2 Kings 4:31

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."

2 Kings 4:31 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 4:31

And Gehazi passed on before them
The prophet and the Shunammite:

and laid the staff upon the face of the child;
as he was ordered:

but there was neither voice nor hearing:
it seems as if he spoke when he laid the staff on the child, but it heard and answered him not, so that there was no sign of life in it:

wherefore he went again to meet him;
upon the road between Carmel and Shunem:

and told him, saying, the child is not awaked;
by which he expresses its being dead; or, if he knew nothing of its death, he supposed it fast asleep, which was the reason of its not hearing and answering, though the former seems best.

2 Kings 4:31 In-Context

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.

33 He went and closed the door behind the two of them and prayed to Yahweh.