The narratives concerning Elisha were interrupted in ch. 8:16 with the account of Jehoram’s reign in Judah and that of his son Ahaziah. Now the record goes back once more to Elisha. The question may be raised: After the long account of the work of the prophet (chs. 2:12 to 8:15), why did not the narrative continue to the end of Elisha’s career? The answer is that the book of Kings is essentially a record of the kings of Israel and Judah arranged in chronological order. The incidents of Elijah and Elisha, though important, are inserted into the record of the kings. The present incident concerning Elisha fits into the closing days of the lives of Ahaziah and Joram, and it is into the accounts of the reigns of these kings that this incident is interwoven.

The king of Israel had just been wounded in the siege of Ramoth-gilead and had returned to Jezreel. Thus far there has been no mention in the narrative as to whether the siege was successful, but the sequel so indicates.

 Rather “flask” or “vial” (see 1 Sam. 10:1). Oils and ointments were in those days carried in jars made of earthenware, stone, or glass, many such having been found in Egypt and Mesopotamia.

 Elisha now had associated with him a number of prophet-disciples who were constantly employed assisting him in the carrying out of his many responsibilities. The identity of this man is not known. Rashi, a Jewish scholar of the 11th century, says it was Jonah, who is mentioned in ch. 14:25 as exercising his prophetic office during the reign of Jeroboam II. But that is hardly likely, for Jeroboam did not begin to reign till some 50 years later. There is no foundation to the rabbinical supposition that Jonah was the messenger here involved.