Elisha passed to Shunem - This city was in the tribe of Issachar, to the south of the brook Kishon, and at the foot of Mount Tabor. Where was a great woman - In Pirkey Rab. Eliezer, this woman is said to have been the sister of Abishag, the Shunammite, well known in the history of David. Instead of great woman, the Chaldee has, a woman fearing sin; the Arabic, a woman eminent for piety before God. This made her truly great. read more
This is a holy man of God - That is, a prophet, as the Chaldee interprets it. Which passeth by us continually - It probably lay in his way to some school of the prophets that he usually attended. read more
Let us make a little chamber - See the note upon Judges 3:20 ; (note). As the woman was convinced that Elisha was a prophet, she knew that he must have need of more privacy than the general state of her house could afford; and therefore she proposes what she knew would be a great acquisition to him, as he could live in this little chamber in as much privacy as if he were in his own house. The bed, the table, the stool, and the candlestick, were really every thing he could need,... read more
Gehazi his servant - This is the first time we hear of this very indifferent character. read more
Wouldest thou be spoken for to the king - Elisha must have had considerable influence with the king, from the part he took in the late war with the Moabites. Jehoram had reason to believe that the prophet, under God, was the sole cause of his success, and therefore he could have no doubt that the king would grant him any reasonable request. Or to the captain of the host ? - As if he had said, Wilt thou that I should procure thee and thy husband a place at court,... read more
What then is to be done for her? - It seems that the woman retired as soon as she had delivered the answer mentioned in the preceding verse. read more
Thou shalt embrace a son - This promise, and the circumstances of the parties, are not very dissimilar to that relative to the birth of Isaac, and those of Abraham and Sarah. Do not lie - That is, Let thy words become true; or, as the rabbins understand it, Do not mock me by giving me a son that shall soon be removed by death; but let me have one that shall survive me. read more
TYPICAL MIRACLES WROUGHT BY ELISHA . General introduction . The miracles of this chapter are all of them miracles of mercy. The first and last consist in the multiplying of food, and thus belong to the same class as our Lord's feeding the four and the five thousands, and Elijah's increasing the meal and oil of the widow of Zarephath ( 1 Kings 17:10-16 ). It serves no useful purpose to ask how miracles of this class were wrought. The inspired writers have not told us; and... read more
And it fall on a day, that. The expression seems to be archaic. It occurs only hero and in. the opening chapters of the Book of Job (i. 6, 13; Job 2:1 ). The most literal rendering would be, and the day came when . Elisha passed to Shunem. Shunem was a village of Galilee, situated in the territory assigned to Issachar ( Joshua 19:18 ). It is reasonably identified with the modern Solam , at the south-eastern foot of the Gebel Duhy, or "Little Hermon," a "flourishing village... read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 4:17
And the woman conceived, and bare a son at the season that Elisha said unto her ,.... Quickly after this she conceived, and became pregnant, and by that time the year came round, she was brought to bed of a son: according to the time of life : when she had gone her full time to have a son born alive, and live. read more