2 Kings 4:1
in 2 Kings 4Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear Jehovah: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two children to be bondmen.
KJV
Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.
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This verse in 2 Kings 4
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The creditor is come ... - The Law of Moses, like the Athenian and the Roman law, recognized servitude for debt, and allowed that pledging of the debtor’s person, which, in a rude state of society, is regarded as the safest and the most natural security (see the marginal reference). In the present case it would seem that, so long as the debtor lived, the creditor had not enforced his right over his sons, but now on his death he claimed their services, to which he was by law entitled.
This site's exposition
the creditor is come to take
on 2 Kings 4:1-3
A widow of the prophetic guild that runs back to Samuel's company at Ramah (1 Sam 19:20) cries for her two sons about to be taken as bondmen under the debt-servitude law of Lev 25:39. Elisha's remedy begins the way his master's did at Zarephath, asking the poorest woman in the room what she still has rather than what she lacks (1 Ki 17:12). The borrowing itself is the woman's own labor: empty vessels, not a few, set the size of the miracle before any oil is poured.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
It is said that this woman was the wife of Obadiah, the treasurer of Ahab and a secret disciple of Elijah, who had taken one hundred prophets away from the rage of Jezebel and had fed them when they were hungry. It seems that in …
Just as we said concerning blessed Elijah that he typified our Lord and Savior, dearly beloved, so we assert with confidence and assurance that holy Elisha was an image of our Savior. As you heard in the sacred lesson, a certain widow cried to blessed …
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 3 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Concerning this oil of piety it is said in the fourth book of Kings that a certain woman came to Elisha and said that her creditors wished to take her children; and she said: "My husband was a man who feared God." And Elisha said …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Prophets - Who, though they were wholly devoted to sacred employment, were not excluded from marriage, any more than the priests and Levites. Fear the Lord - His poverty therefore was not procured by his idleness, or prodigality; but by his piety, because he would not comply with the king's way of worship, and therefore lost all worldly advantages.
She was a prophet's widow; to whom therefore should she apply, but to him that was a father to the sons of the prophets, and concerned himself in the welfare of their families? It seems, the prophets had wives as well as the priests, though prophecy went not by entail, as the priesthood did. Marriage is honourable in all, and not inconsistent with the most sacred professions.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
), we are given to understand, 1. That her husband, being one of the sons of the prophets, was well know to Elisha. Ministers of eminent gifts and stations should make themselves familiar with those that are every way their inferiors, and know their character and state.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Now there cried a certain woman - This woman, according to the Chaldee, Jarchi, and the rabbins, was the wife of Obadiah. Sons of the prophets - תלמידי נבייא talmidey nebiyaiya, “disciples of the prophets:” so the Targum here, and in all other places where the words occur, and properly too. The creditor is come - This, says Jarchi, was Jehoram son of Ahab, who lent money on usury to Obadiah, because he had in the days of Ahab fed the Lord’s prophets. The Targum says he borrowed money to feed these prophets, because he would not support them out of the property of Ahab. To take unto him my two sons to be bondmen - Children, according to the laws of the Hebrews, were considered the property of their parents, who had a right to dispose of them for the payment of their debts. And in cases of poverty, the law permitted them, expressly, to sell both themselves and their children; Exo 21:7, and Lev 25:39. It was by an extension of this law, and by virtue of another, which authorized them to sell the thief who could not make restitution, Exo 22:3, that creditors were permitted to take the children of their debtors in payment. Although the law has not determined any thing precisely on this point, we see by this passage, and by several others, that this custom was common among the Hebrews. Isaiah refers to it very evidently, where he says, Which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves; Isa 50:1. And our Lord alludes to it, Mat 18:25, where he mentions the case of an insolvent debtor, Forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded Him to be Sold, and his Wife and Children, and all that he had; which shows that the custom continued among the Jews to the very end of their republic. […]
The words behind it
28 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאִשָּׁ֣ה | veishah | and a woman | H802 → | 781 times |
| אַחַ֣ת | ʾachat | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| מִנְּשֵׁ֣י | mineshei | from [the] wives of | H802 → | 781 times |
| בְנֵֽי־ | venei- | [the] sons of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| הַ֠נְּבִיאִים | haneviim | the prophets | H5030 → | 314 times |
| צָעֲקָ֨ה | tzaakah | she cried out | H6817 → | 55 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אֱלִישָׁ֜ע | ʾelisha' | Elisha | H477 → | 58 times |
| לֵאמֹ֗ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| עַבְדְּךָ֤ | ʾavdekha | servant your | H5650 → | 799 times |
| אִישִׁי֙ | ʾishi | husband my | H376 → | 1663 times |
| מֵ֔ת | met | he is dead | H4191 → | 839 times |
| וְאַתָּ֣ה | veatah | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| יָדַ֔עְתָּ | yada'ta | you know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| עַבְדְּךָ֔ | ʾavdekha | servant your | H5650 → | 799 times |
| הָיָ֥ה | hayah | he was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| יָרֵ֖א | yare' | fearing | H3373 → | 64 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וְהַ֨נֹּשֶׁ֔ה | vehanosheh | and the creditor | H5383 → | |
| בָּ֗א | ba' | [is] about to come | H935 → | 2568 times |
| לָקַ֜חַת | lakachat | to take | H3947 → | 966 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שְׁנֵ֧י | shenei | [the] two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| יְלָדַ֛י | yeladai | children my | H3206 → | 89 times |
| ל֖וֹ | lo | for himself | ||
| לַעֲבָדִֽים׃ | laavadim | to slaves | H5650 → | 799 times |
וְאִשָּׁ֣הand a woman
veishahH802 →781 times
אַחַ֣תone
ʾachatH259 →971 times
מִנְּשֵׁ֣יfrom [the] wives of
minesheiH802 →781 times
בְנֵֽי־[the] sons of
venei-H1121 →4930 times
הַ֠נְּבִיאִיםthe prophets
haneviimH5030 →314 times
צָעֲקָ֨הshe cried out
tzaakahH6817 →55 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אֱלִישָׁ֜עElisha
ʾelisha'H477 →58 times
לֵאמֹ֗ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
עַבְדְּךָ֤servant your
ʾavdekhaH5650 →799 times
אִישִׁי֙husband my
ʾishiH376 →1663 times
מֵ֔תhe is dead
metH4191 →839 times
וְאַתָּ֣הand you
veatahH859 →1094 times
יָדַ֔עְתָּyou know
yada'taH3045 →945 times
כִּ֣יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
עַבְדְּךָ֔servant your
ʾavdekhaH5650 →799 times
הָיָ֥הhe was
hayahH1961 →3559 times
יָרֵ֖אfearing
yare'H3373 →64 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וְהַ֨נֹּשֶׁ֔הand the creditor
vehanoshehH5383 →
בָּ֗א[is] about to come
ba'H935 →2568 times
לָקַ֜חַתto take
lakachatH3947 →966 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שְׁנֵ֧י[the] two
sheneiH8147 →768 times
יְלָדַ֛יchildren my
yeladaiH3206 →89 times
ל֖וֹfor himself
lo
לַעֲבָדִֽים׃to slaves
laavadimH5650 →799 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 147:11The LORD is pleased with those who fear Him, who hope in His loving devotion.
it leads to
- Psalms 33:18
Surely the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His loving devotion
- Malachi 3:16–17
At that time those who feared the LORD spoke with one another, and the LORD listened and heard them. So a scroll of remembrance was written before Him regarding those who feared the LORD…
- Zephaniah 3:17
The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.”
- Psalms 149:4
For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the afflicted with salvation.
- Isaiah 62:4
No longer will you be called Forsaken, nor your land named Desolate; but you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will…
- Psalms 33:18
Through
Matthew 18:25Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned.
it leads to
- Nehemiah 5:5
We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to…
- Leviticus 25:39
If a countryman among you becomes destitute and sells himself to you, then you must not force him into slave labor.
- Luke 7:42
When they were unable to repay him, he forgave both of them. Which one, then, will love him more?”
- Nehemiah 5:5
Where this verse is studied
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About 2 Kings
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1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 3; Caesarius of Arles, SERMON 128.1; Ephrem the Syrian, ON THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS 4:1; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.