2 Kings 4 5

2 Kings 4:5 kjv

So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.

2 Kings 4:5 nkjv

So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out.

2 Kings 4:5 niv

She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring.

2 Kings 4:5 esv

So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her.

2 Kings 4:5 nlt

So she did as she was told. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she filled one after another.

2 Kings 4 verses

2 Kings 4 5 Meaning

This verse describes the immediate and obedient action of the widow after Elisha's instruction to collect vessels and begin pouring. She deliberately isolates herself and her sons within the privacy of their home, where her sons bring her the empty vessels, and she continuously pours the miraculously multiplying oil from her small flask into them. It highlights faith demonstrated through specific and secluded obedience to a divine command.

2 Kings 4 5 Context

2 Kings chapter 4 records several miracles performed by Elisha, demonstrating God's continued power and care for His people in Israel, often in contrast to the spiritual barrenness under the kings of Israel. This particular narrative (2 Kings 4:1-7) concerns a widow of one of the "sons of the prophets" (likely a student or member of a prophetic guild) who faces dire poverty; her husband's creditor is coming to take her two sons as bondservants due to debt. Elisha, as God's prophet, instructs her to collect as many empty vessels as possible from her neighbors and, with only a small jar of oil, to shut herself in her house with her sons and begin pouring. Verse 5 is the pivotal moment of her direct and immediate obedience, initiating the miraculous provision. Historically, debt-slavery was a real threat, making the stakes very high for the widow, and God's provision was an immediate, practical answer to a severe socio-economic problem.

2 Kings 4 5 Word analysis

• So she went (וַתֵּלֶךְ, va-te-lekh): The Hebrew waw-consecutive implies immediate consequence and action. This highlights her swift obedience without hesitation, crucial for the miracle's unfolding. It shows a response of faith to Elisha's instructions.
• from him (מֵאִתּוֹ, me'it-to): Refers to Elisha. Emphasizes that her instruction and the divine power behind it came through God's appointed prophet.
• and shut the door (וַתִּסְגֹּר הַדֶּלֶת, va-tis-gor ha-de-let): A deliberate and significant action. "Shutting the door" here symbolizes privacy and a focused separation.
  • Significance: It ensures a space of faith free from doubt, skepticism, or interference from outside observers. It creates a 'sacred' or consecrated space where the miracle could occur, much like entering a closet for private prayer (Matt 6:6). This also implies reliance solely on God, not public spectacle. It removes external influences that might cause wavering faith.
  • Polemics: This might be an indirect polemic against public displays of "magic" or reliance on visible human intervention prevalent in pagan practices, emphasizing God's work in private, humble settings, independent of a crowd's energy.
• behind herself and her sons (בַּעֲדָהּ וּבְעַד בָּנֶיהָ, ba'adah u-ve'ad baneyha): Explicitly states that the act of pouring was a private, family affair involving only the mother and her children.
  • Significance: This communal act reinforces family unity and shared participation in faith and receiving God's blessing. It ensures the focus remains internal on their need and God's provision. It is not a demonstration for public awe but a practical, life-saving act for the family unit.
• They (her sons) were bringing (הֵם מַגִּישִׁים, hem maggishim): The plural masculine pronoun "they" explicitly refers to the sons. The verb "bringing" is a present participle, indicating a continuous or repeated action.
  • Significance: The sons were active participants in the process, not just passive beneficiaries. They tirelessly brought the collected empty vessels to their mother, indicating their involvement in the act of faith and their contribution to their deliverance. This demonstrates their obedience to the instruction.
• the vessels to her (אֵלֶיהָ הַכֵּלִים, eleyha hakkelim): Specifies that the vessels were brought to the mother, who was doing the pouring.
• and she (the mother) was pouring (וְהִיא יֹצָקֶת, vəhi yotzaqet): The singular feminine pronoun "she" refers to the mother. "Pouring" is also a present participle, conveying a continuous action.
  • Significance: This is the miraculous act itself – the oil continuously flowing from her single small jar as she poured into each of the borrowed vessels. It was the mother's act of faith, in direct obedience to Elisha's command, that facilitated the divine multiplication. This ongoing action required sustained faith, vessel after vessel, until the provision was complete. The divine miracle manifested through her continuous, simple, and obedient action.

2 Kings 4 5 Bonus section

The nature of the miracle in this verse (and chapter) is one of multiplication rather than creation ex nihilo. The widow possessed a small amount of oil (2 Ki 4:2), which served as the catalyst. This is consistent with other biblical miracles like the feeding of the multitudes, where existing bread and fish were multiplied. This demonstrates that God can work powerfully with the "little" we have, requiring us to offer it in faith. The limits of the miracle were also tied to the woman's obedience: it stopped when there were no more vessels to fill (2 Ki 4:6), highlighting that God's provision, while supernatural, often interacts with our human preparation and capacity to receive. This episode also stands as a powerful counter-narrative to the idolatry prevalent in Israel during that period, asserting that it is Yahweh, not Baal or any other god, who provides for the daily and crucial needs of His people.

2 Kings 4 5 Commentary

2 Kings 4:5 encapsulates the practical outworking of faith in response to divine command. The widow's actions—leaving Elisha, shutting the door, the coordinated effort with her sons in bringing vessels, and her continuous pouring—are not just procedural but deeply theological. Her immediate obedience signifies a trust that transcends the seemingly impossible nature of the task. Shutting the door is not just for privacy; it creates a sanctified space for a deeply personal, divine encounter, free from the skepticism or curious gazes of the outside world, inviting sole reliance on God. The active participation of her sons underscores that the miracle involved the entire family unit in humble, sustained effort. The continuous verbs "bringing" and "pouring" highlight that divine provision often unfolds not in a single dramatic burst but through an ongoing act of faith and diligent application, vessel after vessel, until the supply matches the need and the limit is reached (2 Ki 4:6). This passage is a timeless lesson that God's miraculous power flows into vessels prepared by humble, specific, and sustained obedience, multiplying meager resources to meet overwhelming needs.

Examples:

• A person facing overwhelming debt, like the widow, might choose to prayerfully seek divine guidance and take practical, faithful steps (like budgeting, seeking counsel) rather than giving in to despair.
• A small ministry with limited resources might continuously "pour" what they have (their gifts, time, energy) in faith, believing God will multiply it for His purposes.
• Individuals encountering insurmountable problems might find their "strength in quietness and trust" (Isa 30:15) by shutting out worldly noise and focusing on God's instructions.