2 Kings 4:1-7

I. MIRACLES ON BEHALF OF TWO FAITHFUL WOMEN 4:1-37

Elisha performed three miracles for two faithful female disciples. For a destitute widow he performed a miracle of multiplication of oil so that she might have the wherewithal to pay her bills (2 Kings 4:1-7). For the wealthy woman of Shunem he made a wondrous prediction (2 Kings 4:8-17). Later for the same woman he performed what surely must have been his most stupendous miracle: the resurrection of a child (2 Kings 4:18-37).

A. THE MIRACULOUS INCREASE OF OIL 4:1-7

TRANSLATION

(1) Now a woman, one of the wives of the sons of the prophets, cried out unto Elisha, saying, Your servant, my husband died, and you yourself know that your servant was a God-fearing man; but the creditor came to take my two children for himself
for slaves. (2) And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for you? Tell me what you have in the house. And she said. Your handmaiden has nothing at all in the house except an anointing of oil. (3) And he said, Go and ask for yourself vessels from the outside from all your neighbors, empty vessels not a few. (4) Then come and shut the door on yourself and on your sons, and pour out into all these vessels, and remove the full ones. (5) So she went from him, and shut the door on herself and on her sons, who brought the vessels unto her; and she poured out, (6) And it came to pass when the vessels were full, she said unto her sons, Bring unto me another vessel. And he said unto her, There are no more vessels. And the oil ceased. (7) And she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go sell the oil, and pay your creditor, and you and your sons shall live on that which remains.

COMMENTS

In the first paragraph of chapter 4, Elisha comes to the rescue of a destitute widow. She did not hesitate to ask the prophet for assistance because (1) her husband had been a member of that prophetic order over which Elisha presided; and (2) because he had been a God-fearins man. When her prophet-husband had died, the creditor had demanded immediate payment of some debt which the family owed. Since the widow could not pay off the loan, the creditor took her two sons into slavery in lieu of the loan[524] (2 Kings 4:1). Elisha immediately recognized his obligation to help the poor woman.[525] He first inquired whether or not she had anything in her house that he might sell in order to pay off the debt. As it turned out she had only an anointing of oil, i.e., as much oil as would suffice for one anointing of her body (2 Kings 4:2). Elisha then instructed the woman to secure from all her neighbors empty vessels of every size and description (2 Kings 4:3). This not only would test the faith of the woman, but would undergird the eternal principle that God helps him who helps himself. The woman is further instructed to take those empty vessels into the privacy of her home and pour into them the small amount of oil which she possessed. As each vessel became full it was to be set aside and replaced by another empty vessel in order that the pouring might be continuous (2 Kings 4:4). The miracle was to be performed inconspicuously lest the prophet be overwhelmed with applications for similar aid to others.

[524] In primitive communities, men borrowed upon their personal credit, and the primary security for debt was regarded as being their own persons, the value of their labor, and that of their dependents.

[525] The Mosaic law often commands care for the widows and fatherless: Exodus 22:22-24; Deuteronomy 14:29; Deuteronomy 24:17; Deuteronomy 24:19; Deuteronomy 26:12 etc.

The widow obeyed precisely the instructions of the prophet with regard to the secrecy. Her sons would bring her the empty vessels she had collected, and she would pour the oil into them (2 Kings 4:5). When every last vessel in the house was filled, the oil ceased flowing (2 Kings 4:6). God will not permit waste. Had the oil continued to flow, it would have spilled upon the floor and been useless for any purpose. The woman did not feel entitled to make use of the oil without further instructions from the man of God, i.e., Elisha. The prophet directed her then to sell the oil and pay off the debt. After satisfying the claims of her creditor with part of the money, she would be able to support herself and her sons on the remainder (2 Kings 4:7).