And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.
And he said to him, 'Now say to her: Look, you have taken such good care of us with all this attention. What can we do for you? Would you like me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?' And she answered, 'I live peacefully among my own people.'
The prophet Elisha wants to repay a kind woman's hospitality by offering to use his influence with powerful people, but she says she's content living among her community.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs during Elisha's ministry in Israel around 850 BC. The Shunammite woman had built a guest room for Elisha and regularly provided meals when he traveled through their town. In ancient times, prophets often had access to kings and military leaders, so Elisha's offer to speak to these authorities would have been a significant favor.
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