2 Kings 8:6

2Ki 8:6 And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that [was] hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now.

Ver. 6. Restore all that was hers.] Now the Shunammite thinks her table and stool, her bed and her candlestick, well bestowed. He is a niggard to himself that scants his beneficence to a prophet, whose very "cold water" shall not go unrewarded.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8:6 everything . . . was restored: Not only did the woman receive her land but Joram made sure that she received all income due to the selling of crops that had been harvested during her absence. Joram, who sometimes displayed less than noble characteristics (3:13-14; 6:31-33), on this occasion showed higher ethical standards than his father Ahab had regarding Naboth’s vineyard (1 Kgs 21:1-16).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The King caused that to be justly restored, which was wrongfully holden from her.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(6) Told.—Related to him, i.e., the story. So in 2Ki_8:4-5.

Officer.—Literally, eunuch (sârîs). (Comp. Note on Gen_37:36; 1Ch_28:1.)

Fruits.—Literally, revenues, produce in kind, which must have been paid out of the royal stores. This seems to imply that her land had been annexed to the royal domains.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6. she told him] i.e. confirmed the narrative which Gehazi had given, and at the same time took advantage of the king’s interest in Elisha, to press her plea for the restitution of her land.

Restore all that was hers] It would seem from this as if the king himself had been put in possession of the land. Hence he could order all the seven years, produce to be given back to her either in kind or in money from the royal stores.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when the king asked the woman, she told him,.... The whole affair; how that she had a son according to the word of Elisha, when she had been barren, and her husband old; that this child was struck with sickness, and died; and that the prophet, through his prayers, restored it to life:

so the king appointed unto her a certain officer; the word signifies an "eunuch": him he ordered to attend upon her, and assist her, and see to it that she was put into the possession of her house and land:

saying, restore all that was her's, and all the fruits of the field, since the day that she left the land, even till now; not only her house and land, but all the rent, profits, and dues arising from thence during the time of her absence: the Jews except the rent of her house.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

A certain officer - literally, “a certain eunuch” (margin). Eunuchs were now in common use at the Samaritan court (compare 2Ki 9:32). They are ascribed to the court of David in Chronicles 1Ch 28:1; and we may conjecture that they were maintained by Solomon. But otherwise we do not find them in the kingdom of Judah until the time of Hezekiah Isa 56:3-4.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Restore. "Restituere est possessorem facere fructusque reddere." (Caius.) --- Some think that the lands had been confiscated to the king, as being abandoned; or his authority was requisite, at least, to make the present occupiers give them up.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The king asked the woman concerning the truth of Gehazi’s relation.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

6. Restore all that was hers — Her estate was of no small value, for, according to 2Ki_4:8. she was a great, that is, a wealthy and influential person at Shunem.

All the fruits of the field — All the produce that her land had yielded for the seven years, whether it were more or less. She was thus reimbursed according to the yield of the land.

On the above narrative Dr. Thomson has the following: “It is still common for even petty sheiks to confiscate the property of any person who is exiled for a time, or who moves away temporarily from his district. Especially is this true of widows and orphans, and the Shunammite was now a widow. And small is the chance to such of having their property restored, unless they can secure the mediation of some one more influential than themselves. The conversation between the king and Gehazi about his master is also in perfect keeping with the habits of Eastern princes; and the appearance of the widow and her son so opportunely, would have precisely the same effect now that it had then. The thing happened just as recorded.

It is too natural to be an invention or fabrication.”

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when the king asked the woman, she told him; rather, and the king made inquiry of the woman, and she answered him. The extent of the inquiries is not indicated. They may have included questions concerning the miracle, as well as questions concerning the woman"s claim to the land and house, and the evidence which she could produce of proprietorship. So the king appointed unto her a certain officer literally, a certain eunuch, or chamberlainan officer of the court, who was in his confidence, and would give effect to his directions saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now. The order was, that not only was the Shunammite to receive back her house and estate, but that she was also to have "the mesne profits" i.e. the full value of all that the land had produced beyond the expense of cultivation during the seven yearn of her absence. English law lays down the same rule in cases of unlawful possession for which there is no valid excuse.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.