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
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
Kindness requited. I. GOOD MEN CARRY THEIR GOODNESS WHEREVER THEY GO . The Shunammite's words are a testimony to the character of Elisha. "I perceive that this is a holy man of God, which passeth by us continually." Elisha's conduct and conversation showed him to be a holy man of God. It was evident that God was with him, and that he lived near to God. He did not leave his religion behind him at home. Wherever he was, he took his religion with him. A lesson for modern... read more
Hospitality. "And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem," etc. In these verses there are two very interesting subjects of a practical character. I. HOSPITALITY RIGHTFULLY EMPLOYED . The object of the hospitality was Elisha the prophet, and the author of it is called here "a great woman." 1 The account given is very clear and sententious. "And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that... read more
The lady of Shunem: 1. A son given. The scene of this exquisite story is the town of Shunem, on the slope of Little Hermon, one of the eminences looking down on the rich and extensive plain of Jezreel. I. RECEIVING A PROPHET IN THE NAME OF A PROPHET . In this town dwelt a wealthy lady, wife of a man who had large possessions in land—the Boaz of that district. The first part of the story is a beautiful instance of the consecrated use of wealth. 1. Elisha observed .... read more
2. The promise of a child to the Shunammite woman, and the restoration of the child to life. read more
Godliness has, to a large extent, the promise of this life, as well as of the life to come. The "good Shunammite" and her husband are examples of the union, which is more common than men are apt to allow, between piety and prosperity. They have nothing heroic about them, nothing out of the common. They are substantial middle-class people, dwelling in a quiet country-side, farming on a moderate scale, with a comfortable house of their own, dwelling contentedly amid their laborers and their... read more
And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life ; rather, as the Revised Version gives the passage, the woman conceived , and bare a son at that season , when the time came round , as Elisha had said unto her . The event was exactly as predicted; the child was born at the same season of the ensuing year. read more
2 Kings 4:16-17. About this season, according to the time of life About this time next year; see on Genesis 18:10; thou shall embrace a son She had received this prophet in the name of a prophet, and now she receives, not a courtier’s reward, in being spoken for to the king, but a prophet’s reward, a signal mercy, given in answer to a prophet’s prayer. Nay, my lord, do not lie unto thy handmaid Do not delude me with vain hopes. She could not believe it for joy. The woman bare a son... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 4:8-17
The giving of a son to such as were old, and had been long childless, was an ancient instance of the divine power and favour, in the case of Abraham, and Isaac, and Manoah, and Elkanah; we find it here among the wonders wrought by Elisha. This was wrought in recompence for the kind entertainment which a good woman gave him, as the promise of a son was given to Abraham when he entertained angels. Observe here, I. The kindness of the Shunammite woman to Elisha. Things are bad enough in Israel,... read more