2 Kings 4 · Verse 8

2 Kings 4:8

And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.

2 Kings 4:8, King James Version

2 Kings 4:8 in other translations

BSB	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.
WEB	One day Elisha went to Shunem, where there was a prominent woman; and she persuaded him to eat bread. So it was, that as often as he passed by, he turned in there to eat bread.
ASV	And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.
YLT	And the day cometh that Elisha passeth over unto Shunem, and there is a great woman, and she layeth hold on him to eat bread, and it cometh to pass, at the time of his passing over, he turneth aside thither to eat bread,
DARBY	And it came to pass on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a wealthy woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.
BBE	Now there came a day when Elisha went to Shunem, and there was a woman of high position living there, who made him come in and have a meal with her. And after that, every time he went by, he went into her house for a meal.
Webster	And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a distinguished woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.

What does 2 Kings 4:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

8. Elisha passed to Shunem--now Sulam, in the plain of Esdraelon, at the southwestern base of Little Hermon. The prophet, in his journey, was often entertained here by one of its pious and opulent inhabitants.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 8 Elisha passed to Shunem - This city was in the tribe of Issachar, to the south of the brook Kishon, and at the foot of Mount Tabor. Where was a great woman - In Pirkey Rab. Eliezer, this woman is said to have been the sister of Abishag, the Shunammite, well known in the history of David. Instead of great woman, the Chaldee has, a woman fearing sin; the Arabic, a woman eminent for piety before God. This made her truly great.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Kings 4:8-17

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 raising 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 respect 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 will 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.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

2 Kings 4:8 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיְהִ֨יvay.Hiand it wasH1961

הַיּ֜וֹםhai.Yomthe dayH3117

וַיַּעֲבֹ֧רvai.ya.'a.Vorand he passed onH5674

אֱלִישָׁ֣ע'e.li.Sha'ElishaH477

אֶל\־'el-toH413

שׁוּנֵ֗םshu.NemShunemH7766

וְשָׁם֙ve.Shamand [was] thereH8033

אִשָּׁ֣ה'i.Shaha womanH802

גְדוֹלָ֔הge.do.LahgreatH1419

וַתַּחֲזֶק\־va.ta.cha.zek-and she urgedH2388

בּ֖וֹbo<on> him

לֶאֱכָל\־le.'e.khol-to eatH398

לָ֑חֶםLa.chemfoodH3899

וַֽיְהִי֙vay.Hiand it wasH1961

מִדֵּ֣יmi.Deias often asH1767

עָבְר֔וֹa.ve.Ropassed by heH5674

יָסֻ֥רya.Surhe turned asideH5493

שָׁ֖מָּהSha.mahthere towardsH8033

לֶאֱכָל\־le.'e.khol-to eatH398

לָֽחֶם\׃La.chemfoodH3899

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Kings 4:8

Joshua 19:18
And their border was toward Jezreel, and Chesulloth, and Shunem,
2 Kings 4:11-12
And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there. And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.
Job 32:9
Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment.
Job 1:3
His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.
Genesis 19:3
And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
1 Kings 1:3
So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
Luke 24:29
But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
2 Samuel 19:32
Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.
Judges 19:20
And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.
Proverbs 7:21
With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
Acts 16:15
And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
Luke 1:15
For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

it fell on. Heb. there was.
11,18
Shunem.This city was situated in the tribe of Issachar, five miles south from mount Tabor, according to Eusebius; and is probably the place which he calls Sanim, in Acrabatene, in the neighbourhood of Samaria or Sebaste.
12; Jos 19:18; 1Sa 28:4; 1Ki 1:3
a great woman.
2Sa 19:32; Job 1:3; 32:9; Lu 1:15
she constrained him. Heb. she laid hold on him.
Ge 19:3; Jud 19:20; Pr 7:21; Lu 14:23; 24:29; Ac 16:15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

2 Kings 4:7
Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.
2 Kings 4:8
And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.
2 Kings 4:9
And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.

Read all of 2 Kings 4

2 Kings 4:8 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y aconteció también que un día pasaba Eliseo por Sunem; y había allí una mujer principal, la cual le constriñó á que comiese del pan: y cuando por allí pasaba, veníase á su casa á comer del pan.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et, un jour, il arriva qu’Élisée passa par Sunem; et il y avait là une femme riche, et elle le retint pour manger le pain. Et il se trouva que, chaque fois qu’il passait, il se retirait là pour manger le pain.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und es geschah eines Tages, da ging Elisa nach Sunem hinüber; und daselbst war ein wohlhabendes Weib, und sie nötigte ihn, bei ihr zu essen. Und es geschah, sooft er durchzog, kehrte er dort ein, um zu essen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Facta est autem quædam dies, et transibat Eliseus per Sunam: erat autem ibi mulier magna, quæ tenuit eum ut comederet panem: cumque frequenter inde transiret, divertebat ad eam ut comederet panem.