2 Kings 4:20-30

20 And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died .

21 And she went up , and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out .

22 And she called unto her husband, and said , Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again .

23 And he said , Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said , It shall be well.

24 Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive , and go forward ; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.

25 So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off , that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite:

26 Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered , It is well.

27 And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away . And the man of God said , Let her alone ; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.

28 Then she said , Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say , Do not deceive me?

29 Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way : if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again : and lay my staff upon the face of the child.

30 And the mother of the child said , As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose , and followed * her.

2 Kings 4:20-30 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. well: Heb. peace
• [b]. slack...: Heb. restrain not for me to ride