2 Kings 4:24-34

24 Then she saddled a donkey and said to her servant, "Drive and go forward; do not slow down the pace for me unless * I tell you."

25 So she went and came to the man of God to ¹Mount Carmel. When the man of God saw her at a distance *, he said to Gehazi his servant, "Behold, there is the Shunammite.

26 "Please run now to meet her and say to her, 'Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?' " And she answered, "It is well."

27 When she came to the man of God ²to the hill, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came near to push her away; but the man of God said, "Let her alone, for her soul is troubled within her; and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me."

28 Then she said, "Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, '³Do not deceive me'?"

29 Then he said to Gehazi, "⁴Gird up your loins and ⁵take my staff in your hand, and go your way; if you meet any man, do not ⁶salute him, and if anyone salutes you, do not answer him; and ⁷lay my staff on the lad's face."

30 The mother of the lad said, "⁸As the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." And he arose and followed * her.

31 Then Gehazi passed on before them and laid the staff on the lad's face, but there was no sound or response. So he returned to meet him and told him, "The lad ⁹has not awakened."

32 When Elisha came into the house, behold the lad was dead and laid on his bed.

33 So he entered and ¹⁰shut the door behind them both and prayed to the LORD.

34 And ¹¹he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth and his eyes on his eyes and his hands on his hands, and he stretched himself on him; and the flesh of the child became warm.

2 Kings 4:24-34 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 4

This chapter treats of the miracles of Elisha, of his multiplying a poor widow's pot of oil for the payment of her husband's debts, 2Ki 4:1-7 of obtaining a son for a Shunamitish woman, who had been very hospitable to him, 2Ki 4:8-17, of his raising up her son to life when dead, 2Ki 4:18-37, of his curing the deadly pottage made of wild gourds, 2Ki 4:38-41, and of his feeding one hundred men with twenty barley loaves, 2Ki 4:42-44.

Cross References

• 1. 2 Kings 2:25
• 2. 2 Kings 4:25
• 3. 2 Kings 4:16
• 4. 1 Kings 18:46; 2 Kings 9:1
• 5. Exodus 4:17; 2 Kings 2:14
• 6. Luke 10:4
• 7. Exodus 7:19, 20; Exodus 14:16
• 8. 2 Kings 2:2, 4
• 9. John 11:11
• 10. 2 Kings 4:4; Matthew 6:6; Luke 8:51
• 11. 1 Kings 17:21-23

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "riding"
• [b] Lit "this Shunammite"
• [c] Lit "said"
• [d] Lit "bitter"
• [e] Lit "attentiveness"
• [f] Lit "him, saying"