II Kings 8:1 · Bible study
2 Kings 8:1 Commentary: Yahweh Calls for a Famine
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine the meaning of Yahweh calling for a famine, and how Elisha’s prophetic warning demonstrates God’s provision for the faithful Shunammite woman.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Yahweh sovereignly summons a seven-year famine as judgment on Israel, but He warns the faithful Shunammite to flee so that she is preserved.
- Key Words: Called (H7121, qara), to summon or appoint; sojourn (H1481, gur), to live as a foreigner; famine (H7458, ra'av), severe hunger sent by God.
- Main Debate: The precise chronological placement of this event relative to the other Elisha narratives (whether before or after Gehazi's leprosy and the healing of Naaman).
- Theological Theme: God’s sovereignty over natural calamities, and His faithfulness to those who trust and obey His prophetic word.
- Best Use: Preaching and teaching on the nature of divine judgment and mercy, and on the importance of heeding God’s warnings.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Arise, you and your household; go and live as a foreigner wherever you can. For the LORD has decreed a seven-year famine, and it has already come to the land.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
Now Elisha had spoken to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise, and go, you and your household, and stay for a while wherever you can; for Yahweh has called for a famine. It will also come on the land for seven years.”
KJV King James Version 1769
Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the Lord hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Now Elisha had spoken unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thy household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for Jehovah hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And Elisha spake unto the woman whose son he had revived, saying, `Rise and go, thou and thy household, and sojourn where thou dost sojourn, for Jehovah hath called for a famine, and also, it is coming unto the land seven years.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And Elisha had spoken to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, Rise up and go, thou and thy household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn; for Jehovah has called for a famine, and it shall also come upon the land for seven years.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And Eliseus spoke to the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying: Arise, and go thou, and thy household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst find: for the Lord hath called a famine, and it shall come upon the land seven years.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y HABLÓ Eliseo á aquella mujer á cuyo hijo había hecho vivir, diciendo: Levántate, vete tú y toda tu casa á vivir donde pudieres; porque Jehová ha llamado el hambre, la cual vendrá también sobre la tierra siete años.
E falou Eliseu àquela mulher a cujo filho havia feito viver, dizendo: Levanta-te, vai-te tu e toda tua casa a viver de onde puderes; porque o SENHOR chamou a fome, a qual virá também sobre a terra sete anos.
Élisée dit à la femme dont il avait fait revivre le fils: Lève-toi, va t’ en, toi et ta maison, et séjourne où tu pourras; car l’ Éternel appelle la famine, et même elle vient sur le pays pour sept années.
Elisa redete mit dem Weibe, dessen Sohn er hatte lebendig gemacht, und sprach: Mache dich auf und gehe hin mit deinem Hause und wohne in der Fremde, wo du kannst; denn der HERR wird eine Teuerung rufen, die wird ins Land kommen sieben Jahre lang.
Elisa nu had gesproken tot die vrouw, welker zoon hij levend gemaakt had, zeggende: Maak u op, en ga heen, gij en uw huisgezin, en verkeer als vreemdeling, waar gij verkeren kunt; want de HEERE heeft een honger geroepen, die ook in het land zeven jaren komen zal.
Or Eliseo avea detto alla donna di cui avea risuscitato il figliuolo: “Lèvati, vattene, tu con la tua famiglia, a soggiornare all’estero, dove potrai; perché l’Eterno ha chiamata la carestia, e difatti essa verrà nel paese per sette anni”.
Potem Elizeusz rzekł do onej niewiasty, której był syna wskrzesił, mówiąc: Wstań a idź, ty i dom twój, a bądź gościem, kędy będziesz mogła być; bo zawołał Pan głodu, i przyjdzie na ziemię przez siedm lat.
И говорил Елисей женщине, сына которой воскресил он, и сказал: встань, и пойди, ты и дом твой, и поживи там, где можешь пожить, ибо призвал Господь голод, и он придет на сию землю на семь лет.
以利沙 曾 對 所 救活 之子 的那婦人 說：「你 和你的全家 要起身 往 你可住 的地方 去住，因為 耶和華 命 饑荒 降 在 這地 七 年。」
Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had given back to life, Go now, with all the people of your house, and get a living-place for yourselves wherever you are able; for by the word of the Lord, there will be great need of food in the land; and this will go on for seven years.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Kings 8:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that II Kings 8:1 is a parenthetical flashback, setting the stage for the Shunammite’s restoration in verses 2, 6. Keil and Delitzsch, Cambridge Bible, and Clarke all note that the Hebrew verbs demand a pluperfect rendering: Elisha had spoken. The narrative is not chronological; this event occurred before Gehazi’s leprosy (Barnes) and likely before the healing of Naaman (Keil).
The phrase “Yahweh has called for a famine” is understood as divine sovereignty over calamity. Barnes writes that God’s “calling for” anything is equivalent to His producing it. Matthew Henry describes the famine as a covenant judgment, one of God’s sore judgments threatened in the law. Wesley adds that the seven-year duration, double the famine under Elijah, reflects Israel’s continued incorrigibility under Elisha’s ministry.
Yet the warning itself is a concrete act of provision. Gill and Matthew Henry observe that the Shunammite, who had shown hospitality to the prophet, is given specific instructions to escape the coming disaster. The consensus is clear: God ordains judgment, but He also preserves those who trust His word.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God, in His sovereignty, sends a famine as judgment on Israel, but He also provides a prophetic warning so that the faithful Shunammite can escape the disaster and later be restored.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Chronology of the Elisha narratives | All commentators agree that this verse is a flashback (pluperfect) and that the stories of Elisha are not arranged in strict chronological order. | Some place this event before the healing of Naaman and Gehazi's leprosy (Keil, Barnes), while others note it could be from a later period but is inserted topically. |
| The meaning of 'Yahweh has called for a famine' | All affirm that God is the ultimate cause of the famine; it is a divine judgment, not mere chance. | Some emphasize the famine as a direct punishment for idolatry (Matthew Henry, Wesley), while others focus on God's sovereignty over all calamities as part of covenant discipline (Barnes, Cambridge). |
| The purpose of the warning to the Shunammite | The warning is a sign of God's care for the woman who had shown kindness to Elisha, and her obedience leads to preservation. | Some highlight the woman's faith and merit (Gill), while others stress God's grace in acting through the prophet, independent of her worth (Keil). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Famine was a recurring threat in the ancient Near East, often interpreted as a sign of divine displeasure or a test of faith. Leviticus 26:19 warns that disobedience would make the sky like iron and the soil like bronze, a covenant curse. The famine in II Kings 8:1 carries that same theological weight. Earlier, in II Kings 4:38, a famine had struck during the time of the prophets, and now a longer one is announced: seven years, double the three and a half years of Elijah’s drought (cf. James 5:17). The severity escalates because Israel remains stubborn (Wesley, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown).
The Shunammite woman’s flight to the land of the Philistines follows a familiar pattern. When famine came, the patriarchs also sojourned: Abraham went to Egypt (Genesis 12:10), Isaac went to Gerar in Philistine territory (Genesis 26:1), and Jacob’s family relocated to Egypt during Joseph’s famine (Genesis 47:4). Sojourning (Hebrew gur) implies temporary residence as a foreigner, often with a degree of vulnerability. The woman’s obedience to Elisha’s word mirrors the faith of those earlier figures.
The Philistine coastlands, less reliant on seasonal rains and more on coastal moisture and trade, would have been a practical refuge. The instruction “stay for a while wherever you can” suggests flexibility and trust. The famine is not just a natural event; it is a direct act of God: “Yahweh has called for a famine.” The verb qara (to call, summon, appoint) is used elsewhere of God calling for the sword against a land (Jeremiah 25:29, Ezekiel 38:21). Here, the entire episode underscores that history’s hardships are never outside God’s control, and His prophetic word equips His people to survive them.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for II Kings 8:1. The verb tense in English translations varies between simple past (“Then spake Elisha”) and pluperfect (“Now Elisha had spoken”), but this is a translation decision based on context, not a difference in the Hebrew manuscripts. The Hebrew consonantal text is stable.
Reception History
This verse has been received across traditions as a demonstration of divine sovereignty and care. Early Jewish exegetes saw the famine as a call to repentance. Medieval Christian commentators often used the Shunammite’s obedience as a model for heeding prophetic warnings. Reformation-era writers such as Matthew Henry and John Wesley emphasized the justice of the prolonged famine, double the length of Elijah’s, as a sign of Israel’s deepening hardness. In modern homiletics, the passage is frequently used to teach that God’s judgments are never without a merciful provision for the faithful, and that trust in God’s word, even when it leads to displacement, is ultimately vindicated.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- God calls for judgment: The famine is not random; Yahweh summons it as a just response to Israel’s idolatry. Like the sword or the locusts, famine answers to His command.
- God gives warning: Elisha does not simply announce doom; he provides specific instruction for the Shunammite. Prophetic warning is an act of mercy, allowing time to respond.
- God preserves the faithful: The woman who had shown kindness to God’s prophet receives protection. Her obedience to the warning leads to safety and, later, restoration of her property.
Five-Point Outline
- Sovereignty in suffering: Yahweh “calls for” the famine. No disaster reaches us without His permission or purpose.
- Proportional discipline: Seven years, double the earlier famine, reflects escalating judgment when repentance fails. God is patient, but His discipline grows clearer.
- Personal guidance: Elisha speaks directly to the woman. God often gives tailored direction to those in relationship with Him, especially when general warnings are not enough.
- Active obedience: The woman arises and goes. Faith responds to the word, even when the famine has not yet arrived and the path seems uncertain.
- Vindication in hindsight: Seven years later, the king orders her property restored. What looked like loss was actually preservation. Obedience to God’s word always proves wise in the end.
Illustration Hooks
- Evacuation warnings: A government issues an evacuation order before a hurricane. Those who leave early risk inconvenience but gain safety. The Shunammite left the land of promise to sojourn as a foreigner, a costly but life-saving choice.
- Financial counsel: A financial advisor tells a client to diversify before a market downturn. The client follows the advice and weathers the recession. Elisha’s word functioned as divine financial and life counsel: “go and stay for a while wherever you can.”
- Medical tests: A doctor warns a patient that if they do not change their diet, they will face serious illness. The warning is not punitive; it is an invitation to avoid the coming trouble. The famine was a judgment, but the warning was pure grace.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- If God loves us, why does He send famines or other calamities? The Bible presents famine both as a consequence of sin and as a call to repentance. Even in judgment, God still sends warnings and provides ways of escape.
- How do I know if a difficult situation is from God or just life happening? We do not always know. But like the Shunammite, we can trust God’s character and the counsel of His word. Prophetic clarity is rare; ordinary wisdom and prayer are our daily guides.
- Will God protect me if I obey Him during hard times? The Shunammite was preserved, but not immune to hardship, she had to leave her home and later beg for her land back. Obedience does not guarantee comfort, but it does place us under God’s care.
Leading a Discussion
This short narrative shows a God who both judges and provides. The famine is a decree; the warning is a rescue. As you discuss these verses, pay attention to the details: the timing, the command, the response, and the outcome. Notice how God’s sovereignty and the woman’s obedience work together.
Discussion Questions
- Observation: What did Elisha tell the Shunammite to do? What was the reason he gave?
- Observation: Why do most commentators think this verse is a flashback? What clues in the text support that?
- Interpretation: What does it mean that Yahweh “called for” a famine? How is this different from simply saying a famine occurred naturally?
- Interpretation: The woman had to leave her property and live as a foreigner. What kind of faith did that require? Compare this with Abraham leaving his homeland (Genesis 12).
- Connection: Read Leviticus 26:19. How does the covenant language of blessing and curse help explain the seven-year famine?
- Application: When have you received a warning, from Scripture, a wise friend, or circumstances, that required a difficult change? How did you respond?
- Application: This story ends with restoration (verses 5, 6). How does knowing that God both warns and restores shape your view of difficult seasons in your own life?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 12:10 | There was a famine in the land. Abram went down into Egypt to live as a foreigner there, for the famine was severe in the land. |
| Genesis 26:1 | There was a famine in the land, in addition to the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar. |
| Genesis 41:25 | Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dream of Pharaoh is one. What God is about to do he has declared to Pharaoh. |
| Genesis 41:27 | The seven thin and ugly cattle that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty heads of grain blasted with the east wind; they will be seven years of famine. |
| Genesis 41:28 | That is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. |
| Genesis 41:32 | The dream was doubled to Pharaoh, because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. |
| Genesis 47:4 | They also said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live as foreigners in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants’ flocks. For the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.” |
| Leviticus 26:19 | I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your sky like iron, and your soil like bronze. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the events in these two verses actually happened years before the scene in verse 3. He insists the verbs should be translated as past perfect ("had spoken," "had gone"), showing the Shunammite's departure was already completed before the famine is mentioned.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that this famine must have occurred before the events of 2 Kings 5, since the king would not have chatted casually with a leprous Gehazi. He explains that the writer grouped Elisha’s miracles by topic rather than strict chronology, linking this famine to the earlier prophecy of plenty. The phrase “called for a famine” simply means God produced it.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary highlights a chronological discrepancy: Elisha's warning about the famine was given at least seven years before the events described, so the verb tenses should reflect speech that occurred earlier. They also note that Gehazi's leprous condition does not rule out an earlier audience with the king, and Bishop Hall finds signs of goodness in both men.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Then spake Elisha vnto the woman, whose sonne he had restored to life, saying, Vp, and goe, thou, and thine house, and soiourne where thou canst soiourne: for the Lord hath called for a famine, and it commeth also vpon the land seuen yeeres.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that Elisha's warning to the Shunammite woman came before the famine in Samaria, not after it. He identifies this seven-year famine as divine judgment on Israel's idolatry, and observes it lasted twice as long as the famine in Elijah's day.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that Elisha's warning to the Shunammite about a coming famine was actually given earlier, before the events in chapters 5 and 6. This famine was a divine chastisement, deliberately longer than the one in Elijah's day, because Israel remained stubborn despite Elisha's miracles.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argue that this passage is intentionally placed after Gehazi's leprosy chronologically but before it in the narrative. They insist the verses are backstory told in the pluperfect: the famine and the woman's departure had already happened when Gehazi spoke to the king. This ordering highlights divine judgment through the seven-year famine.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that Elisha does not lie to Benhadad. He reads the disputed Hebrew text as a truthful statement: the king will recover from his illness, but God has revealed he will die by violence. Elisha then fixes his gaze on Hazael, exposing the courtier's murderous intentions with prophetic tears for Israel.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that the earlier famine in Samaria was soon relieved, but since neither that judgment nor its relief led Israel to repent, the Lord sent a longer and more severe famine. God escalates His discipline, sending greater judgments when smaller ones fail to bring about repentance.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley observes that the seven-year famine is deliberately longer than Elijah's earlier three-year famine, and he sees this as a just response. The people remained stubborn despite God's repeated judgments and the powerful ministry of Elisha, so the extended suffering fits their continued resistance.