2 Kings 4:35

35 Elisha got up and paced back and forth in the room. Then he went back and stretched himself upon the boy again. The boy started sneezing - seven times he sneezed! - and opened his eyes.

2 Kings 4:35 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 4:35

Then he returned and walked in the house to and fro
Left the chamber, and came down to the house where the family chiefly resided, and walked to and fro in deep thought and meditation, and, no doubt, in fervent ejaculations for the wished for blessing to be completed:

and went up;
to the chamber again, and up to the bed in it:

and stretched himself upon him;
as before:

and the child sneezed seven times;
which was a sign of life, and even of health; and hereby his head was cleared, as some observe, of those humours that had caused the pains in it ^F1, and had issued in death:

and the child opened his eyes;
upon the prophet, another sign of life.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 Vid. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 28. c. 6. Aristot. Problem. sect. 33. qu. 9.

2 Kings 4:35 In-Context

33 He went into the room and locked the door - just the two of them in the room - and prayed to God.

34 He then got into bed with the boy and covered him with his body, mouth on mouth, eyes on eyes, hands on hands. As he was stretched out over him like that, the boy's body became warm.

35 Elisha got up and paced back and forth in the room. Then he went back and stretched himself upon the boy again. The boy started sneezing - seven times he sneezed! - and opened his eyes.

36 He called Gehazi and said, "Get the Shunammite woman in here!" He called her and she came in. Elisha said, "Embrace your son!"

37 She fell at Elisha's feet, face to the ground in reverent awe. Then she embraced her son and went out with him.