The widow’s oil
2 Kings Chapter 3 – 4:7
Elisha continues to be the focus of the story now, beginning with a rather unwilling prophecy about a battle involving the kings of Israel and Judah.
In spite of God intervening on their behalf as Elisha said he would, the king of Moab is not defeated. He repels the attacking coalition, but does not take any of their territory.
The early verses of Chapter 4 tell of a miraculous occurance involving Elisha.
The widow of a prophet asks for Elisha’s help as creditors of her late husband are planning to sell her two sons into slavery to satisfy his debt. Her only asset is a small jar of olive oil.
Elisha tells her to borrow every container she can from her neighbors and pour her olive oil into them. Miraculously her small container does not run out until she has filled every container she borrowed.
Her blessing was limited only by her faith: she got as much oil as she expected to be able to get—no more and no less.