John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 8. And it fell on a day , etc.] Or so it was at a certain time: that Elisha passed to Shunem ; a city in the tribe of Issachar; of which (see Joshua 19:18), where was a great woman ; of great wealth and riches, of great benevolence and hospitality, and of great grace and piety; that feared sin, as the Targum paraphrases it; a woman of great credit and reputation on all accounts. The Jews say she was the sister of Abishag the Shunammite, and the mother of Iddo the prophet: and she constrained him to eat bread ; she had observed him at all times pass that way, and guessed by his habit and deportment that he was a religious man, and therefore took an opportunity to invite him into her house, and take a dinner with her; but he being modest and shy, she was obliged to use some pressing language, and be importunate with him, that he would accept of her invitation, which he did: and so it was, that, as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread ; being made very welcome, and encouraged by the free and kind entertainment he met with, as often as he had occasion to come that way, he called and took a meal with her; and this it seems was pretty often, for Shunem was not far from Carmel, which he frequented, and lay in the way to Samaria, Bethel, and Jericho, places he often visited, the schools of the prophets being there.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 8-17 - Elisha was well thought of by the king of Israel for his late services a good man can take as much pleasure in serving others, as in raisin himself. But the Shunammite needed not any good offices of this kind It is a happiness to dwell among our own people, that love and respec us, and to whom we are able to do good. It would be well with many, if they did but know when they are really well off. The Lord sees the secret wish which is suppressed in obedience to his will, and he wil hear the prayers of his servants in behalf of their benefactors, by sending unasked-for and unexpected mercies; nor must the professions of men of God be supposed to be delusive like those of men of the world.
Original Hebrew ויהי1961 היום3117 ויעבר5674 אלישׁע477 אל413 שׁונם7766 ושׁם8033 אשׁה802 גדולה1419 ותחזק2388 בו לאכל398 לחם3899 ויהי1961 מדי1767 עברו5674 יסר5493 שׁמה8033 לאכל398 לחם׃3899
