2 Kings 4:18-37
1599 Geneva Bible
18 ¶ And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father, and to the reapers.
19 And he said to his father, [a]Mine head, mine head. Who said to his servant, Bear him to his mother.
20 And he took him and brought him to his mother, and he sat on her knees till noon, and died.
21 Then she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him and went out.
22 ¶ Then she called to her husband, and said, Send with me, I pray thee, one of the young men and one of the asses: for I will haste to the man of God, and come again.
23 And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him today? it is neither [b]new moon nor Sabbath day. And she answered, [c]All shall be well.
24 Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward: stay not for me to get up, except I bid thee.
25 ¶ So she went, and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And when the man of God saw her [d]over against him, he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, the Shunammite.
26 Run now, I say, to meet her, and say unto her, Art thou in health? is thine husband in health? and is the child in health? And she answered, We are in health.
27 And when she came to the man of God unto the mountain, she [e]caught him by his feet: and Gehazi went to her, to thrust her away: but the man of God said, Let her alone: for her soul is [f]vexed within her, and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told it me.
28 Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Deceive me not?
29 Then he said to Gehazi, Gird thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: [g]if thou meet any, salute him not: and if any salute thee, answer him not: 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. Therefore he arose, and followed her.
31 But Gehazi was gone before them, and had laid the staff upon the face of the child, but he neither spake nor heard: wherefore he returned to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not waken.
32 ¶ Then came Elisha into the house, and behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.
33 He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the Lord.
34 After he went up, and [h]lay upon the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands, and stretched himself upon him, and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
35 And he went from him, and walked up and down in the house, and went up and spread himself upon him: then the child sneezed [i]seven times, and opened his eyes.
36 Then he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her, which came in unto him. And he said unto her, Take thy son.
37 And she came, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Kings 4:19 His head ached sore, and therefore he cried thus.
- 2 Kings 4:23 For at such times the people were wont to resort to the Prophets for doctrine and consolation.
- 2 Kings 4:23 Hebrew, peace.
- 2 Kings 4:25 Or, far off.
- 2 Kings 4:27 In token of humility and joy that she had met with him.
- 2 Kings 4:27 Hebrew, her soul is in bitterness.
- 2 Kings 4:29 Make such speed that nothing may let thee in the way, Luke 10:4.
- 2 Kings 4:34 The like did Elijah to the widow’s son at Zarephath, 1 Kings 17:21 and St. Paul, Acts 20:10, signifying the care that ought to be in them, that bear the word of God, and are distributors of the spiritual life.
- 2 Kings 4:35 Meaning, oftentimes.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
Bible Gateway Recommends

