2 Kings 4:7

She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil, and pay your debt. Then you and your sons can live on the remainder.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The widow reports to Elisha immediately after the oil ceases when her final jar is filled. Elisha responds with direct instructions regarding the liquid's disposal and her family's sustenance.

The words — The Hebrew מִכְרִי (mikh.Ri) literally commands "sell," directing the immediate conversion of the provision. The phrase לְאִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים (le./'Ish ha./'E.lo.Him) identifies Elisha as the prophetic authority receiving her report.

The thread — The title "man of God" appears in 1 Kings 12:22 to denote prophetic office, while the debt theme parallels Psalms 37:21 on borrowing and the righteous character. The practical provision for daily life aligns with the self-support principle in 2 Thessalonians 3:7.

Why it lands — The text requires immediate action to settle a financial obligation before anticipating future survival from the surplus. It demands readers treat divine intervention as a mechanism for concrete responsibility rather than a substitute for practical stewardship.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַתָּבֹ֗אva./ta.Vo'and/ she came וַתַּגֵּד֙va./ta.Gedand/ she told לְאִ֣ישׁle./'Ishto/ [the] man of הָאֱלֹהִ֔יםha./'E.lo.Him<the>/ God וַיֹּ֗אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said לְכִי֙le.Khigo מִכְרִ֣יmikh.Risell אֶת־'et-<obj.>הַשֶּׁ֔מֶןha./She.menthe/ oil וְשַׁלְּמִ֖יve./sha.le.Miand/ pay אֶת־'et-<obj.>נִשְׁיֵ֑ךְnish.ye./khedebt/ your וְאַ֣תְּve./'Atand/ you וּבָנַ֔יִךְve./ba.nei./kheand/ children/ your תִֽחְיִ֖יtich.Yiyou will live בַּנּוֹתָֽר׃ פba./no.Tarby the/ remainder

King James Version

Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.

Cross-references

2 Thessalonians 3:7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not undisciplined among you,
1 Kings 12:22 But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God:
Psalms 37:21 The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving.
Romans 12:17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.
1 Thessalonians 2:9 Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
1 Thessalonians 4:12 Then you will behave properly toward outsiders, without being dependent on anyone.