Of a Widow, a Patroness, Their Stricken Sons, and Two Hebrew Prophets

This Sabbath’s haftarah (prophetic reading) of 2Kings 4:1-37 tells the story of the prophet Elisha and his encounter with a wealthy woman, the lady of Shunem, and the miracles he performs for her in the course of their complex relationship. To make sense of this episode, we need to look back to Elisha’s final conversation with his great mentor, Elijah.

Just prior to being swept up to heaven in a chariot of fire, Elijah invites his disciple to present any final requests. Elisha boldly names his price: “Let a double portion of your spirit be given to me.” Subsequent passages will suggest that Elisha received his wish—which makes comparisons between the two prophets’ miracles inevitable. This is especially the case in the episode of our haftarah, which so clearly parallels an earlier event in the career of Elijah (1Kings 17).

In that earlier passage, which takes place in a time of drought and famine, the Lord instructs Elijah to go to a certain town where He has “commanded” a widow to provide for the prophet. But Elijah finds her and her son on the brink of starvation and about to consume their final morsels of food. He reassures the widow that if only she has faith and will agree to help him, her dish of oil and jug of flour will last until the drought ends. She believes him, takes him in, and all eat well—until her son becomes ill and dies.