2 Kings 4:1

2 Kings 4:1 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (NIV)The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves."
• New King James Version (NKJV)A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.”

Context of 2 Kings 4:1

And a woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha saying, Thy servant my husband is dead, and thou knowest that thy servant feared Jehovah; and the creditor is come to take my two children to be bondmen. 2And Elisha said to her, What shall I do for thee? Tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thy handmaid has not anything at all in the house but a pot of oil. 3And he said, Go, borrow for thyself vessels abroad from all thy neighbours, empty vessels; let it not be few;

2 Kings 4:1 word by word

וְאִשָּׁ֣ה אַחַ֣ת מִנְּשֵׁ֣י בְנֵֽי־הַ֠נְּבִיאִים צָעֲקָ֨ה אֶל־אֱלִישָׁ֜ע לֵאמֹ֗ר עַבְדְּךָ֤ אִישִׁי֙ מֵ֔ת וְאַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֔עְתָּ כִּ֣י עַבְדְּךָ֔ הָיָ֥ה יָרֵ֖א אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה וְהַ֨נֹּשֶׁ֔ה בָּ֗א לָקַ֜חַת אֶת־שְׁנֵ֧י יְלָדַ֛י ל֖וֹ לַעֲבָדִֽים׃Read the interlinear

• womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• prophetsנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
• criedצָעַקtsâ‛aq · to cryH6817
• Elishaאֱלִישָׁע'ĕlîyshâ‛ · ElishaH477
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• husbandאִישׁ'îysh · man: husbandH376
• deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• fearedיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
• creditorנָשָׁהnâshâh · to lendH5383
• comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• beהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961

Cross-references for 2 Kings 4:1

• 2 Kings 4:38And Elisha came again to Gilgal. And there was a famine in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him. And he said to his servant, Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of the prophets.
• 2 Kings 2:3And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said to him, Dost thou know that Jehovah will take away thy master from over thy head to-day? And he said, I also know it: be silent!
• 1 Kings 20:35And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to another by the word of Jehovah, Smite me, I pray thee. But the man refused to smite him.
• Genesis 22:12And he said, Stretch not out thy hand against the lad, neither do anything to him; for now I know that thou fearest God, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only [son], from me.
• 1 Kings 18:3And Ahab called Obadiah, who was the steward of his house (now Obadiah feared Jehovah greatly;
• Nehemiah 7:2And I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the citadel, charge over Jerusalem; for he was a faithful man and feared God above many.
• Psalms 103:11For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his loving-kindness toward them that fear him.
• Psalms 112:1Hallelujah! Blessed is the man that feareth Jehovah, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
• Psalms 115:13He will bless them that fear Jehovah, both the small and the great.
• Psalms 147:11Jehovah taketh pleasure in those that fear him, in those that hope in his loving-kindness.
• Ecclesiastes 8:12Though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and prolong his [days], yet I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, because they fear before him;
• Ecclesiastes 12:13Let us hear the end of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole of man.
• Malachi 3:16Then they that feared Jehovah spoke often one to another; and Jehovah observed [it], and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared Jehovah, and that thought upon his name.
• Malachi 4:2And unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth and leap like fatted calves.
• Acts 13:26Brethren, sons of Abraham's race, and those who among you fear God, to you has the word of this salvation been sent:
• Revelation 15:4Who shall not fear [thee], O Lord, and glorify thy name? for [thou] only [art] holy; for all nations shall come and do homage before thee; for thy righteousnesses have been made manifest.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 4:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Now there cried a certain woman - This woman, according to the Chaldee, Jarchi, and the rabbins, was the wife of Obadiah. Sons of the prophets - נבייא תלמידי 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…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1The 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…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Elisha multiplies the widow's oil. (1-7) The Shunammite obtains a son. (8-17) The Shunammite's son restored to life. (18-37) The miracle of healing the pottage, and of feeding the sons of the prophets. (38-44) Verses 1-7 Elisha's miracles were acts of real charity: Christ's were so; not only great wonders, but great favours to those for whom they were wrought. God magnifies his goodness with his power. Elisha readily received a poor widow's complaint…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1The widow's husband was part of the prophets who worked with Elisha (2 Kings 2:3–18). take my two children as his slaves: The law of Moses let a creditor make a debtor and their children work as slaves to pay off a debt (Exodus 21:2–4; Leviticus 25:10).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-72Ki 4:1-7. Elisha Augments the Widow's Oil. 1. 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…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 4:1

• Children
• Creditor
• Debtor
• Elisha
• Miracles
• Oil
• Poor
• Prophets
• Readings, Select
• Servant
• Students
• Widow

In the dictionaries

• Elisha
• Aside
• Careful
• Desire
• Bondman
• Creditor
• Daniel, Book of
• Debt; Debtor
• Images
• Jehoahaz

Commentaries on 2 Kings 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings