The Shunammite Woman - Her Life And Times

The Shunammite Woman - Her Life And Times

HOSPITALITY

Elisha stayed for a meal at the Shunammite woman’s house after she “urged” him to do so. He felt so well taken care of, so comfortable, and so at home that he made a habit of coming to her home whenever he was in the area — often enough that the woman asked her husband to have a special room added just for Elisha.

Hospitality played an important role in the lives of the people of the Middle East. Desert travel was strenuous, and Holiday Inns hadn’t yet been invented. When travelers came to a town at the end of the day, they would stop in the town’s center or near the town gates and wait for an invitation for the night. If no invitation came, they would spend the night outside.

Hosts were responsible not only to feed and provide sleeping arrangements for their guests but also were expected to ensure the safety of the guests, protecting them from robbery and harm (Genesis 19:8). When meals were served, the host acted as a servant, serving the guests and watching over their needs. If one guest was particularly favored over another, he or she would be served an extra large or extra special portion of the food (Genesis 43:34).

Examples of hospitality are plentiful in the Scriptures. Abraham made a sumptuous meal for the three strangers who visited him (Genesis 18), preparing bread, a tender calf, curds, and milk. Rebekah practiced a basic form of hospitality when she offered water to Abraham’s servant and his animals (Genesis 24:15 – 21). Solomon fed everyone in his palace, plus aliens and visitors to the region. His list of daily provisions in 1 Kings 4:22 provides a picture of what was required to feed a staggering number of people. Nehemiah not only refused to demand “the food allotted to the governor,” he also generously fed at least 150 people each day (Nehemiah 5:17 – 18).

Six times the New Testament exhorts believers to be hospitable. There’s no talk of fatted calves or extravagant dinners in these passages, just a simple exhortation to make sure you care for those around you. As Romans 12:13 puts it, “Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” You never know, you just might entertain angels without knowing it (Hebrews 13:2)!