Melachim Bet [2 Kings] 4:1-37
[Parashat VaYera]
4:1 Ve'ishah achat minshei venei-hanevi'im tza'akah el-Elisha lemor avdecha ishi met ve'atah yadata ki avdecha hayah yare et-HASHEM vehanosheh ba lakachat et-shenei yeladai lo la'avadim
One woman from among the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha saying, "Your servant, my husband, died, and you know that your servant did fear HASHEM. Now the creditor has come to take my two children for himself as slaves.
The woman was the widow of Ovadya the prophet. Ovadya had been Ahav's servant and chief adviser, and used his position to help other G-dfearing people. He protected them during the period of persecution initiated by Izavel (Jezebel) (Melachim Alef 18:4), hiding one hundred prophets and providing them with food and water There he is described as "fearing G-d very much," as his wife describes him here.
But Ovadya didn't always have enough money to buy food for them, so he was forced to borrow. It was to Ahav's sons, Yehoram, now King of Yisrael, that he turned. Yehoram was not above taking interest for these loans, in direct violation of the Torah. And when Ovadya's heirs could not pay his debts, Yehoram was ready to violate the Torah further by taking them as slaves. For, through a person's property may be designated as collateral for his debts, his body may not, and certainly not his children. He cannot be forced to sell them or become a slave himself.
See how easily a person who violates one commandment is drawn into violating others! Yehoram began by taking interest, which is a violation of property rights, and ended up attempting ot kidnap, a violation of personal rights. Eventually he was punished for these, along with his other sins.
2 Vayomer eleiha Elisha mah e'eseh-lach hagidi-li mah-yesh-lach babayit vatomer ein leshifchatcha chol babayit ki im-asuch shamenElisha said, "If you have nothing at all I cannot give you a blessing. I will have to try to help you in another way. For to receive a blessing you must have something to be blessed."
Elisha said to her, "What should I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" She said, "Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jug of oil."
This woman was really destitute. The oil, which was all she had was not even enough to use for eating, but only for rubbing on the skin. She wondered whether that was enough for a blessing. But as soon as she told Elisha about it, he reassured her, "Don't worry," he said, "oil is a holy substance. It is used to anoint priests and kings. Even a small amount of oil is sufficient to receive a blessing!"
The miracle that Elisha was about to perform was similar to the one that Eliyahu had done for the woman with whom he stayed in Tzarfat. It involved blessing something that she already had, making it increase without limit.
3 Vayomer lechi sha'ali-lach kelim min-hachutz me'et kol-shechenayich kelim rekim al-tam'itiElisha said, "The woman of Tzarfat was worthy of a great miracle. She had earned that merit by her self-sacrifice and extraordinary hospitality. Though the food she had was not even enough for herself, she was ready to share it with Eliyahu, who was a total stranger. You, however, do not have such merit, so the miracle that will be performed for you will be more restricted.
He said, "Go, borrow containers for yourself from outside, from all your neighbors, empty containers, not just a few.
4 Uvat vesagart hadelet ba'adech uve'ad-banayich veyatzakt al-kol-hakelim ha'eleh vehamale tasi'i
Then go and close the door upon yourself and upon your sons. Pour upon all these containers, and the full ones take away."
"You will be able to pour as much as you want from the bottle, but only one time. Once you stop pouring, the miracle will stop and it will become a regular bottle of oil again. So prepare as many containers as you can to hold the oil. They need not below to you, so borrow from your neighbors. As long as you keep pouring, the oil will continue to flow, regardless of what it goes into.
"But you must not move while you are pouring. The bottle will become like a well from which oil will flow like water from its source. Just as a well does not move, so this bottle must not be moved for the duration of the miracle.
"Most important, no one but you and your children may see it happen. This is one of the greatest kinds of miracles, because it violates a fundamental law of nature. Within nature, things move around and change from one form to another, but the total amount of material always remains the same. For the amount of oil to increase will require an act comparable to the creation of the world from nothingness. That is a much greater miracle than bringing down fire from the sky or purifying bad water by throwing in salt.
"G-d ordained the laws of nature for man to live by. Without natural regularity, man would not be able to accomplish good deeds and avoid evil ones. G-d does not want man to witness those laws being violated for then the world would appear chaotic to him. Therefore this miracle must be performed quietly, hidden from view.
"Even you and your children will not actually see the amount of the increase. You will only be able to deduce that it has, since it will continue to flow no matter how much has already been poured out. As for others, they may not witness even that.
"One you have collected as many containers as you can, close the door so that no one else can enter or look in. Only then can you begin to pour, and the miracle will start."
Some say the instruction to borrow containers meant that she could use only borrowed ones, not her own. Elisha said, "You husband committed a sin by agreeing to pay interest on his loan, because prohibition of interest applies to the borrower as well as the lender. Even though he did it for a worthy cause, it left a curse on all his property. Neither this house nor anything else that belonged to him can ever be blessed. Your own containers will therefore not be able to receive the extra oil. Even into the borrowed containers it will not flow while they are resting on the floor or the table of your house. So you must hold the flask in your hands while you pour, and your children must hold the containers in which the oil is being collected. As soon as one is full, the child holding it must take it away and the other child can put another in its place. But once a container is full it may be placed back on the ground, for then it is no longer subject to the miracle.
5 Vatelech me'ito vatisgor hadelet ba'adah uve'ad baneiha hem magishim eleiha vehi motzaketWhen all the containers were full she said, "There are still some pieces of broken containers. Bring those now, because just as G-d can fill what is empty, so can He mend what is broken." They brought the broken pieces, and the pieces joined together to become whole as the oil flowed into them.
She went from him and closed the door upon herself and upon her sons. They were bringing to her, and she was pouring.
6 Vayehi kimelot hakelim vatomer el-benah hagishah elai od keli vayomer eleiha ein od keli vaya'amod hashamen
When the containers were full she said to her son, "Bring me another container!" He said to her, "There isn't another container!" Then the oil stopped.
7 Vatavo vataged le'ish ha'Elokim vayomer lechi michri et-hashemen veshalmi et-nishyech ve'at uvanayich tichi banotar
She went and told the man of G-d, he said, "Go sell the oil and pay your creditors. You and your sons will live on the reminder.
As soon as there were no empty containers left, the oil stopped flowing. But the miracle was not finished. She still had to sell the oil so that she could pay her debt. With so much oil suddenly on the market, the price of oil would normally have gone down, and she would have gotten only a fraction of its real value. But she could not afford to keep the oil and sell it little by little. She needed the money right away. Nor would Yehoram, being a shrewd businessman, have accepted the oil itself as payment. So, though she had plenty of oil, her problems were far from over.
She went back to Elisha and asked him what to do next. Should she sell it all and risk having to accept a deflated price? He said, "Sell it and don't worry!"
Miraculously, the price remained stable. No matter how much she sold, no one offered less. She made so much money that not only were her debts paid in full, but she and her sons lived for the rest of their lives on what was left.
8 Vayehi hayom vaya'avor Elisha el-Shunem vesham ishah gedolah vatachazek-bo le'echol-lachem vayehi midei avero yasur shamah le'echol-lachemShunem was a city in the Emek Yizre'el (Jezreel Valley), in the portion of Yissachar. It was there that King Shaul fought his last battle against the Pelishtim.
One day, Elisha passed through Shunem. There was a great woman. She took hold of him, that he eat bread. Thereafter, whenever he passed through he went aside there to eat bread.
This woman was famous for her piety and good deeds. It was in that way that she was "a great woman." She was respected by all the people of her community. Some say she was the sister of Avishag the Shunami, who was King David's companion in his last years, and the mother of the prophet Ido. Others say she was Ido's wife. She recognized Elisha's greatness, and implored him to be their guest. Some say she didn't take hold of him physically, but by her words.
9 Vatomer el-ishah hineh-na yadati ki ish Elokim kadosh hu over aleinu tamidHow did she know that Elisha was a holy man? Some say she knew his reputation. She had heard about the miracles he had performed and knew that only a truly holy man could have done such things.
She said to her husband, "Behold, please, that I know that it is a holy man of G-d who passes by us all the time.
10 Na'aseh-na aliyat-kir ktanah venasim lo sham mitah veshulchan vechise umenorah vehayah bevo'o eleinu yasur shamah
Let us make a little extra room, and put a bed, a table, a chair and a lamp there for him. Then, whenever he comes to us he will go aside there."
Others say she could tell by his conduct. Some say she saw that the flies never came to the table when he ate. Others say that it was because his bed was always clean in the morning. It had the fragrance of Gan Eden. Her husband didn't notice these things, because a woman notices more about guests than a man does.
She could also tell that Elisha's student, Geichazi, was not holy like him. She therefore spoke in the singular and said, "A holy man of G-d." By this she implied that he was holy, but his disciple who accompanied him was not.
She said, "This holy man passes through our community frequently, and we are honored that it pleases him to stay at our house. Such a holy man ought to have a private room when he comes. He should not have to use the same utensils as everyone else and sit where everyone can see him, for great men and scholars should not eat or attend to their affairs in public. Moreover, this man is a prophet and may want to be alone to receive divine inspiration.
The word aliyat-kir (extra room), literally means an elevation of the wall. Some say it was a partition within the house, a wall raised to form a separate room. Others say it was an extension of the outer wall of the house upwards, to create a room on the roof. Some say there were already walls above the roof, and they had only to add another roof above them.
11 Vayehi hayom vayavo shamah vayasar el-ha'aliyah vayishkav-shamahThe righteous are generally unwilling to accept gifts, as it says, "He who hates gifts will live" (Mishlei 15:27). In this case, however, Elisha accepted the woman's help. He saw that she gave it with a pure heart and sincere generosity, not because she hoped to receive a reward. That is why she was worthy of the merit of helping him, thereby taking part in his great work. He accepted her help as the kohanim accept the gifts that G-d decreed to be given to them. Even so, he would only accept a small gift, equal to his needs and no more. Later, when Naaman the general of Aram gratefully offered him riches for curing him, he refused to accept anything.
One day he came there, and went aside to the extra room and lay down there.
12 Vayomer el-Geichazi na'aro kera la-Shunamit hazot vayikra-lah vata'amod lefanav
He said to Geichazi, his servant, "Call this Shunami!" He called her, and she stood before him.
13 Vayomer lo emar-na eleiha hineh charadet eleinu et-kol-hacharadah hazot meh la'asot lach hayesh ledaber-lach el-hamelech o el-sar hatzava vatomer betoch ami anochi yoshavet
He said to him, "Please say to her, 'Behold, you have shown all this great respect for us. What is there to do for you? To speak on your behalf to the king or to the general of the army?'" She said, "Within my people do I live."
Although the woman had not expected any reward, Elisha wanted to show his appreciation. He remembered that before Eliyahu went up to heaven, he had given him the choice of whatever parting gift he would like. Now he offered the woman a similar choice.
He said, "By the great effort that this woman has come to on our behalf, she has shown herself to be one who sincerely respects the Torah and those who study it. Her reward is that we, in turn, show our respect for her by listening to her and accepting her words. For he who loves Torah scholars will be granted a son who is a Torah scholar, and he who honors Torah scholars will have a son-in-law who is a Torah scholar, but he who respects Torah scholars is even greater, and he will become a Torah scholar himself.
The kind of help that Elisha had in mind was natural, physical help, the sort of help that even one who was not a prophet could have given. He preferred that to performing a miracle for her. Since the victory over Moav, he had gained the respect of the king and his officers. Perhaps his influence could be of use to her.
But the woman replied that she had no need of such help. She said, "Here, among my own family and community, I am known and respected. No one would hurt me, and if I were in need there would be enough people ready to come to my aid. I have no business elsewhere, and if I did, they would help there too."
This seems a strange offer in light of the last miracle Elisha had performed. If he had such influence in the court, why hadn't he simply asked Yehoram to release the wife of Ovadya from her debts? Perhaps it was only as a result of that miracle that he gained this respect. Yehoram saw that he would be better off cooperating with the prophet, since if he did not he was liable to be defeated by a miracle anyway.
Some say it was Rosh HaShanah, the day on which the deeds of each person are weighed and his future decided. On that day G-d judges the childless and decides whether they will be granted children.
By the word "king," Elisha was referring not to Yehoram, but to G-d, the King of the World. Since Rosh HaShanah is the day on which G-d's kingdom is proclaimed, Elisha chose to refer to Him this way. But the woman answered, "I offer my prayers together with my community, so I need no intermediary. The prayers of a community go directly to G-d, and those who make themselves part of the community will not be judged harshly. (Zohar Noach)
14 Vayomer umeh la'asot lah vayomer Geichazi aval ben ein-lah ve'ishah zakenGeichazi said, "Even though she has all her needs, she is childless. Couldn't you bless her with a son? There is no natural way for her to have a child, because she is too old. When she was young she had no children, so she certainly won't now."
He said, "Then what is there to do for her?" Geichazi said, "But she has no son, and her husband is old."
15 Vayomer kera-lah vayikra-lah vata'amod bapatach
He said, "Call her!" He called her, and she stood in the doorway.
16 Vayomer lamo'ed hazeh ka'et chayah ati choveket ben vatomer al-adoni ish ha'Elokim al-techazev beshifchatecha
He said, "At this season, in the time of life, you will be holding a son in your arms." She said, "Don't, my master, man of G-d! Don't deceive your maidservant!"
Some say she was not too old, but her husband was. Geichazi said, "She cannot afford to wait for a child, because her husband is old and may die soon. But you can perform a miracle for her!"
Geichazi did not seem to understand that Elisha could not control nature. He could not do whatever he wanted. In certain situations he was able to declare a miracle and it would be fulfilled, but he could not make anything happen at any time. At that moment, however, Elisha experienced divine revelation. G-d told him that that was indeed the blessing he was to give her, so he had Geichazi call her back.
Some say that he had not been commanded to bless her, but gave this blessing from his own heart. He trusted G-d to fulfill it, as it says, "The desire of those who fear Him He will do." (Radak)
The expression ka'et chayah (in the time of life), is the same one that the angels used when they told Avraham that Sarah would bear him a son. Some say it means, "at the time of birth." Elisha said, "The child will be born at its own proper time, after fully developing in the womb. Rest assured, therefore, that it will be healthy and thrive." According to this, the world "life" refers to the child. Or it may refer to the season itself. It would be a time that is conducive to birth, a time when those who are born will live.
17 Vatahar ha'ishah vateled ben lamo'ed hazeh ka'et chayah asher-diber eleiha ElishaThe harvest season is a dangerous time, because the sun is strong and beats down upon a person's head. People spend long hours working hard in the field reaping the grain, and if they are not careful, they are liable to suffer sunstroke. So it happened to the boy that day. But his father did not realize there was anything seriously wrong. He thought the boy was just tired and wanted to go home.
The woman conceived and bore a son, at that season, in the time of life, as Elisha had told her.
18 Vayigdal hayaled vayehi hayom vayetze el-aviv el-hakotzrim
The child grew up. One day he went out to his father, to the reapers.
19 Vayomer el-aviv roshi roshi vayomer el-hana'ar sa'ehu el-imo
He said to his father, "My head!" He said to the servant, "Carry him to his mother."
20 Vayisa'ehu vayevi'ehu el-imo vayeshev al-birkeiha ad-hatzohorayim vayamotNow, the woman thought, her worst fears had been realized. But had not Elisha promised her it would not happen? So she went to seek his aid. She knew that he alone could save the child. First, she put him in the special room that symbolized her dedication to Elisha and the rest of the holy prophets. She said, "May the merit of this room and all the hospitality we have shown protect this child and bring him back to life. For how can a deed performed with such sincerity be repaid with sorrow?"
He carried him and brough thim to his mother. He sat on her knees until noon, and then he died.
21 Vata'al vatashkivehu al-mitat ish ha'Elokim vatisgor ba'ado vatetze
She went up and laid him down on the bed of the man of G-d. She closed up upon him and went out.
22 Vatikra el ishah vatomer shilchah na li echad min-hane'arim ve'achat ha'atonot ve'arutzah ad-ish ha'Elokim ve'ashuvahShe called to her husband and said, "Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, and I will run to the man of G-d and come back."She did not tell her husband what had happened. So confident was she that Elisha would revive the boy that she felt she could sincerely reassure him that everything would be alright. She also wanted to conceal the forthcoming miracle as much as possible. She didn't even want her husband to know about it.
23 Vayomer madua at holechet elav hayom lo-chodesh velo shabat vatomer shalomHe said, "Why are you going to him today? It is not the New Moon and it is not Shabbat!" She said, "All is well."
From his question, we see that the woman followed the practice of visiting her teacher every Shabbat and Holiday. This is very praiseworthy, and anyone who lives within a short distance of his teacher should observe it, at least on the major festivals. However, if it is too far to walk there and back on the same day, there is no obligation.
24 Vatachavosh ha'aton vatomer el-na'arah nehag valech al-ta'atzor-li lirkov ki im-amarti lachSome say she rode on the donkey. Others say she brought it along in case she got tired, but she preferred to walk to Elisha herself, because she was bitter and upset.
She saddled the donkey and said to her servant, "Drive and go! Don't stop me from riding unless I tell you to."
25 Vatelech vatavo el-ish ha'Elokim el-har haKarmel vayehi kir'ot ish-ha'Elokim otah mineged vayomer el-Geichazi na'aro hineh haShunamit halaz
She went and came to the man of G-d, to Mount Karmel. When the man of G-d saw her from afar he said to Geichazi his servant, "Here is that Shunamit!
26 Atah rutz-na likratah ve'emar-lah hashalom lach hashalom le-ishech hashalom layaled vatomer shalom
Now, please run to meet her, and say to her, 'Is all well with you? Is all well with your husband? Is all well with the boy?'" she said, "All is well!"
As she had not told her husband the reason for her visit, neither did she tell Geichazi. The only one who could help her was Elisha, so there was no point in telling anyone else.
27 Vatavo el-ish ha'Elokim el-hahar vatachazek beraglav vayigash Geichazi lehodefah vayomer ish ha'Elokim harpeh-lah ki-nafshah marah-lah va'HASHEM helim mimeni velo higid liThe woman grabbed Elisha's feet and held fast as a sign that she would not let him go until he came with her.
She came to the man of G-d, to the mountain, and took hold of his feet. Geichazi approached to push her away, but the man of G-d said, "Let her go, for her soul is bitter, and HASHEM concealed from me and did not tell me."
28 Vatomer hasha'alti ven me'et adoni halo amarti lo tashleh oti
She said, "Did I ask for a son from my master? Did I not say, 'Do not mislead me?'"
Some say that before she began to speak, G-d revealed to Elisha what the trouble was. Therefore Elisha said, "G-d has concealed from me and did not tell me" in the past tense. He said, "He concealed it from me until this moment, but now He has revealed it." (Radak)
Others say that it was not until she said "Didn't I say, 'Don't mislead me?'" that he knew what had happened. He remembered what her fear had been when he gave her his blessing. Now he prepared to fulfill his promise and revive her son.
29 Vayomer le-Geichazi chagor matneicha vekach mish'anti veyadecha valech ki-timtza ish lo tevarchenu vechi-yevarechecha ish lo ta'anenu vesamta mish'anti al-penei hana'arElisha hoped that Geichazi would become a worthy disciple, so he gave him the privilege of taking part in this miracle. That merit might one day help him become a prophet in his own right. Elisha himself had once served Eliyahu by pouring water over his hands, and later had been worthy of miraculously supplying water for the armies of Yehudah and Yisrael. Now he sent Geichazi ahead with his staff, by which he would be able to restore the boy's life.
He said to Geichazi, "Gird your loins and take my staff in your hand and go. If you meet anyone, don't greet him, and if anyone greets you, don't answer him, and put my staff on the boy's face."
30 Vatomer em-hana'ar chai-HASHEM vechei-nafshecha im e'ezveka vayakom vayelech achareiha
The mother of the boy said, "As HASHEM lives and as your soul lives, I will not abandon you!" He got up and went after her.
31 VeGeichazi avar lifneihem vayasem et-hamish'enet al-penei hana'ar ve'ein kol ve'ein kashev vayashov likrato vayaged-lo lemor lo hekitz hana'ar
Geichazi went on ahead of them and put the staff on the boy's face, but he neither spoke nor heard. He went back to meet him and told him saying, "The boy didn't wake up."
However, Geichazi would not be able to participate in this miracle without some merit of his own. Elisha decided that to earn that merit, Geichazi would have to develop the quality of humility. He would have to perform the miracle without anyone else knowing, so that it would be motivated only by the desire to do G-d's will, not to impress others and win their admiration. Elisha therefore commanded him not to greet anyone on his way, or even return a greeting. In that way he would not become involved in conversation by which he might reveal his special mission.
But Geichazi's heart was not pure, and he craved exactly the fame and honor that Elisha demanded that he relinquish. So he figured out a way to circumvent Elisha's instructions. As he walked, he waved the staff in the air for everyone to see. Instead of greeting him, people said, "Hey, Geichazi, where are you going with that staff?"
Elisha had not forbidden him to answer questions, only greetings, so he eagerly replied, "This is Elisha's staff! He gave it to me to do a miracle! I'm going to revive a dead child!"
Geichazi observed the letter of Elisha's instructions, but not the spirit. He failed to demonstrate humility and earn the merit of performing a miracle. When he got there and put the staff on the boy, nothing happened.
Some say that the staff was never intended to revive the child. It was only meant to preserve his body so that it would not deteriorate further before Elisha got there. To revive him would require more than a staff. Elisha would have to be alone with the child, to pray and implore G-d, and even to place his own body on the child's. None of this could Geichazi do. But Elisha gave him a small part of the miracle so that he might thereby earn some merit too. With the staff he could keep the boy closer to life, so that it would be easier to revive him and require less of a miracle.
Geichazi did not understand that. When the boy showed no signs of life, he thought it had failed and Elisha had been mistaken in sending him.
32 Vayavo Elisha habaitah vehineh hana'ar met mushkav al-mitatoElisha prayed, "As you did miracles and revived the dead for my master Eliyahu, so now revive this boy for me!" He had to pray to perform this miracle even though he had not for the others, because the revival of the dead is in G-d's hands alone. There are three keys that G-d keeps Himself, the key to rain, the key to birth, and the key to the revival of the dead. They are not given over to any angel or representative. Eliyahu had briefly received the key to the revival of the dead. Now Elisha prayed to be given it too.
Elisha came into the house, and behold, the boy was dead, laid down on his bed.
33 Vayavo vayisgor hadelet be'ad sheneihem vayitpalel el-HASHEM
He came in, closed the door on the two of them, and prayed to HASHEM.
34 Vaya'al vayishkav al-hayeled vayasem piv al-piv ve'einav al-einav vechapav al-kapav vayighar alav vayacham besar hayaled
He got up and lay down on the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, his eyes upon his eyes, his hands upon his hands, and spread himself out on him. The child's flesh became warm.
By placing his own body on the body of the boy, he imparted some of his life to him. One interpretation is that it was his warmth that warmed the child's flesh and enabled him to live again. Another is that the contact of the two bodies symbolized the qualities that Elisha wanted the boy to receive. Such a symbol is a kind of nonverbal prayer. Sometimes it is more effective than a prayer that is uttered only by the lips. Thus we learn, "A symbol is a meaningful thing." On Rosh HaShanah we therefore eat foods whose names sound like the things for which we pray. The act of eating thereby becomes a nonverbal prayer.
35 Vayashav vayelech babayit achat henah ve'achat henah vaya'al vayighar alav vayezorer hana'ar ad-sheva pe'amim vayifkach hana'ar et-einavAgain, Elisha gave Geichazi an opportunity to take part in the miracle. But he didn't tell him how he had performed it, because he was not worthy of hearing that.
He went back and walked around in the house, once this way and once that way, and got up and spread himself out on him. The boy sneezed seven times, and the boy opened his eyes.
36 Vayikra el-Geichazi vayomer kera el-haShunamit hazot vayikra'eha vatavo elav vayomer se'i venech
He called Geichazi and said, "Call this Shunamit!" He called her and she came to him. He said, "Lift up your child!"
37 Vatavo vatipol al-raglav vatishtachu artzah vatisa et-benah vatetzeThis was Elisha's seventh miracle. It corresponded to Eliyahu's revival of the son of the woman of Tzarfat. Both had excelled in the giving of charity, and both were rewarded with the revival of a child. So too, the promised revival of the dead in the future will come about by virtue of charity.
She came and fell on his feet and bowed to the ground. Then she lifted up her child and went out.
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*The Shunammit (Shunammite woman) is mentioned by the Midrash as one of the twenty three truly upright and righteous women who came forth from Yisrael (Midrash Tadshe, Ozar ha-Midrashim [Eisenstein], p. 474).
*“Woman of Valor” (Mishlei 31): “She gives generously to the poor; her hands are stretched out to the needy” is applied to her, for having fed the prophet Elisha; as is v28: “Her children declare her happy,” because Elisha’s prophecy that she would have a son was fulfilled for her (Midrash Eshet Hayil, Batei Midrashot, vol. 2)
- MeAm Lo'ez
