Elisha and the Widow's Oil

2 Kings 4

¹ A certain woman of the wives of _a the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And the creditor is coming _b to take my two sons to be his slaves." ² So Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil." ³ Then he said, "Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors - empty vessels; _c do not gather just a few. ⁴ "And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones." ⁵ So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. ⁶ Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not another vessel." So the oil ceased. ⁷ Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest."

1. Cross References
   1 Kings 20:35
   Now a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbor by the word of the LORD, "Strike me, please." And the man refused to strike him.
   2 Kings 2:3
   Now the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, "Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?" And he said, "Yes, I know; keep silent!
   
2. Cross References
   Leviticus 25:39 - 41
   And if one of your brethren who dwells by you becomes poor, and sells himself to you, you shall not compel him to serve as a slave.
   Leviticus 25:48
   After he is sold he may be redeemed again. One of his brothers may redeem him.
   1 Samuel 22:2
   And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.
   Nehemiah 5:2 - 5
   For there were those who said, "We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain, that we may eat and live.
   Matthew 18:25
   But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.
   
3. Cross References
   2 Kings 3:16
   And he said, "Thus says the LORD: 'Make this valley full of ditches.