Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
2 Kings 4:11-17
2). Elisha Seeks To Demonstrate His Gratitude And Promises Her A Son Even Though Her Husband Is Old, And A Son Is Duly Born (2 Kings 4:11).
As we discover again later in the case of Naaman Elisha had a habit, when speaking officially as a prophet, of speaking through his servant. In this case when he wanted to discuss with her how he could help her he sent his servant Gehazi, and when Gehazi called her to come, in 2 Kings 4:12 it was before Gehazi that she stood, who acted as an intermediary. She would probably not have seen it as seemly to enter the prophet's room while he was there.
Gehazi then approached Elisha, and Elisha told him what to say to the woman, after which Gehazi communicated it to the woman. She gave him her reply and he then brought an answer back to Elisha, that there was nothing that he could do for her. But Gehazi also informed Elisha that the couple had no son. Elisha now realised that what he had to say was so important that it must be communicated directly. Note the emphasis on the fact that when she did come she stood in the doorway. Elisha then informed her that within a year she would have a son. She found it hard to believe, but sure enough, before a year had gone she found herself bearing a son.
Analysis.
a And on a certain day he came there, and he turned into the chamber and lay there (2 Kings 4:11).
b And he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” And when he had called her, she stood before him (2 Kings 4:12).
c And he said to him, “Say now to her, Behold, you have been careful for us with all this care, what is to be done for you? Would you be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host?” (2 Kings 4:13 a).
d And she answered, “I dwell among my own people” (2 Kings 4:13 b).
c And he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi answered, “Truly she has no son, and her husband is old” (2 Kings 4:13 b).
b And he said, “Call her.” And when he had called her, she stood in the door (2 Kings 4:15).
a And he said, “At this season, when the time comes round, you will embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, you man of God, do not lie to your handmaid.” And the woman conceived, and bore a son at that season, when the time came round, as Elisha had said to her (2 Kings 4:16).
Note that ‘on a certain day' Elisha visited the home, and in the parallel the son was to be born ‘when the time came round', and it was so. In ‘b' the woman is called before Gehazi, and in the parallel she is called before Elisha. In ‘c' Elisha wants to know what can be done for her, and in the parallel that is still the question. Centrally in ‘d' she explains that she wants for nothing.
‘And on a certain day he came there, and he turned into the chamber and lay there.'
One day Elisha visited the couple and went to his room. He may well have been feeling exhausted, for he lay down and rested. ‘On a certain day' is vague and indicates that this incident is only vaguely related to its context. It is not, therefore, necessarily in chronological order. Indeed we should notice that the whole incident takes place over some years, for the baby who is born has time to grow to boyhood. Thus it certainly takes us beyond incidents that follow.
‘And he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” And when he had called her, she stood before him.'
Then Elisha told his servant Gehazi to ‘call the Shunammite'. The idea was not that she should come to Elisha's room, for that would not have been seemly, but that she would talk with Gehazi. Thus when Gehazi called her she stood before him (Gehazi).
‘And he said to him, “Say now to her, Behold, you have been careful for us with all this care, what is to be done for you? Would you be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host?”
Elisha had instructed Gehazi to point out that they were grateful for the care that she had taken of them, and to ask what they could do in return. Would she like being recommended to the king or the commander of the host of Israel? The idea may have been of remission of taxes, or of avoiding the need to provide so many men for military service, but the idea was more probably (going by her reply) an offer of special protection and a favoured position, something which would have been very useful for someone who was wealthy but living among strangers. It is interesting evidence of the favour in which Elisha stood with the king at this time that he could even offer this.
‘And she answered, “I dwell among my own people.”
Her reply was that she dwelt among her own people and had no need of anything. She did not want rewarding for their act of kindness. As a wealthy landowner, living among his own clan which would have a deep concern for its own, her husband did not need to look outside for help. (But as is often so in life there would come a time when her circumstances changed and she was only too happy for the king's help - 2 Kings 8:1).
‘And he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi answered, “Truly she has no son, and her husband is old.” '
Elisha then consulted with Gehazi about what they could do for her, and Gehazi pointed out that her husband was old, and that they had no son and heir.
‘And he said, “Call her.” And when he had called her, she stood in the door.'
So Elisha told his servant to invite her to come and see him personally. And when she came she stood in the doorway, not wanting to enter his room. This may have been because it was not considered seemly in her circles for a woman to enter a man's room. or it may be because she saw the room as ‘holy' because it was Elisha's.
‘And he said, “At this season, when the time comes round, you will embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, you man of God, do not lie to your handmaid.”
Then he informed her that within a year she would be cuddling a son. But she found it difficult to believe and she asked him not to deceive her. She just could not believe his promise. It was too much to hope for.
‘And the woman conceived, and bore a son at that season, when the time came round, as Elisha had said to her.'
But sure enough within a short time she conceived a son who was born to her at the time that Elisha had declared. She learned, as Sarah had before her, that YHWH could give life as He wished, and that there was no need for Baal. Nothing was too hard with Him (compare Genesis 17:15; Genesis 18:10). It also demonstrated quite openly that YHWH was more effective than any fertility goddess.