Keraia
2 Kings 4

2 Kings 4:1

The Widow’s Oil · 2 Kings 4:1–7
Read 2 Kings 4

Translations

Modern
Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!”
Traditional
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.
Literal
And a 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 was fearing YHWH, and the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.”
Latin
Mulier autem quædam de uxoribus prophetarum clamabat ad Eliseum, dicens: Servus tuus vir meus mortuus est, et tu nosti quia servus tuus fuit timens Dominum: et ecce creditor venit ut tollat duos filios meos ad serviendum sibi.

Original

Hebrew
English
Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!”

Notes

2 Kings 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).

Theme notes and profiles

Elijah Elisha

Events

People

Elisha: A prophet who succeeded Elijah

Glossary

Banker, Banking Debt Elisha God-Fearer Kings, Books of First and Second Slave, Slavery Sons of the Prophets

Topics

Children: Sold for Debt Creditor: Oppressions of Creditors: Often Exacted Debts by Selling the Debtor's Family Debtor: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To Elisha: Miracles of Increases the Oil of the Woman Whose Sons Were to be Sold for Her Debt Miracles Wrought Through Servants of God: Elisha: Oil Multiplied Miracles: Catalogue of Increases a Widow's Supply of Oil Oil: Commerce In Poor: Kindness to Prophet's Widow Poor: The Widow's Son Prophets: Frequently Married Men Prophets: Schools of Select Readings: Elisha and the Widow's Oil Servant: Bond: Children of Defaulting Debtors Sold As Servants: Slaves or Bond: Persons Unable to Pay Their Debts Liable to be Sold As Shunem: Elisha Lives At, on the Roof of the Home of the Shunammite Woman and Her Husband Students in the Schools of the Prophets Students: Poverty of Widow: The Woman Whose Sons Elisha Saved from Being Sold for Debt