Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Kings 8
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Kings 8
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Kings 8
"Now Elisha had spoken unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thy household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for Jehovah hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years." — 2 Kings 8:1 (ASV)
The famine recorded here, and the king's conversation with Gehazi, must have occurred before the events related in 2 Kings 5. We can be sure of this because a king of Israel would not have entered into familiar conversation with a confirmed leper.
The writer of Kings probably collected the miracles of Elisha from various sources and did not always arrange them chronologically. In this case, the connection is found in the nature of the miracle: just as Elisha prophesied plenty on one occasion, so on another he had prophesied a famine.
Called for a famine - This is a frequent expression (compare the cross-references). God’s “calling for” anything is the same as His producing it (Romans 4:17).
"And the woman arose, and did according to the word of the man of God; and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years." — 2 Kings 8:2 (ASV)
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 neighboring Egypt.
"And it came to pass at the seven years` end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry unto the king for her house and for her land." — 2 Kings 8:3 (ASV)
During the Shunammite’s absence in Philistia, her dwelling and her grain fields had been appropriated by someone who refused to restore them. She therefore determined to appeal to the king. Such direct appeals were common in ancient Eastern countries. Compare 2 Kings 6:26; 2 Samuel 14:4; 1 Kings 3:16.
"And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now." — 2 Kings 8:6 (ASV)
A certain officer - Literally, “a certain eunuch,” as noted in the margin. Eunuchs were at that time in common use at the Samaritan court (compare 2 Kings 9:32). They are ascribed to the court of David in 1 Chronicles 28:1, and we may conjecture that they were maintained by Solomon. Otherwise, we do not find them in the kingdom of Judah until the time of Hezekiah (Isaiah 56:3–4).
"And Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come hither." — 2 Kings 8:7 (ASV)
The hour had come to carry out the command that God gave to Elijah, which he likely passed on to his successor. Careless of his own safety, Elisha left the land of Israel and proceeded into the enemy’s country, thus putting into the power of the Syrian king the very life he had so eagerly sought a short time before (2 Kings 6:13–19).
The man of God—The Damascenes had perhaps known Elisha by this title since the time he cured Naaman. The phrase may also be used as an equivalent to “prophet,” which is the title the Syrians commonly gave to Elisha (see 2 Kings 6:12; compare 2 Kings 5:13).
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