God’s Word Translation
2 Kings 4:7
7She went and told the man of God. He said, “Sell the oil, and pay your debt. The rest is for you and your children.”
2 Kings 4:7 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (NIV)She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)She came and told the man of God, and he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”
Context of 2 Kings 4:7
5So she left him and closed the door behind her and her children. The children kept bringing containers to her, and she kept pouring. 6When the containers were full, she told her son, “Bring me another container.” He told her, “There are no more containers.” So the olive oil stopped flowing. She went and told the man of God. He said, “Sell the oil, and pay your debt. The rest is for you and your children.” 8One day Elisha was traveling through Shunem, where a rich woman lived. She had invited him to eat ⌞with her⌟. So whenever he was in the area, he stopped in to eat. 9She told her husband, “I know he’s a holy man of God. And he regularly travels past our house.
Read all of 2 Kings 42 Kings 4:7 word by word
וַתָּבֹ֗א וַתַּגֵּד֙ לְאִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לְכִי֙ מִכְרִ֣י אֶת־הַשֶּׁ֔מֶן וְשַׁלְּמִ֖י אֶת־נִשְׁיֵ֑ךְ וְאַ֣תְּ וּבָנַ֔יִךְ תִֽחְיִ֖י בַּנּוֹתָֽר׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then she cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- and toldנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
- the manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- And he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- sellמָכַרmâkar · to sellH4376
- the oilשֶׁ֫מֶןshemen · oilH8081
- and payשָׁלֵםshâlam · to completeH7999
- thy debtנְשִׁיneshîy · debtH5386
- and liveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
- thou and thy childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of the restיָתַרyâthar · to remainH3498
Cross-references for 2 Kings 4:7
- Psalms 37:21A wicked person borrows, but he does not repay. A righteous person is generous and giving.
- Romans 12:17Don’t pay people back with evil for the evil they do to you. Focus your thoughts on those things that are considered noble.
- Philippians 4:8Finally, brothers and sisters, keep your thoughts on whatever is right or deserves praise: things that are true, honorable, fair, pure, acceptable, or commendable.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:9You remember, brothers and sisters, our work and what we did to earn a living. We worked night and day so that we could bring you the Good News of God without being a burden to any of you.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:12Then your way of life will win respect from those outside ⌞the church⌟, and you won’t have to depend on anyone else for what you need.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:7You know what you must do to imitate us. We lived a disciplined life among you.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 4:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Go, 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.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 4:7
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries