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.
Parallel translations
- WEB Then she came and told the man of God. He said, “Go, sell the oil, and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”
- BSB 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.”
- NKJV 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 live on the rest.”
- NASB So 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.”
- NLT When she told the man of God what had happened, he said to her, “Now sell the olive oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on what is left over.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Elisha tells her to sell the oil, pay her debt, and live on the rest. God's provision both rescues from bondage and supplies ongoing need.
Overview
The miracle is practical: it clears the debt that threatened her sons and leaves enough to live on. God meets the immediate crisis and the future too. This complete deliverance reflects His thorough care for His people. It foreshadows the fullness of provision in Christ, who not only pays our debt but gives abundant life.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- 2 Th 3:7–12For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
- 1 Kgs 12:22But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
- Phil 4:8Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
- Rom 12:17Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
- Ps 37:21The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
- 1 Th 2:9–10For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
- 1 Th 4:12That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Amid the long decline toward exile, the promise to David's house refuses to die; the flickering lamp kept burning anticipates the coming King who will not fail or be cut off.
How 2 Kings 4:7 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.