Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 8
1 Kings 22:10 describes a large, flat yard, near to the entrance of Samaria. Usually, this place would be the city’s market. However, this was also the best place when the king wanted to meet with large numbers of people. So, the king would choose special days when he would be the judge in a court of law here.
On those days, people from across Israel would come to ask for the king’s help in legal matters. Probably, most of them never had any opportunity to speak to the king. They went away, unable to obtain any help. However, the king would listen to a few of the people. If he agreed with them, he gave orders to his officials to deal with the matter.
So, it seems that this woman came to the king at this place, on one of those special days. Her husband had owned a house and land at Shunem (4:8-10). God had given land to each family in Israel, and that land remained their permanent possession (1 Kings 21:3). That woman was very aware of God’s law about this matter (4:13). That particular piece of land gave her family its own connection to the promises that God gave to Israel.
For the last 7 years, the woman had been living abroad. In the meantime, someone else had taken her house and its land. Her husband who was the legal owner, seems to have died. If so, her son became the legal owner at his father’s death. So, now she was bringing her son to the king to claim his legal rights. The boy was probably about 10 years old at this time.
Next part: Gehazi tells the king about Elisha (2 Kings 8:4)
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