2 Kings 4:7
in 2 Kings 4She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil, and pay your debt. Then you and your sons can live on the remainder.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy sons of the rest.
KJV
Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.
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This verse in 2 Kings 4
Commentary
7 notes on this verseGo, sell the oil, and pay thy debt - He does not inveigh against the cruelty of this creditor, because the law and custom of the country gave him the authority on which he acted; and rather than permit a poor honest widow to have her children sold, or that even a Philistine should suffer loss who had given credit to a genuine Israelite, he would work a miracle to pay a debt which, in the course of providence, it was out of her power to discharge.
This site's exposition
sell the oil, and pay
The title man of God, already carried by Elijah and by other prophets earlier in these books, is applied here to Elisha for the first time in the text, marking the whole cycle that follows as prophetic testimony rather than folk wonder. Elisha's instruction keeps the woman's dignity intact: sell the oil herself, pay the debt herself, and live on what remains, no gift handed over and no debt forgiven by prophetic fiat. The provision exceeds the need, and the excess becomes the family's ordinary bread.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Notice, dearly beloved: as long as that widow had oil in her own vessel, it was not enough for her, and she could not pay her debt. It is true, brothers. If a person loves only himself, he does not suffice for himself, and he …
Here the Scripture relates the other miracle that Elisha performed in order to help the widow. He made flow into the vessels an amount of oil sufficient to pay the debt of her husband and abundantly multiplied it for the nourishment of her children.From the …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
We are never straiten'd in God, and in his power and bounty, and the riches of his grace. All our straitness is in ourselves. It is our faith that fails, not his promise.
Then she came and told the man of God,....
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. The kindness of the Shunammite woman to Elisha. Things are bad enough in Israel, yet not so bad but that God's prophet finds friends, wherever he goes.
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתָּבֹ֗א | vatavo' | and she came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| וַתַּגֵּד֙ | vataged | and she told | H5046 → | 370 times |
| לְאִ֣ישׁ | leish | to [the] man of | H376 → | 1663 times |
| הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים | haelohim | <the> God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| וַיֹּ֗אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לְכִי֙ | lekhi | go | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| מִכְרִ֣י | mikhri | sell | H4376 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַשֶּׁ֔מֶן | hashemen | the oil | H8081 → | 193 times |
| וְשַׁלְּמִ֖י | veshalemi | and pay | H7999 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| נִשְׁיֵ֑ךְ | nishyekhe | debt your | H5386 → | |
| וְאַ֣תְּ | veat | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| וּבָנַ֔יִךְ | vebaneikhe | and children your | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| תִֽחְיִ֖י | tichyi | you will live | H2421 → | 282 times |
| בַּנּוֹתָֽר׃ פ | banotar | by the remainder | H3498 → | 106 times |
וַתָּבֹ֗אand she came
vatavo'H935 →2568 times
וַתַּגֵּד֙and she told
vatagedH5046 →370 times
לְאִ֣ישׁto [the] man of
leishH376 →1663 times
הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים<the> God
haelohimH430 →2601 times
וַיֹּ֗אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
לְכִי֙go
lekhiH1980 →1546 times
מִכְרִ֣יsell
mikhriH4376 →
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַשֶּׁ֔מֶןthe oil
hashemenH8081 →193 times
וְשַׁלְּמִ֖יand pay
veshalemiH7999 →
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
נִשְׁיֵ֑ךְdebt your
nishyekheH5386 →
וְאַ֣תְּand you
veatH859 →1094 times
וּבָנַ֔יִךְand children your
vebaneikheH1121 →4930 times
תִֽחְיִ֖יyou will live
tichyiH2421 →282 times
בַּנּוֹתָֽר׃ פby the remainder
banotarH3498 →106 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
Philippians 4:8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.
it leads to
- James 3:17
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.
- Titus 2:7
In everything, show yourself to be an example by doing good works. In your teaching show integrity, dignity,
- Romans 12:9–21
Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good.
- 2 Corinthians 8:21
For we are taking great care to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of men.
- Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
- James 3:17
Through
Romans 12:17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.
it leads to
- Proverbs 20:22
Do not say, “I will avenge this evil!” Wait on the LORD, and He will save you.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:15
Make sure that no one repays evil for evil. Always pursue what is good for one another and for all people.
- 1 Peter 3:9
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
- Proverbs 20:22
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Kings
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Caesarius of Arles, SERMON 128.3; Ephrem the Syrian, ON THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS 4:3; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; 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.