A certain woman, the widow of one of the guild prophets, cried out to Elisha: “My husband, your servant, is dead. You know that he revered the Lord, yet now his creditor has come to take my two children into servitude.” 2 Elisha answered her, “What am I to do for you? Tell me what you have in the house.” She replied, “This servant of yours has nothing in the house but a jug of oil.” 3 He said, “Go out, borrow vessels from all your neighbors—as many empty vessels as you can. 4 Then come back and close the door on yourself and your children; pour the oil into all the vessels, and as each is filled, set it aside.” 5 So she went out. She closed the door on herself and her children and, as they handed her the vessels, she would pour in oil. 6 When all the vessels were filled, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” He answered, “There is none left.” And then the oil stopped. 7 She went and told the man of God, who said, “Go sell the oil to pay off your creditor; with what remains, you and your children can live.”
Elisha, a prominent prophet in ancient Israel during the mid-9th century BCE, succeeded Elijah as the chief prophet. This period was marked by significant religious decline and idolatry, particularly due to the influence of Queen Jezebel and the widespread worship of Baal, a Canaanite deity. Elisha, known for his miracles and prophetic leadership, continued and expanded upon Elijah's ministry, addressing spiritual and social issues in Israel.
In this passage, a widow, whose husband was a member of the prophetic guild, faces severe financial distress after her husband's death. The threat of creditors enslaving her children due to unpaid debts highlights the vulnerable position of widows and orphans in ancient Israel. This situation underscores the biblical mandate for justice and care for the vulnerable, as reflected in both the Old Testament (Deut. 24:17; Ps 68:5) and the New Testament (Mt. 5:3-12; 25:31-46). The “sons of the prophets” were men associated with prophetic guilds who assisted the main prophets but were not always recognized as prophets.
The widow had only a jar of oil of insignificant value in her house. Elisha instructs her to borrow as many empty vessels as possible and when she returns, shut the door behind her and her family and fill all the vessels, setting aside each vessel as it is filled. In faith and obedience, the widow follows Elisha’s instructions meticulously. Once the vessels were filled the oil ceased. When she reports the miracle to Elisha, he advises her to sell the oil to pay off her debt and use the remainder to support her family.
This miracle, similar in its theme to the feeding of the five thousand (Jn. 6:1-15), demonstrates how God uses what appears insignificant to fulfill His purposes. It highlights God’s boundless generosity (Mal. 3:10) and the principle that divine provision is abundant but relies on human faith, cooperation, and preparation (Lk. 6:38).
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your abundant provision and faithfulness as demonstrated in the miracle of the widow’s oil. Grant us faith and obedience like hers, and help us trust in Your generous care. May we recognize Your blessings in the ordinary and seek to use them to meet the needs of others. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
References
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
- McKenzie, John. Dictionary of the Bible. Collier Books, 1965.
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