John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. And it came to pass, at the seven years end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines , etc.] Either hearing that the famine was over, or believing that it was, the time being expired the prophet fixed for it: and she went forth to cry unto the king for her house, and for her land ; which her nearest relations in her absence had seized upon, as heirs to them; or those in whose hands she had intrusted them refused, upon her return, to deliver them to her; or the king’s officers had seized upon them for him, as forfeited to the crown by her going out of the land without leave; and now she needed a friend to speak for her to the king, which, in time past, she had no occasion for, and thought she never should, (see Kings 4:13).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - The kindness of the good Shunammite to Elisha, was rewarded by the car taken of her in famine. It is well to foresee an evil, and wisdom, when we foresee it, to hide ourselves if we lawfully may do so. When the famine was over, she returned out of the land of the Philistines; tha was no proper place for an Israelite, any longer than there wa necessity for it. Time was when she dwelt so securely among her ow people, that she had no occasion to be spoken for to the king; but there is much uncertainty in this life, so that things or persons ma fail us which we most depend upon, and those befriend us which we thin we shall never need. Sometimes events, small in themselves, prove of consequence, as here; for they made the king ready to believe Gehazi' narrative, when thus confirmed. It made him ready to grant her request and to support a life which was given once and again by miracle.
Original Hebrew ויהי1961 מקצה7097 שׁבע7651 שׁנים8141 ותשׁב7725 האשׁה802 מארץ776 פלשׁתים6430 ותצא3318 לצעק6817 אל413 המלך4428 אל413 ביתה1004 ואל413 שׂדה׃7704
