2 Kings 4:30

30 Then the mother of the boy said, "{As Yahweh lives} and {as your soul lives}, I will surely not leave you." So he got up and went after her.

2 Kings 4:30 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 4:30

And the mother of the child said
Having no faith in what the servant was to do, or could do:

as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee;
signifying she would not go with his servant, but insisted upon it that he himself went with her, or she would not depart:

and he arose, and followed her;
influenced by her importunity, and a sense of favours he had received from her, and more especially by the Spirit of God.

2 Kings 4:30 In-Context

28 Then she said, "Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say that you must not mislead me?"

29 Then he said to Gehazi, "Gird up your loins and take my staff in your hand and go. If you meet anyone, you must not greet them; if anyone greets you, you must not answer them. You must put my staff on the face of the boy."

30 Then the mother of the boy said, "{As Yahweh lives} and {as your soul lives}, I will surely not leave you." So he got up and went after her.

31 Gehazi crossed over before them, and he put the staff on the face of the boy; but there was no sound, and there was no sign of life, so he returned to meet him. He told him, saying, "The boy did not wake up."

32 When Elisha came to the house, here [was] the boy dead, lying on his bed.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "The life of Yahweh"
• [b]. Literally "life of your soul"