s mercy: the miracles of birth and of resuscitation. Like God, she does not act to exchange benefits but rather because of her character.
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