2 Kings 8:2

_AND THE WOMAN AROSE, AND DID AFTER THE SAYING OF THE MAN OF GOD: AND SHE WENT WITH HER HOUSEHOLD, AND SOJOURNED IN THE LAND OF THE PHILISTINES SEVEN YEARS._ Sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. Their territory was recommended to her from its contiguity to her usual residence; and now that this state had been so greatly reduced, there was less risk than formerly from the seductions of idolatry, and many of the Jews and Israelites were residing there. Besides, an emigration there was less offensive to the king of Israel than going to sojourn in Judah....

1-6 The kindness of the good Shunammite to Elisha, was rewarded by the care taken of her in famine. It is well to foresee an evil, and wisdom, when we foresee it, to hide ourselves if we lawfully may do so. When the famine was over, she returned out of the land of the Philistines; that was no proper place for an Israelite, any longer than there was necessity for it. Time was when she dwelt so securely among her own people, that she had no occasion to be spoken for to the king; but there is much uncertainty in this life, so that things or persons may fail us which we most depend upon, and those befriend us which we think we shall never need. Sometimes events, small in themselves, prove of consequence, as here; for they made the king ready to believe Gehazi's narrative, when thus confirmed. It made him ready to grant her request, and to support a life which was given once and again by mira...

The country of the Philistines - the rich low grain-growing plain along the seacoast of Judah - was always a land of plenty compared with the highlands of Palestine. Moreover, if food failed there, it was easily imported by sea from the neighboring Egypt....

EXPOSITION 2 KINGS 8:1 THE SEQUEL OF THE STORY OF THE SHUNAMMITE. THE KILLING OF BENHADAD BY HAZAEL; AND THE WICKED REIGNS OF JEHORAM AND AHAZIAH IN JUDAH. 2 KINGS 8:1 Elisha is still the _protagonistes_ of the historical drama. The writer brings together in the present section two more occasions of a public character in which he was c

AND THE WOMAN AROSE, AND DID AFTER THE SAYING OF THE MAN OF GOD,.... Whose words she had reason to believe; she having a son given to her according to his word, and this restored to life, when dead, through his intercession: AND SHE WENT WITH HER HOUSEHOLD, AND SOJOURNED IN THE LAND OF THE PHILISTINES; which was not far from her native place, and where there was plenty of food, and she could have as free an exercise of her religion as in the idolatrous kingdom of Israel....

ELISHA AND THE SHUNAMMITE. HAZAEL, KING OF SYRIA. This chapter is somewhat varied as to composition. It opens with a short story about Elisha (2 Kings 8:1), of which we may presuppose (_a_) that it is earlier than 5, because Gehazi (2 Kings 8:4) is not a leper; (b) that the king of Israel is an admirer of the prophet, By Elisha's advice the Shunammite lady, whose husband is apparently dead, leaves her home to avoid a famine (_cf_. Ruth 1:1), and her lands were restored when the king ascertained who she was. 2 Kings 8:6 is a second narrative of the prophet. Jehoram must have been king of Israel at the time, as Hazael was contemporary with Jehu. Th

MAN OF GOD. See App-49....

_sojourned in the land of the Philistines_ As in Jacob's time, the patriarch with his family was sent into Egypt, an idolatrous land, because of the famine, so the pious Shunammite, for her life's support, goes forth among the Philistines, and stays there seven years....

C. PREDICTION OF FAMINE IN ISRAEL 8:1-6 TRANSLATION (1) Now Elisha had spoken to the woman whose son he had revived, saying, Arise, you and your household go, and sojourn wherever you may sojourn; for the LORD has called for a famine, and it shall also come upon the land seven years. (2) And the woman arose, and did according to the word of the man of God; and she went, she and her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. (3) Then the woman returned from the land of the Philistines, and went out to cry unto the king concerning her house and her land. (4) Now the king was speaking unto Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, Relate to me all the great things which Elisha has done. (5) And it came to pass as he was relating to the king how he had revived the dead, then behold the woman whose son he had revived was crying unto the king concerning her hous...

ELISHA AND THE SHUNAMMITE. ELISHA AND HAZAEL. REIGNS OF JEHORAM AND AHAZIAH OF JUDAH 1. Then spake Elisha] The occasion is not indicated, all the stories related of Elisha in this and the three preceding Chapter s being disconnected. A FAMINE] Perhaps the same as that referred to in 2 Kings 4:38....