YHWH PROVIDES FOR A POOR WOMAN AND HER TWO SONS WHO SEEK ELISHA'S HELP THROUGH THE MIRACLE OF MULTIPLYING THE OIL IN A VESSEL (2 KINGS 4:1). It will be seen that this miracle, and the one of raising the dead in the next passage, are vaguely parallel to two of Elijah's miracles in 1 Kings 18:9. But i... [ Continue Reading ]
SECTION 8. THE WONDER-WORKING MINISTRY OF ELISHA (2 KINGS 4:1 TO 2 KINGS 8:15) It will be noted that from this point on, until 2 Kings 8:15, no king of Israel is mentioned by name, even though, for example, Naaman's name is given in chapter 5, and Ben-hadad, the king of Aram, is mentioned in 2 Kings... [ Continue Reading ]
1). A WEALTHY COUPLE PROVIDE A PERMANENT LODGING PLACE FOR ELISHA FOR WHEN HE VISITS SHUNEM (2 KINGS 4:8). The story commences with the kindness of a wealthy couple who truly believe in YHWH to YHWH's servant Elisha. ANALYSIS. a And on one particular day Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a wealt... [ Continue Reading ]
ELISHA AND THE SHUNAMMITE WOMAN (2 KINGS 4:8). Shunem was near a well travelled road between Mount Carmel and Jezreel, one which Elisha would use frequently. In the process he became recognised by a wealthy couple who built a small brick built room on their house for him to stay in. Having stayed t... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
3). WHEN THE SON GROWS TO BOYHOOD HE DIES SUDDENLY, AND ON THE WOMAN APPEALING TO ELISHA, HE RAISES HER SON FROM THE DEAD (2 KINGS 4:18). One thing worse than not having a son and heir, especially in the circumstances of those times, was to have one and lose him while he was still a boy. That was w... [ Continue Reading ]
DEATH IN THE POT (2 KINGS 4:38). To turn this story into an example of the culinary art, with Elisha as the experienced chief cook is to misrepresent it. Whatever we may think it is quite clear that the author saw it as a miracle, and intended it to be read in that way. Furthermore it would never h... [ Continue Reading ]
ELISHA FEEDS A ‘MULTITUDE' WITH A RELATIVELY FEW LOAVES OF BREAD (2 KINGS 4:42). While the likeness to the account of the feeding of many thousands by Jesus with five loaves and two fish is limited to the fact of the multiplying of the food, this miracle clearly does not bear comparison with that i... [ Continue Reading ]