Study notes

2 Kings 4

Introducing 2 KingsWho wrote it, when, why, and what to look for as you read

1:1–8:15 Section

The story of Israel recorded in 1 Kings is continued in 2 Kings.

The nation of Israel had divided into the northern kingdom and the southern kingdom. The northern kingdom was called Israel and the southern kingdom was called Judah.

In the northern kingdom, Elijah spoke messages from God against King Ahaziah. Both Ahaziah and Joram worshipped false gods like Jeroboam and Ahab had done.

Before God took Elijah to heaven, Elisha asked for a double share of Elijah’s spirit. Elisha wasn’t talking about the spiritual part of Elijah. He was talking about the power of the Holy Spirit in Elijah’s life and work. This was how Elisha showed that he wanted to serve God as a faithful prophet.

Like Elijah, Elisha served families in Israel and served the groups of prophets. He also served the leaders of Israel and of other nations. Elisha helped a woman from Shunem with her son and with her land. He helped the prophets with problems like debt, lost items and having enough food. He helped soldiers and officials from Aram. God did many miracles through Elisha. One of these was to heal Naaman of his skin disease. This showed Naaman that Israel’s God is the true God.

God protected Elisha from Aram’s soldiers by making them blind. Then Elisha protected Aram’s soldiers. Elisha had Israel’s king feed the soldiers instead of killing them. Elisha was very sad when he gave a message to an Aramean officer named Hazael. Later Hazael would do many evil things against the Israelites. Elisha served Israel’s king by warning him of where Aram’s army was going to attack. He also served the king by prophesying about how God would take care of the Israelites.

Elisha prophesied about this when Joram, Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom attacked Moab. God rescued the armies by sending water in the desert. Elisha also prophesied when the Israelites in Samaria were about to die of hunger. He made it clear that God would rescue the city by the next morning. God did this by making Aram’s army hear the noise of chariots and horses. The noise scared them and they ran away.

God used chariots and horses made of fire to protect Elisha. These were spiritual beings and people could only see them if God allowed them to. They were one way that God took care of his people (God’s people).

4:1

The 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).

4:4

shut the door: Elisha was meeting a private need. The miracle was not meant for public display.
Olive oil was a basic part of daily life. It also had commercial value for trade (see 1 Kings 5:11; 2 Chronicles 11:11; Hosea 12:1).

4:5–6

Elisha was not present during the miracle so the woman and her son would know that the Lord's power provided it.

4:8–37

Elisha's interactions with the woman from Shunem are shown in two similar parts (2 Kings 4:8–20, 21–37). Shunem was a border town in the land given to the tribe of Issachar (Joshua 19:18).

4:9–10

The Shunemite woman knew Elisha was a true prophet, a holy man of God. She wanted to offer him hospitality during his travels (see Isaiah 58:7; Hebrews 13:2; 3 John 1:5).
She provided a small room on the roof, accessible by an outside stairway, ensuring privacy for both Elisha and his hosts.

4:11–14

Elisha wanted to repay his host's kindness.
Gehazi his servant: Gehazi was Elisha's apprentice, just as Elisha had been with Elijah (1 Kings 19:21). It was common for a prophet to seek advice from his assistant.

4:15–16

Compare similar promises and responses in Genesis 18:9–15 and Luke 1:6–20.

4:18–20

My head! My head!: The boy may have suffered a sudden brain illness, such as an aneurysm. His mother’s faith and character were tested when he died suddenly while sitting on her lap.

4:21

laid him on the bed of the man of God: By doing this, the woman kept her son's death a secret and showed her belief in Elisha's power to perform a miracle.

4:24–26

Mount Carmel was about twenty miles northwest of Shunem. The long trip and the woman's hurry made Elisha suspect something bad had happened to the child.
Everything is all right: The woman ignored Gehazi's questions. She was determined to speak only with Elisha.

4:27

she clung to his feet: This showed deep respect and a plea for help. The woman shared her feelings with Elisha (see Matthew 28:9; Luke 8:41, 47; 17:16; Revelation 1:17).

4:28

Losing her son took away all the joy she had felt when he was born. It felt like a cruel trick.

4:29

Elisha told Gehazi not to talk to anyone on the way, showing how serious and urgent the mission was. Jesus gave similar instructions when he sent out the seventy-two disciples (Luke 10:4).
Placing Elisha’s staff on the child’s face showed the prophet's intention to connect with the boy and call upon God’s power.

4:31

but there was no sound or response: Elisha's staff had no magical power; only God creates life (Acts 17:25–28).

4:33

closed the door: Elisha did what he had told the widow to do earlier (2 Kings 4:4). If God performed the miracle, it would not be for everyone to see. Only the mother knew about the boy's death, and only she needed to know about Elisha's prayers to God for the boy's life.

4:34–35

lay on the boy: His actions and faith in the Lord were like Elijah's (1 Kings 17:17–24).

4:36–37

Once more, Gehazi called the woman (2 Kings 4:12, 15), and she fell at Elisha’s feet (2 Kings 4:27), this time filled with gratitude instead of sorrow.

4:38

Similar to Bethel (2 Kings 2:3) and Jericho (2 Kings 2:5, 15), Gilgal was a hub for a group of prophets (2 Kings 2:1). Elisha led these groups and sat at the head of the table during meals.

4:39–41

The men quickly realized the young man's wild gourds were poisonous. They didn't want to be poisoned or waste the stew during a famine, so they asked Elisha for help. The flour symbolized God's miraculous provision of food.

4:42–44

barley bread from the first ripe grain: This offering was like the first crops usually given to God (Leviticus 23:20) and to the priests (Deuteronomy 18:4–5) as their share. During the famine, Elisha shared the offering with everyone.
Elisha fed a hundred people with a sack of fresh grain and twenty loaves of barley bread, which foreshadowed the miraculous acts Jesus did (Matthew 14:15–21; 15:32–38). Nothing is impossible for God (Matthew 19:26; Luke 1:37; 18:27).

Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources