· Translation: KJV

2 Kings 8:1Now Elisha had spoken to the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, "Arise, and go, you and your household, and stay for a while wherever you can; for Yahweh has called for a famine. It shall also come on the land seven years."

The setting

Shunem, Israel, ~845 BC. Elisha privately warns the wealthy woman whose son he raised from death. A seven-year famine is coming—she must leave everything.

The emotion here: compassionate urgency for someone who had already suffered

The original word

qārāʾ (קָרָא) — called forth, summoned, as if famine were God's servant

Why it matters

The Shunammite woman was wealthy enough to build a guest room for Elisha on her roof

Read with care

What most readers miss in 2 Kings 8:1

This woman had already lost her son once and gotten him back—now she must risk losing her home

Common misconceptionPeople think prophetic warnings are always dramatic public announcements, but God often gives private, personal warnings to protect those He loves.

Bible Genome reading

2 Kings 8:1 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerNarrator
EraDivided Kingdom
Primary emotiondeciding
Literary typenarrative
MarkCommand
MarkProphecy

Emotional genome

Comfort power40%
Quotability30%
Memorability40%
Crisis relevance70%
Standalone30%
Themes:obediencedivine guidancedisplacement

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open 2 Kings 8

2 Kings 8:1 comes from the book of 2 Kings, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is prophetic. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include obedience, divine guidance, displacement. Notable phrases: arise, and go; stay for a while wherever. This verse contains a command. This verse contains prophecy.

Your reflection

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