42 A man came from Baal Shalishah, bringing the man of God twenty loaves of barley bread baked from the first ripe grain, along with some heads of new grain. "Give it to the people to eat," Elisha said.
43 "How can I set this before a hundred men?" his servant asked. But Elisha answered, "Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the Lord says: 'They will eat and have some left over.' " 44 Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord.
Elisha’s Miracles: The Moabite affair has further established Elisha’s credentials as a prophet in the line of Elijah. Both are now firmly associated with the God who provides water at will (cf. 1 Kgs. 18), whether by orthodox means (wind and rain, 1 Kgs. 18:45) or not (neither wind nor rain, 2 Kgs. 3:17). In this chapter we shall read of a number of further miracles, both of provision and healing, that remind us of Elijah in the same way.
4:1–7 The first of these is occasioned by a crisis facing the widow of a member of the prophetic groups under Elisha’s leadership (cf. 2 Kgs. 2:1ff; 4:38ff.; 6:1ff.). Her sons are to be taken as slaves in payment of debt (cf. Isa. 50:1; Neh. 5:4–5). Like the widow of Zarephath (1 Kgs. 17:7–16), she possesses only a small amount of oil (Hb. šemen, 17:12 a…
King Ahaziah’s rebellion and trust in an idol (1:2) reveals something about his character: he is not willing to consult the God of Israel but rather opts for an alternative deity (literally “Baal the fly,” here located in the Philistine city of Ekron) to learn his prospects for physical recovery. Elijah carries a message of God's displeasure (2:3). The King attempts, by a series of acts, to thwart God's judgement (3-15) but is unsuccesful. The king dies in the bed he has made (1:16-17).
In 2 Kings 2, Elijah passes the prophetic mantle to Elisha. This prophet’s ministry is characterized by numerous powerful miracles that seem to stress the power and authority of God’s prophet. Elisha’s many miracles include: crossing the Jordan River (2:13–14); cleansing a town’s water supply (2:19–22); str…
42 A man came from Baal Shalishah, bringing the man of God twenty loaves of barley bread baked from the first ripe grain, along with some heads of new grain. "Give it to the people to eat," Elisha said.
43 "How can I set this before a hundred men?" his servant asked. But Elisha answered, "Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the Lord says: 'They will eat and have some left over.' " 44 Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord.
Two feeding anecdotes (4:38–44) round out the chapter, and while the accounts may seem randomly patched together, there are some organic connections to the chapter as a whole. In the first story there are two problems: no…
Elisha’s Miracles: The Moabite affair has further established Elisha’s credentials as a prophet in the line of Elijah. Both are now firmly associated with the God who provides water at will (cf. 1 Kgs. 18), whether by orthodox means (wind and rain, 1 Kgs. 18:45) or not (neither wind nor rain, 2 Kgs. 3:17). In this chapter we shall read of a number of further miracles, both of provision and healing, that remind us of Elijah in the same way.
4:1–7 The first of these is occasioned by a crisis facing the widow of a member of the prophetic groups under Elisha’s leadership (cf. 2 Kgs. 2:1ff; 4:38ff.; 6:1ff.). Her sons are to be taken as slaves in payment of debt (cf. Isa. 50:1; Neh. 5:4–5). Like the widow of Zarephath (1 Kgs. 17:7–16), she possesses only a small amount of oil (Hb. šemen, 17:12 a…
A West Semitic weather and warrior deity. There is evidence that “Baal,” meaning “lord,” was a proper name for a deity as early as the third millennium BC and may have been identified with the god Hadad.
Second millennium texts from the ancient city of Ugarit depict Baal as a god of weather and storm whose provision of precipitation ensures the seasonal cycles of crops. The Baal Cycle from Ugarit also depicts him defeating Yamm, the god of the sea, and Mot, the god of death. Some of these associations shed light on polemics against Baal in the OT. Yahweh’s withholding rain at Elijah’s request (1 Kings 17:1), for example, undermines Baal’s claim to control the weather. Further, descriptions of Yahweh as a storm god, such as Ps. 29, may be understood as polemical statements that Yahweh, not Baal, is the one who really controls the storm.
The worship of Baal alongside Yahweh received official sponsorship in Israel under Ahab (1 Kings 16:31 33) and in Judah under Manasseh (2 Kings 10:18–27). The worship of this deity was grounds for the exile of Israel (2 Kings 17:16).
Generally made of grain, this staple of foods has been known to be in existence since prehistoric days, being mentioned in the oldest literatures of humanity. Though usually made of wheat, it can be made of any grain and also some kinds of beans or lentils.
To make bread, grain must be ground into flour, mixed with salt and water, kneaded into a dough, and baked. Most breads included a leaven to add substance. As a food staple, it became a symbol of hospitality (Neh. 13:1 2; Matt. 14:15–21) and community as people ate together (Acts 2:42). Bread was considered a gift from God, so it was treated with special deference. Unleavened bread was required during Passover feasts and in most occasions related to the worship of God. The “bread of the Presence” (KJV: “shewbread”), representing the twelve tribes of Israel in the temple, was made of unleavened bread (Exod. 25:30) with special flour and was carefully eaten by the priests.
Jesus used bread in the Lord’s Prayer to represent asking God to meet our basic needs (Matt. 5:11), and he called himself the “bread of life” to show that he is the one who “gives life to the world,” our ultimate sustenance (John 6:33–35). During this exchange with the Jews about the bread of life, Jesus foreshadows what takes place at the Last Supper with his disciples, suggesting that believers must “eat [his] flesh” (represented by bread) and “drink [his] blood” (represented by wine) (John 6:53–59; cf. Luke 22:19). Additionally, bread was used symbolically to represent those things that were present in daily life (Pss. 127:2; 80:5; Prov. 4:17; 20:17).
The chief priest of Israel at the tabernacle at Shiloh toward the end of the period of judges (1 Sam. 1:1 4:22). He is described as both physically and spiritually flabby. He is not evil, just spiritually undiscerning. Also, he fails to discipline his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who are wicked. He ends badly when his sons, who are leading the army against the Philistines, are defeated and killed. When he gets the news, Eli falls off a log and breaks his neck. Even so, his descendants continue as priests until the time of David. At that time, though, the prophetic announcement comes to fulfillment, and the priesthood passes from his descendant Abiathar and goes to Zadok (1 Kings 2:27, 35).
Prophet, coworker of and then successor to Elijah. Both men resisted the Baal worship that infected the northern kingdom during the reign of Ahab and his successors (Ahaziah, Jehoram, Jehu, Jehoahaz, and Jehoash) in the latter half of the ninth and first half of the eighth centuries BC.
Elisha began as a disciple of Elijah, whom God had used to confront Ahab and Jezebel’s prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18). When Elijah was taken to heaven, Elisha succeeded him (2 Kings 2:19 23). God accredited Elisha as prophet and demonstrated his authority through miracles. Many of the miracles involve water, such as making the bitter water of Jericho drinkable (2 Kings 2:19–23) and raising an ax head from the bottom of the Jordan River (6:1–7). These miracles were implicitly directed at Baal and his supporters, since Baal was thought to be a god who specialized in providing and controlling the waters.
Elisha also demonstrated God’s power and compassion with acts such as providing a poor woman with olive oil (2 Kings 4:1–7), curing a Syrian general of leprosy (2 Kings 5), and even raising a child from the dead (4:8–37).
God also told the prophet to anoint Hazael, king of Syria, and Jehu, a military man who usurped the throne of Israel (2 Kings 8:7–15; 9:1–13). God used these men to bring a violent conclusion to those leaders who promoted the worship of Baal.
Elisha’s miracles continued even after his death. Some Israelites threw a dead man’s body in Elisha’s grave, and when it touched Elisha’s bones, the man sprang back to life (2 Kings 13:20–21).
The earliest ripening produce of the harvest (Exod. 23:16; Neh. 10:35) or, more generally, the highest-quality portion of any produce or manufactured commodity (Num. 15:20).
The firstfruit of the harvest is a symbol and harbinger of God’s blessing. Thus, God commands that sacrifices take place in which the “best of the firstfruits” are offered to him in thanksgiving and praise (Exod. 34:26; cf. Lev. 23:17; Deut. 26:2). The same principle applies to manufactured goods (Deut. 18:4), and all these events are accompanied by feasts and festivals (Exod. 23:16). Such ceremonial worship takes on renewed importance in the return from the exile, where they are connected to God’s worldwide rule and his claim upon the firstborn (Neh. 10:35 37; cf. Exod. 13:2–16).
Paul uses this OT background to metaphorically describe the resurrection, God’s final “harvest” of the earth. Jesus Christ, by virtue of his resurrection from the dead, is “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor. 15:20; cf. Rom. 8:29). The resurrection of Christ is the guarantee of an abundant harvest to come, in which those united to Jesus will be similarly raised into abundant life. There is therefore a two-part order to a single resurrection harvest: “Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him” (1 Cor. 15:23).
Furthermore, since Jesus’ own resurrection has already taken place, believers, who are sealed with Christ through “the firstfruits of the Spirit,” enjoy now a foretaste of the abundant life to come (Rom. 8:23; cf. 2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5). Believers are therefore encouraged to live as those who have been born again by faith, “that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created” (James 1:18). Similarly, Paul sometimes uses the term “firstfruits” to describe the first converts in a region (Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. 16:15 KJV), symbolizing the expectation of fruitful ministry and the intimation of worldwide salvation.
There are numerous relationships in the OT that could be characterized as following a servant-master model. These included service to the monarchy (2 Sam. 9:2), within households (Gen. 16:8), in the temple (1 Sam. 2:15), or to God himself (Judg. 2:8). We also see extensive slavery laws in passages such as Exod. 21:1 11; Lev. 25:39–55; Deut. 15:12–18. The slavery laws were concerned with the proper treatment of Hebrew slaves and included guidelines for their eventual release and freedom. For example, Hebrew slaves who had sold themselves to others were to serve for a period of six years. On the seventh year, known also as the Sabbath Year, they were to be released. Once released, they were not to be sent away empty-handed, but rather were to be supported from the owner’s “threshing floor” and “winepress.” Slaves also had certain rights that gave them special privileges and protection from their masters. Captured slaves, for example, were allowed rest on the Sabbath (Exod. 20:10) and during special holidays (Deut. 16:11, 14). They could also be freed if their master permanently hurt or crippled them (Exod. 21:26–27). Also, severe punishment was imposed on a person who beat a slave to death (Exod. 21:20–21).
Slavery was very common in the first century AD, and there were many different kinds of slaves. For example, slaves might live in an extended household (oikos) in which they were born, or they might choose to sell themselves into this situation (1 Pet. 2:18–25). Although slavery was a significant part of society in the first century AD, we never see Jesus or the apostles encourage slavery. Instead, both Paul and Peter encouraged godly character and obedience for slaves within this system (Eph. 6:5–8; Col. 3:22–25; 1 Tim. 6:1–2; Philemon; 1 Pet. 2:18–21). Likewise, masters were encouraged to be kind and fair to their slaves (Eph. 6:9; Col. 4:1). Later in the NT, slave trading was condemned by the apostle Paul as contrary to “sound doctrine” and “the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God” (1 Tim. 1:10–11).
Jesus embodied the idea of a servant in word and deed. He fulfilled the role of the “Servant of the Lord,” the Suffering Servant predicted by the prophet Isaiah (Isa. 42:1–4; 50:4–9; 52:13–53:12). He also took on the role of a servant in the Gospels, identifying himself as the Son of Man who came to serve (Mark 10:45) and washing the disciples’ feet (John 13:4–5). Paul says that in the incarnation Jesus took on “the very nature of a servant” (Phil. 2:7).
The special relationship between Jesus and his followers is captured in the servant-master language of the NT Epistles, especially in Paul’s letters (Rom. 1:1; Phil. 1:1; Titus 1:1). This language focuses not so much on the societal status of these servants as on the allegiance and honor owed to Christ Jesus.
“Word” is used in the Bible to refer to the speech of God in oral, written, or incarnate form. In each of these uses, God desires to make himself known to his people. The communication of God is always personal and relational, whether he speaks to call things into existence (Gen. 1) or to address an individual directly (Gen. 2:16 17; Exod. 3:14). The prophets and the apostles received the word of God (Deut. 18:14–22; John 16:13), some of which was proclaimed but not recorded. The greatest revelation in this regard is the person of Jesus Christ, who is called the “Word” of God (John 1:1, 14).
The psalmist declared God’s word to be an eternal object of hope and trust that gives light and direction (Ps. 119), and Jesus declared the word to be truth (John 17:17). The word is particularized and intimately connected with God himself by means of the key phrases “your word,” “the word of God,” “the word of the Lord,” “word about Christ,” and “the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17; Col. 3:16). Our understanding of the word is informed by a variety of terms and contexts in the canon of Scripture, a collection of which is found in Ps. 119.
The theme of the word in Ps. 119 is continued and clarified in the NT, accentuating the intimate connection between the word of God and God himself. The “Word” of God is the eternal Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:1; 1 John 1:1–4), who took on flesh and blood so that we might see the glory of the eternal God. The sovereign glory of Christ as the Word of God is depicted in the vision of John in Rev. 19:13. As the Word of God, Jesus Christ ultimately gives us our lives (John 1:4; 6:33; 10:10), sustains our lives (John 5:24; 6:51, 54; 8:51), and ultimately renders a just judgment regarding our lives (John 5:30; 8:16, 26; 9:39; cf. Matt. 25:31–33; Heb. 4:12).
A city whose precise location is uncertain; it may border the region of Ephraim (see 1 Sam. 9:4). It could be identified with Khirbet Marjameh, a site located near Mount Baal Hazor. The Bible mentions this city as the hometown of a man who brought bread to Elisha (2 Kings 4:42). It may be the same as Shalisha, an area that Saul passed through when he was searching for lost donkeys (1 Sam. 9:4).
An annual cereal grass (genus Hordeum). Barley was considered one of the blessings of the Promised Land (Deut. 8:8), but when the barley crop failed, it produced devastating results (Exod. 9:31; Joel 1:11). Barley was among the grain offerings (Num. 5:15; cf. Ezek. 45:13) and was used for livestock feed (1 Kings 4:28), eaten raw, or made into bread (2 Kings 4:42). Gideon’s surprise attack against the Midianites was symbolized in a dream by barley bread (Judg. 7:13), and Hosea used barley to purchase his wife (Hos. 3:2). Jesus used barley bread to feed the multitude (John 6:9, 13).
The outer membranous covering of some fruits, nuts, and grain. The KJV uses the word three times (Num. 6:4; 2 Kings 4:42; Luke 15:16), but most modern versions replace it with other renderings, including “skin [of grapes]” (Num. 6:4), “heads [of grain]” (2 Kings 4:42), and “[carob] pods” (Luke 15:16). There is debate concerning the meaning of the term tsiqlon in 2 Kings 4:42, which occurs only here in the OT. Some see it referring to the heads/ears of grain that the man is bringing to Elisha (NIV, NET, KJV), while others see it as the sack in which he carries the grain (RSV, NRSV, ESV).
The land of Shalisha was one of the areas in which Saul searched for his father’s lost donkeys (1 Sam. 9:4). The location of the area is uncertain, though the land of Shalisha may be connected with Baal Shalishah (2 Kings 4:42). See also Baal Shalishah.
The land of Shalisha was one of the areas in which Saul searched for his father’s lost donkeys (1 Sam. 9:4). The location of the area is uncertain, though the land of Shalisha may be connected with Baal Shalishah (2 Kings 4:42). See also Baal Shalishah.
Common and valuable for food, beans were cooked while green in the pods or after being dried. Dry beans were threshed and winnowed like cereals and other grains. Beans are mentioned twice in the NIV (2 Sam. 17:28; Ezek. 4:9).
The servant of Elisha the prophet. Gehazi figures prominently in the stories of Naaman and the Shunammite woman. He was likely also the servant with Elisha whose eyes were opened to see the protecting heavenly horses and chariots of fire (2 Kings 6:17).
The Shunammite woman provided hospitality for Elisha, who sought to provide a favor in return. When Gehazi pointed out that she had no son, Elisha prophesied that she would have one the following year, which she did. Years later the boy died, and Gehazi took Elisha’s staff to place upon the boy until Elisha came and brought him back to life (2 Kings 4). After Naaman was healed of leprosy, Gehazi pursued Naaman with a contrived story designed to get clothing and silver from him. As punishment for his presumption, he became a leper (2 Kings 5:20–27).
The most famous place of this name was not far from Jericho. Eusebius placed it two miles from Jericho, it appeared on the ancient Madaba Map, early pilgrims claimed to have “seen the stones,” and from the seventh to twelfth centuries AD there was a church at the place of pilgrimage. However, archaeologists have not been able to identify the site definitively in modern times.
Gilgal was Israel’s first camp after crossing the Jordan, marked by a cairn of twelve stones from the riverbed (Josh. 4:19–20). It was called “Gilgal” because this sounds like the Hebrew word galal, meaning “to roll away.” When the people had been circumcised and had celebrated their first Passover in the promised land, God told them that he had “rolled away the reproach of Egypt” (5:9). It was at this base camp that Israel settled the question of Caleb’s inheritance (14:6–14) and fell for the Gibeonites’ deception (Josh. 9), and from which they set out on their southern campaign (Josh. 10). In the next generation, the angel of the Lord went up from there to Bokim to confront them with their sinfulness (Judg. 2:1).
The prophet Samuel visited Gilgal regularly to judge the people (1 Sam. 7:16), as well as to offer sacrifice (10:8) and to proclaim Saul as king (11:14–15). David returned to his kingdom through Gilgal after Absalom’s death, effectively retracing Joshua’s steps (2 Sam. 19:15, 40). Later, Elijah and Elisha passed through Gilgal just before Elijah miraculously crossed the Jordan eastward and Elisha then miraculously crossed back (2 Kings 2:1–14). On his return to Gilgal, Elisha removed poison from stew and multiplied bread for the famine-stricken people (2 Kings 4:38–44).
The stones at Gilgal were meant to be a perpetual reminder of God’s faithfulness in the conquest (Josh. 4:21–24; Mic. 6:5). However, when Ehud turned back at Gilgal to assassinate Ekron, they were already described as “the stone images [i.e., idols] near Gilgal” (Judg. 3:19). It was there that Saul forfeited his kingship first by offering sacrifice himself instead of waiting for Samuel to do so (1 Sam. 13) and then by setting aside captured livestock for sacrifice rather than destroying them according to God’s instructions (1 Sam. 15). By the eighth century BC, Gilgal was one of the cult sites of the northern kingdom and was notorious for false worship (Hos. 4:15; 9:15; 12:11; Amos 4:4; 5:5).
“Gilgal” could also mean, more generally, “stone circle,” so there may have been several places of this name. It is not clear, for instance, whether the Gilgal on the border of Judah (Josh. 15:7) and the Beth Gilgal from which temple singers came after the exile (Neh. 12:29) are the same as the famous Gilgal. Moses mentions a place called “Gilgal” in his directions to recite the covenant blessings and curses on Mounts Gerizim and Ebal (Deut. 11:30). Since Gilgal was not among mountains, either this is a different Gilgal or Moses is simply locating the mountains relative to Israel’s base camp in the Arabah, or Jordan Valley. See also Beth Gilgal.
This brutal practice effectively ended a person’s military career, even if only performed on one eye (1 Sam. 11:2; cf. 4Q51 10; Josephus, Ant. 6.71). It could also be punitive (2 Kings 25:7; 4 Macc. 5:30). The loss of both eyes made one a dependent or slave, since only the simplest work could be done (so with Samson [Judg. 16:21]). Eye gouging also refers figuratively to either enslaving or deceiving someone (Num. 16:14) and to the severe measures to take against one’s own sin (Matt. 5:29; 18:9).
Common and valuable for food, beans were cooked while green in the pods or after being dried. Dry beans were threshed and winnowed like cereals and other grains. Beans are mentioned twice in the NIV (2 Sam. 17:28; Ezek. 4:9).
Just north of Mount Moreh lies Nain; to the southwest was Shunem. When Jesus brought a widow’s son back to life, the crowd declared that a prophet had arisen (Luke 7:11–17), remembering Elisha’s restoration of the Shunammite woman’s son (2 Kings 4).
Common and valuable for food, beans were cooked while green in the pods or after being dried. Dry beans were threshed and winnowed like cereals and other grains. Beans are mentioned twice in the NIV (2 Sam. 17:28; Ezek. 4:9).
Common and valuable for food, beans were cooked while green in the pods or after being dried. Dry beans were threshed and winnowed like cereals and other grains. Beans are mentioned twice in the NIV (2 Sam. 17:28; Ezek. 4:9).
A person from Shunem. In the Bible, two women are referred to as “the Shunammite.” The woman whose son Elisha raises from the dead (2 Kings 4) is known only by this title. Abishag, the young woman who kept warm the elderly King David, is identified as “the Shunammite” as well (1 Kings 1–2). See also Shunem.
Common and valuable for food, beans were cooked while green in the pods or after being dried. Dry beans were threshed and winnowed like cereals and other grains. Beans are mentioned twice in the NIV (2 Sam. 17:28; Ezek. 4:9).
