Elisha’s Miracle

Elisha’s Miracle

Q: What did Elisha tell the widow to borrow from her neighbors?

• a. jars
• b. wheat
• c. money

Elisha was God’s prophet, and other prophets served under him. One day a woman came to Elisha and said, “My husband who served you is dead, and you know how he feared the LORD. But now a creditor has come, threatening to take my two sons as slaves.”

Elisha asked the woman what she had in her house. She told him she had only a little oil. Elisha told her, “Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors. Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.”

The woman did as Elisha said. Her sons handed her jar after jar, and she filled each with the little oil from her flask. Finally they ran out of jars, and the oil stopped flowing. Elisha told her to sell the oil and pay her debts. Then she could live on the leftover money.

The woman had not only lost her husband, but she was about to lose her sons, too. She may have felt abandoned by God and the other prophets. Elisha gave her a task that required her to have faith in him and God. He could have just multiplied the jars along with the oil, but he asked her to be part of her own solution.

For You

God will meet your needs, but he may want you to help. Perhaps you ask God for money to go to summer church camp. He may provide the opportunity for you to mow lawns or walk dogs rather than just prompt your parents to give the money to you. Be willing to be part of the solution.

Answer: a

Elisha said, “Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors. Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.”   2 Kings 4:3-4

(The Whole Story: 2 Kings 4:1-7)