2 Kings 4:18-28

18 Soothly the child increased; and when some day was, and the child was gone out, and went to his father, and to the reapers, (And the child grew; and then one day, when the child went out to his father, and to the reapers,)

19 he said to his father, Mine head acheth, mine head acheth. And his father said to a servant, Take (him), and lead him to his mother.

20 And when he had taken (him), and had brought him to his mother, she setted him on her knees unto midday, and he was dead (and then he died).

21 Certainly she went up, and laid him on the little bed of the man of God, and closed the door. And she went out,

22 and called her husband, and said, I beseech, send thou with me one of the servants, and an ass, and I shall run out unto the man of God, and I shall turn again (and then I shall return).

23 And he said to her, For what cause goest thou to him? today be not calends, neither sabbath. And she answered, I shall go.

24 And she saddled the ass, and commanded to the servant, Drive thou, and haste thee; make thou no tarrying to me in going (do not thou go slow for me), and do thou this thing which I command to thee.

25 Then she went forth, and came to the man of God, into the hill of Carmel. And when the man of God had seen her even against him, he said to Gehazi, his servant, Lo! that Shunammite; (Then she went forth, and came to the man of God, on Mount Carmel. And when the man of God had seen her some way off, he said to Gehazi, his servant, Lo! that Shunammite;)

26 go thou therefore into the meeting of her, and say thou to her, Whether it is done rightfully about thee, and about thine husband, and about thy son? And (when the servant came to her, and asked her,) she answered (to him), It is done rightfully. (and so go thou to meet her, and say thou to her, Is all well with thee, and thy husband, and thy son? And when the servant came to her, and asked her, she answered to him, All is well.)

27 And when she had come to the man of God, into the hill, she took (hold of) his feet; and Gehazi nighed, that he should remove her. And the man of God said, Suffer thou her; for her soul is in bitterness, and the Lord hath held it privy from me, and showed it not to me. (But when she had come to the man of God, on the hill, she took hold of his feet; and Gehazi came over, so that he could move her away. And the man of God said, Allow thou her; for her soul is bitter for some reason, and the Lord hath kept it secret from me, and hath not showed it to me.)

28 And she said to him, Whether I asked a son of thee, my lord? Whether I said not to thee, Scorn thou not me? (And she said to him, Did I ask for a son from thee, my lord? Did I not say to thee, Do not thou scorn me?)

2 Kings 4:18-28 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.