Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 4

God would use what the widow had to provide for her family

2 Kings 4:2

Sometimes, we can ask for help from other people when we should depend on God. It is not clear whether this woman came to Elisha to request prayer, or to ask for money. Elisha himself was a poor man; but he led those people in Israel who were loyal to the true God. Some of those people were rich (4:8).

It is right and good when God directs his people to give to help poor people (Proverbs 19:17). So, a rich person should desire opportunities to give generously. However, a poor person must not try to force rich people to give. God might provide for that poor person by someone else’s gifts, or in some other way. On this particular occasion, God showed his power in an extraordinary manner when he provided for this poor family.

God directed Elisha to ask the woman what she already had. Clearly, it was not possible that she could still have much of anything. She was too poor to pay her husband’s debts – in fact, without God’s help, she knew that her sons must become slaves. However, the question that God directed Elisha to ask, had a purpose. God wanted to use what the woman already had, to provide for her and her family.

So, the small quantity of what she possessed, did not matter. Elisha asked what she had – he did not ask how much of it she possessed. However little she had, God would use it. In 1 Samuel 14:6-23, God used two men who trusted him to bring about the defeat of a vast army. In the same way, if this widow trusted God, God would provide for her.

Next part: Many jars of oil from a single jar (2 Kings 4:3-4)

Please use the links at the top of the page to find our other articles in this series. You can download all our articles if you go to the download page for our free 1000+ page course book.