1Istá žena spomedzi žien prorockých učeníkov volala za Elízeom: Tvoj služobník, môj muž, zomrel. Ty vieš, že sa tvoj služobník bál Hospodina. Prišiel však veriteľ vziať si mojich dvoch synov za otrokov. 2Elízeus sa jej opýtal: Čo ti mám urobiť? Povedz mi, čo máš v dome. Odpovedala: Tvoja služobnica nemá v celom dome nič, len krčah oleja. 3On povedal: Choď, vypýtaj si zvonku od susedov nádoby, a to nemálo prázdnych nádob. 4Potom vojdi, zamkni dvere za sebou i za svojimi synmi, nalievaj do všetkých nádob a plné odstav. 5Keď odišla od neho, zamkla dvere za sebou i za svojimi synmi. Oni jej podávali a ona nalievala. 6Keď boli nádoby plné, povedala svojmu synovi: Podaj mi ešte nádobu. Ale on jej odpovedal: Niet už nádoby. Vtom olej prestal. 7Vtedy vyšla a povedala to Božiemu mužovi. On povedal: Choď predať olej, vyplať dlh a zo zvyšku sa budeš živiť aj so svojimi synmi. 8Jedného dňa Elízeus prechádzal cez Šúném. Bola tam zámožná žena a tá ho pozvala niečo si zajesť. Kedykoľvek potom tadiaľ prechádzal, zašiel tam zajesť si. 9Raz povedala svojmu mužovi: Počuj, ja viem, že je to svätý Boží muž, ktorý pravidelne chodieva popri nás. 10Urobme mu malú murovanú hornú izbu, dajme mu do nej posteľ, stôl, stoličku a svietnik, aby sa tam uchýlil, keď k nám príde. 11Jedného dňa prišiel, uchýlil sa do tej hornej izby a uložil sa tam. 12Svojmu sluhovi Gécházímu povedal: Zavolaj tú Šúnémčanku! Zavolal ju a dostavila sa k nemu. 13Nato mu rozkázal: Povedz jej: Ty si sa úzkostlivo starala o nás. Čo by som mohol pre teba urobiť? Mám azda prehovoriť v tvojom záujme s kráľom alebo s vojvodcom? Ale ona odvetila: Načo? Bývam uprostred svojho ľudu. 14Opýtal sa teda: Čo by sa predsa dalo pre ňu urobiť? Tu sa ozval Géchází: Ach, nemá syna, a jej manžel je už starý. 15Rozkázal mu: Zavolaj ju! Zavolal ju a ona si zastala pri vchode. 16Povedal jej: O rok o takomto čase budeš objímať svojho syna. Ale ona odporovala: Nie, pane môj, muž Boží, neklam svoju služobnicu. 17A žena počala a porodila syna o rok v tom istom čase, ako to predpovedal Elízeus. 18Keď chlapec vyrástol, vybral sa jedného dňa k otcovi k žencom. 19Tu sa začal žalovať svojmu otcovi: Hlava moja, hlava moja! Ten rozkázal svojmu sluhovi: Odnes ho matke. 20Keď ho vzal a priviedol k matke, sedel jej až do poludnia na kolenách, potom zomrel. 21Vtedy vyšla hore, položila ho na lôžko Božieho muža, zavrela a odišla. 22Zavolala si muža a povedala: Pošli mi, prosím, jedného zo sluhov a nejakú oslicu. Pobežím za Božím mužom a potom sa vrátim. 23Ale on sa opýtal: Prečo ideš za ním? Dnes nie je ani novmesiac ani sviatočný deň odpočinku. Odvetila: Buď na pokoji! 24Keď osedlala oslicu, prikázala svojmu sluhovi: Žeň a vykroč! Kvôli mne jazdu nezdržuj, iba keď ti poviem. 25Nato sa pobrala a prišla k Božiemu mužovi na vrch Karmel. Keď ju Boží muž zhliadol zďaleka, povedal svojmu sluhovi Gécházímu: Pozri, to je tá Šúnémčanka! 26Nože jej pobehni v ústrety a opýtaj sa jej: Dobre sa máš? Dobre sa má tvoj muž? Dobre sa má tvoje dieťa? Odpovedala: Dobre. 27Keď prišla na vrch k Božiemu mužovi, objala mu nohy. Vtom priskočil Géchází, aby ju odsotil. Ale Boží muž povedal: Daj jej pokoj, lebo má zarmútenú dušu. Hospodin to však skryl predo mnou a neoznámil mi nič. 28Nato sa ozvala: Či som si pýtala syna od teba, pane môj? Či som ti nevravela: Nerob mi márne nádeje? 29Vtedy rozkázal Gécházímu: Opáš si bedrá, vezmi si do ruky moju palicu a choď! Keď niekoho stretneš, nepozdrav ho! Keď teba niekto pozdraví, neodpovedaj! Moju palicu polož chlapcovi na tvár. 30Chlapcova matka však povedala: Akože žije Hospodin a akože ty žiješ, nespustím sa ťa. 31Géchází ich predišiel a položil palicu chlapcovi na tvár. Neozval sa však ani hlások, nebolo známky života. Vrátil sa teda jemu v ústrety a povedal mu: Chlapec sa neprebral. 32Potom vošiel do domu Elízeus. A hľa, dieťa ležalo na jeho posteli mŕtve. 33Keď vošiel, zavrel za sebou a za ním dvere a modlil sa k Hospodinovi. 34Potom vystúpil hore, ľahol si na dieťa, priložil si ústa na jeho ústa, oči na jeho oči a dlane na jeho dlane. Keď sa k nemu skláňal, telo dieťaťa sa za hrialo. 35Potom znovu vstal, chodil sem-tam po dome, vystúpil hore a sklonil sa k nemu. Zrazu chlapec sedemkrát kýchol. Potom otvoril oči. 36Vtedy Elízeus zavolal Gécházího a rozkázal mu: Zavolaj tú Šúnémčanku! Zavolal ju, a keď prišla k nemu, povedal: Vezmi si syna! 37Keď vstúpila, padla mu k nohám a poklonila sa mu až po zem. Potom si vzala syna a vyšla. 38Elízeus sa vrátil do Gilgálu. V krajine bol hlad. Keď sedeli pred ním prorockí učeníci, rozkázal svojmu sluhovi: Postav veľký hrniec a navar prorockým učeníkom jedlo. 39Jeden vyšiel na pole nazbierať zeleninu. Našiel poľnú popínavú rastlinu a nazbieral z nej divé tekvice za plné šaty. Potom prišiel a pokrájal ich do hrnca na varenie, lebo to nepoznali, 40a nalieval mužom, aby jedli. Len čo začali jesť, skríkli: Smrť je v hrnci, Boží muž! A nemohli jesť. 41Vtedy rozkázal: Doneste múky! Vsypal ju do hrnca a povedal: Nalievaj ľuďom, nech jedia! A v hrnci už nebolo nič škodlivé. 42Z Baalšálíše prišiel muž a priniesol Božiemu mužovi chlieb z prvotín, dvadsať jačmenných chlebov a zrno v plášti. Povedal: Daj ľuďom, nech jedia. 43Ale jeho sluha povedal: Čo? Toto mám predložiť sto chlapom? On však povedal: Len dávaj ľuďom, nech jedia! Veď takto hovorí Hospodin: Najedia sa, a ešte aj zvýši. 44Predložil im teda. Najedli sa a nechali nazvyš podľa slova Hospodinovho.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 ELISHA AUGMENTS THE WIDOW'S OIL. (
2Kgs 4:1-7)
there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets--They were allowed to marry as well as the priests and Levites. Her husband, not enjoying the lucrative profits of business, had nothing but a professional income, which, in that irreligious age, would be precarious and very scanty, so that he was not in a condition to provide for his family.
the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen--By the enactment of the law, a creditor was entitled to claim the person and children of the insolvent debtor, and compel them to serve him as bondmen till the year of jubilee should set them free.
2 a pot--or cruet of oil. This comprising her whole stock of domestic utensils, he directs her to borrow empty vessels not a few; then, secluding herself with her children, [the widow] was to pour oil from her cruse into the borrowed vessels, and, selling the oil, discharge the debt, and then maintain herself and family with the remainder.
6 the oil stayed--that is, ceased to multiply; the benevolent object for which the miracle had been wrought having been accomplished.
8 PROMISES A SON TO THE SHUNAMMITE. (
2Kgs 4:8-17)
Elisha passed to Shunem--now Sulam, in the plain of Esdraelon, at the southwestern base of Little Hermon. The prophet, in his journey, was often entertained here by one of its pious and opulent inhabitants.
10 Let us make a little chamber--not build, but prepare it. She meant a room in the oleah, the porch, or gateway (
2Sam 18:33;
1Kgs 17:19), attached to the front of the house, leading into the court and inner apartments. The front of the house, excepting the door, is a dead wall, and hence this room is called a chamber in the wall. It is usually appropriated to the use of strangers, or lodgers for a night, and, from its seclusion, convenient for study or retirement.
13 what is to be done for thee?--Wishing to testify his gratitude for the hospitable attentions of this family, he announced to her the birth of a son "about this time next year." The interest and importance of such an intelligence can only be estimated by considering that Oriental women, and Jewish in particular, connect ideas of disgrace with barrenness, and cherish a more ardent desire for children than women in any other part of the world (
Gen 18:10-
Gen 18:15).
19 RAISES HER DEAD SON. (2Ki. 4:18-37)
My head, my head!--The cries of the boy, the part affected, and the season of the year, make it probable that he had been overtaken by a stroke of the sun. Pain, stupor, and inflammatory fever are the symptoms of the disease, which is often fatal.
22 she called unto her husband--Her heroic concealment of the death from her husband is not the least interesting feature of the story.
24 Drive, and go forward--It is usual for women to ride on asses, accompanied by a servant, who walks behind and drives the beast with his stick, goading the animal at the speed required by his mistress. The Shunammite had to ride a journey of five or six hours to the top of Carmel.
26 And she answered, It is well--Her answer was purposely brief and vague to Gehazi, for she reserved a full disclosure of her loss for the ear of the prophet himself. She had met Gehazi at the foot of the hill, and she stopped not in her ascent till she had disburdened her heavy-laden spirit at Elisha's feet. The violent paroxysm of grief into which she fell on approaching him, appeared to Gehazi an act of disrespect to his master; he was preparing to remove her when the prophet's observant eye perceived that she was overwhelmed with some unknown cause of distress. How great is a mother's love! how wondrous are the works of Providence! The Shunammite had not sought a son from the prophet--her child was, in every respect, the free gift of God. Was she then allowed to rejoice in the possession for a little, only to be pierced with sorrow by seeing the corpse of the cherished boy? Perish, doubt and unbelief! This event happened that "the works of God should be made manifest" in His prophet, "and for the glory of God."
29 take my staff . . . and lay . . . upon the face of the child--The staff was probably an official rod of a certain form and size. Necromancers used to send their staff with orders to the messengers to let it come in contact with nothing by the way that might dissipate or destroy the virtue imparted to it. Some have thought that Elisha himself entertained similar ideas, and was under an impression that the actual application of his staff would serve as well as the touch of his hand. But this is an imputation dishonorable to the character of the prophet. He wished to teach the Shunammite, who obviously placed too great dependence upon him, a memorable lesson to look to God. By sending his servant forward to lay his staff on the child, he raised [the Shunammite's] expectations, but, at the same time, taught her that his own help was unavailing--"there was neither voice, nor hearing." The command, to salute no man by the way, showed the urgency of the mission, not simply as requiring the avoidance of the tedious and unnecessary greetings so common in the East (
Luke 10:1), but the exercise of faith and prayer. The act of Gehazi was allowed to fail, in order to free the Shunammite, and the people of Israel at large, of the superstitious notion of supposing a miraculous virtue resided in any person, or in any rod, and to prove that it was only through earnest prayer and faith in the power of God and for His glory that this and every miracle was to be performed.
34 lay upon the child, &c.--(see
1Kgs 17:21;
Acts 20:10). Although this contact with a dead body would communicate ceremonial uncleanness, yet, in performing the great moral duties of piety and benevolence, positive laws were sometimes dispensed with, particularly by the prophets.
35 the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes--These were the first acts of restored respiration, and they are described as successive steps. Miracles were for the most part performed instantaneously; but sometimes, also, they were advanced progressively towards completion (
1Kgs 18:44-45;
Mark 8:24-
Mark 8:25).
38 PURIFIES DEADLY POTTAGE. (
2Kgs 4:38-41)
there was a dearth in the land--(see on
2Kgs 8:1).
the sons of the prophets were sitting before him--When receiving instruction, the scholars sat under their masters. This refers to their being domiciled under the same roof (compare
2Kgs 6:1).
Set on the great pot--As it is most likely that the Jewish would resemble the Egyptian "great pot," it is seen by the monumental paintings to have been a large goblet, with two long legs, which stood over the fire on the floor. The seethed pottage consisted of meat cut into small pieces, mixed with rice or meal and vegetables.
39 went out into the field to gather herbs--Wild herbs are very extensively used by the people in the East, even by those who possess their own vegetable gardens. The fields are daily searched for mallow, asparagus, and other wild plants.
wild vine--literally, "the vine of the field," supposed to be the colocynth, a cucumber, which, in its leaves, tendrils, and fruit, bears a strong resemblance to the wild vine. The "gourds," or fruit, are of the color and size of an orange bitter to the taste, causing colic, and exciting the nerves, eaten freely they would occasion such a derangement of the stomach and bowels as to be followed by death. The meal which Elisha poured into the pot was a symbolic sign that the noxious quality of the herbs was removed.
lap full--The hyke, or large cloak, is thrown loosely over the left shoulder and fastened under the right arm, so as to form a lap or apron.
43 SATISFIES A HUNDRED MEN WITH TWENTY LOAVES. (
2Kgs 4:42-44)
They shall eat, and shall leave thereof--This was not a miracle of Elisha, but only a prediction of one by the word of the Lord. Thus it differed widely from those of Christ (
Matt 15:37;
Mark 8:8;
Luke 9:17;
John 6:12).