2 Kings 4:10

Generosity Serving others

⁸ One day Elisha went to Shunem, and a prominent woman who lived there persuaded him to have a meal. So whenever he would pass by, he would stop there to eat.

⁹ Then the woman said to her husband, “Behold, now I know that the one who often comes our way is a holy man of God.

Please let us make a small room upstairs and put in it a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp for him. Then when he comes to us, he can stay there.”

¹¹ One day Elisha came to visit and went to his upper room to lie down.

¹² And he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call the Shunammite woman.” And when he had called her, she stood before him,

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Please let us make a small room upstairs and put in it a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp for him. Then when he comes to us, he can stay there.”
KJV: Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.
WEB: Please, let’s make a little room on the roof. Let’s set a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp stand for him there. When he comes to us, he can stay there.”
ASV: Let us make, I pray thee, a little chamber on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a seat, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.
DARBY: Let us make, I pray thee, a small upper chamber with walls, and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a seat, and a lampstand; and it shall be when he cometh to us, he shall turn in thither.
BLB: Let us make, please, a small upper room on the wall, and let us put for him there a bed, and a table, and a chair, and a lampstand. And it will be, in his coming to us, he can turn aside there.”

ÅB: La oss gjøre et lite tak-kammer med murvegger og sette inn der en seng for ham og et bord og en stol og en lysestake; når han så kommer til oss, kan han ta inn der.
OTB: Vær så snill, la oss lage et lite rom med vegger, og sette en seng for ham der, og et bord, en stol og en lysestake; og det skal være, når han kommer til oss, at han kan gå inn der."
B1930: La oss gjøre et lite tak-kammer med murvegger og sette inn der en seng for ham og et bord og en stol og en lysestake; når han så kommer til oss, kan han ta inn der.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Romans 12:13
Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Read in context
Matthew 10:41–42
Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.
Read in context
Matthew 25:40
And the King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’
Read in context
Hebrews 10:24
And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds.
Read in context
Hebrews 13:2
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
Read in context
1 Peter 4:9–10
Show hospitality to one another without complaining.
Read in context
Luke 8:3
Joanna the wife of Herod’s household manager Chuza, Susanna, and many others. These women were ministering to them out of their own means.
Read in context
Mark 9:41
Indeed, if anyone gives you even a cup of water because you bear the name of Christ, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.
Read in context