2 Kings 4:16

16 And he said , About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said , Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.

2 Kings 4:16 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 4:16

And he said, about this season
In the next year:

according to the time of life;
the usual time women go with child:

thou shalt embrace a son;
in thine arms, that shall be born of thee, which she should have in her lap, and in her bosom:

and she said, nay, my lord, do not lie unto thine handmaid;
or speak unto her what was not truth; it was so great, and so unaccountable, how it could be in her circumstances, that she could not believe it to be true, though she wished it might; or do not deceive me with vain and false words, or flatter me, jest with me, which would be unbecoming his character as a man of God, and prophet of the Lord; according to the Targum, she wished it might prove true, and she not deceived; see ( 2 Kings 4:28 ) .

2 Kings 4:16 In-Context

14 And he said , What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered , Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old .

15 And he said , Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.

16 And he said , About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said , Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.

17 And the woman conceived , and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.

18 And when the child was grown , it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers .

Footnotes

• [a]. season: Heb. set time