The history of this Shunammite, in having her land restored to her, is very interesting. But the spiritual improvement to be made of the passage is much more so. You and I, Reader, have left our settlement, lands, and property, for there is truly nothing valuable in the whole of them, when a leanness of soul is induced, and a famine of all spiritual blessings comes upon us by reason of the fall. But when Jesus our Goel, our kinsman-Redeemer, hath raised up the tabernacle of David which was fallen down, and made our dwelling place a Bethlehem, an house of bread for his people, then like this woman we may cry to our king for the restoration of our inheritance in and by Jesus. There is somewhat very striking in this passage respecting Gehazi, and his conference with the king at the moment the Shunammite came to claim her land. So, Reader, we may discover in numberless instances in common life, how the Lord, in his providence, overrules times and events to the promotion of his own glory and his people's comfort. But is there not another sweet thought arising from it also? Was the king of Israel so intent to listen to Gehazi's account of the deeds of Elisha; and shall we not be earnest to enquire after the wonders of Jesus?
2 Kings 8:3-6
3 And it came to pass at the seven years' end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry unto the king for her house and for her land.
4 And the king talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done.
5 And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.
6 And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain officer,a saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now.