2 Kings 4:28

28 Then she said, Did I ask a son from my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me.

2 Kings 4:28 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 4:28

Then she said, did I desire a son of my lord?
&c.] It was not at her request she had one, at least the first motion was not from her; the prophet first told her, and assured her she should have one, without her asking for it; she might be pleased with it, and desire the promise might be fulfilled; but it was not an inordinate, importunate, desire of one, in which she had exceeded, that so the taking it away from her might be a correction of her for it:

did I not say, do not deceive me;
by giving hopes of a child, and yet have none; and now it was equally the same, or worse, to have one, and then to have it taken away again as soon as had almost; so the Targum,

``did I not say unto thee, if a child is given me, let it live, if not, do not trouble or grieve me;''

and then, no doubt, she told him plainly the child was dead, and where she had laid it, though not recorded.

2 Kings 4:28 In-Context

26 Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say to 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] sorrowful within her: and the LORD hath hid [it] from me, and hath not told me?
28 Then she said, Did I ask a son from 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 thy hand, and go thy way: and if thou shalt meet any man, salute him not; and if any shall 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.
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