41 Now a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha , "Your servant my husband is dead , and you know that your servant feared the Lord ; and the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves ." 2 Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house ?" And she said , "Your maidservant has nothing e in the house except e a jar of oil ." 3 Then he said , "Go , borrow vessels at large for yourself from all your neighbors , even empty vessels ; do not get a few . 4 "And you shall go in and shut the door behind you and your sons , and pour out into all these vessels , and you shall set aside what is full ." 5 So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons ; they were bringing the vessels to her and she poured . 6 When the vessels were full , she said to her son , "Bring me another vessel ." And he said to her, "There is not one vessel more ." And the oil stopped . 7 Then she came and told the man of God . And he said , "Go , sell the oil and pay your debt , and you and your sons can live on the rest ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Kings 4:1-7
Commentary on 2 Kings 4:1-7
(Read 2 Kings 4:1-7)
Elisha's miracles were acts of real charity: Christ's were so; not only great wonders, but great favours to those for whom they were wrought. God magnifies his goodness with his power. Elisha readily received a poor widow's complaint. Those that leave their families under a load of debt, know not what trouble they cause. It is the duty of all who profess to follow the Lord, while they trust to God for daily bread, not to tempt him by carelessness or extravagance, nor to contract debts; for nothing tends more to bring reproach upon the gospel, or distresses their families more when they are gone. Elisha put the widow in a way to pay her debt, and to maintain herself and her family. This was done by miracle, but so as to show what is the best method to assist those who are in distress, which is, to help them to improve by their own industry what little they have. The oil, sent by miracle, continued flowing as long as she had empty vessels to receive it. We are never straitened in God, or in the riches of his grace; all our straitness is in ourselves. It is our faith that fails, not his promise. He gives more than we ask: were there more vessels, there is enough in God to fill them; enough for all, enough for each; and the Redeemer's all-sufficiency will only be stayed from the supplying the wants of sinners and saving their souls, when no more apply to him for salvation. The widow must pay her debt with the money she received for her oil. Though her creditors were too hard with her, yet they must be paid, even before she made any provision for her children. It is one of the main laws of the Christian religion, that we pay every just debt, and give every one his own, though we leave ever so little for ourselves; and this, not of constraint, but for conscience' sake. Those who bear an honest mind, cannot with pleasure eat their daily bread, unless it be their own bread. She and her children must live upon the rest; that is, upon the money received for the oil, with which they must put themselves into a way to get an honest livelihood. We cannot now expect miracles, yet we may expect mercies, if we wait on God, and seek to him. Let widows in particular depend upon him. He that has all hearts in his hand, can, without a miracle, send as effectual a supply.