2 Kings 4:16

16 Then he said, "¹At this season next year you will embrace a son." And she said, "No, my lord, O man of God, ²do not lie to your maidservant."

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 So he said, "What then is to be done for her?" And Gehazi answered, "Truly she has no son and her husband is old."

15 He said, "Call her." When he had called her, she stood in the doorway.

16 Then he said, "At this season next year you will embrace a son." And she said, "No, my lord , O man of God, do not lie to your maidservant."

17 The woman conceived and bore a son at that season the next year, as Elisha had said to her.

18 When the child was grown, the day came that he went out to his father to the reapers.

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 18:14
• 2. 2 Kings 4:28

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "when the time revives"