And it came to pass at the seven years’ end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry unto the king for her house and for her land.
Parallel translations
- WEB At the end of seven years, the woman returned from the land of the Philistines. Then she went out to beg the king for her house and for her land.
- BSB At the end of seven years, when the woman returned from the land of the Philistines, she went to the king to appeal for her house and her land.
- NKJV It came to pass, at the end of seven years, that the woman returned from the land of the Philistines; and she went to make an appeal to the king for her house and for her land.
- NASB Then at the end of seven years, the woman returned from the land of the Philistines; and she went to appeal to the king for her house and for her field.
- NLT After the famine ended she returned from the land of the Philistines, and she went to see the king about getting back her house and land.
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
Returning after seven years, the woman comes to petition the king for her lost house and land. Her appeal sets up a providential restoration.
Overview
Back from exile, she finds her property in others' hands and seeks royal redress. Her petition coincides exactly with the king hearing of Elisha's miracle on her behalf. The timing reveals God's hidden orchestration of events for her good. It prepares the way for the full return of her inheritance.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- 2 Kgs 6:26And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.
- 2 Sam 14:4And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.
- Jer 22:16He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the LORD.
- Luke 18:3–5And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
- 2 Kgs 4:13And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.
- Ps 82:3–4Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
- 2 Kgs 8:6And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now.
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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 8:3 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
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