Matthew Henry Commentary 2 Kings 8:1-6

"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. 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. 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. Now the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done. And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored to life him that was dead, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life. 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 8:1-6 (ASV)

The kindness of the good Shunammite to Elisha was rewarded with care for her during the famine. It is good to foresee evil, and it is wise, when we foresee it, to hide ourselves if we lawfully can do so.

When the famine was over, she returned from the land of the Philistines; for that was not a proper place for an Israelite any longer than was necessary. There was a time when she lived so securely among her own people that she had no need for anyone to speak to the king on her behalf; but there is much uncertainty in this life, so that things or people we most depend on may fail us, and those we think we will never need may befriend us.

Sometimes events, small in themselves, prove to be of consequence, as in this case; for they made the king ready to believe Gehazi's narrative when it was thus confirmed. This made him ready to grant her request and to support a life that had been given once and again by a miracle.