2 Kings 4:29

2 Kings 4:29 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tuck your cloak into your belt, take my staff in your hand and run. Don’t greet anyone you meet, and if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff on the boy’s face.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)He said to Gehazi, "Tie up your garment and take my staff in your hand and go. If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not reply. And lay my staff on the face of the child."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then he said to Gehazi, “Get yourself ready, and take my staff in your hand, and be on your way. If you meet anyone, do not greet him; and if anyone greets you, do not answer him; but lay my staff on the face of the child.”

Context of 2 Kings 4:29

27When she came to the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi went to push her away. But the man of God said, “Leave her alone. She is bitter. The Lord has hidden the reason from me. He hasn’t told me.” 28The woman said, “I didn’t ask you for a son. I said, ‘Don’t raise my hopes.’ ” The man of God told Gehazi, “Put on a belt, take my shepherd’s staff in your hand, and go. Whenever you meet anyone, don’t stop to greet him. If he greets you, don’t stop to answer him. Lay my staff on the boy’s face.” 30The boy’s mother said, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord and you live, I will not leave without you.” So Elisha got up and followed her. 31Gehazi went ahead of them and put the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or sign of life. So Gehazi came back to meet the man of God. Gehazi told him, “The boy didn’t wake up.”

2 Kings 4:29 word by word

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לְגֵיחֲזִ֜י חֲגֹ֣ר מָתְנֶ֗יךָ וְקַ֨ח מִשְׁעַנְתִּ֣י בְיָדְךָ֮ וָלֵךְ֒ כִּֽי־תִמְצָ֥א אִישׁ֙ לֹ֣א תְבָרְכֶ֔נּוּ וְכִֽי־יְבָרֶכְךָ֥ אִ֖ישׁ לֹ֣א תַעֲנֶנּ֑וּ וְשַׂמְתָּ֥ מִשְׁעַנְתִּ֖י עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַנָּֽעַר׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to Gehaziגֵּיחֲזִיgêychăzîy gêchăzîy · GehaziH1522
• Gird upחָגַרchâgar · to girdH2296
• thy loinsמׇתְנַ֫יִםmôthen · loinH4975
• and takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• my staffמִשְׁעֶ֫נֶתmish‛ênâh mish‛eneth · staffH4938
• in thine handיָדyâd · handH3027
• and go thy wayיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• if thou meetמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• any manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• saluteבָּרַךְbârak · to blessH1288
• thee, answer him not againעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• and layשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
• upon the faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• of the childנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288

Cross-references for 2 Kings 4:29

• 2 Kings 9:1The prophet Elisha called one of the disciples of the prophets. He said, “Put on your belt. Take this flask of olive oil, and go to Ramoth Gilead.
• 1 Kings 18:46The Lord’s power was on Elijah. He hiked up his robe and ran ahead of Ahab until they came to Jezreel.
• Ephesians 6:14So then, take your stand! Fasten truth around your waist like a belt. Put on God’s approval as your breastplate.
• 1 Peter 1:13Therefore, your minds must be clear and ready for action. Place your confidence completely in what God’s kindness will bring you when Jesus Christ appears again.
• 2 Kings 2:14He took the coat and struck the water with it. He asked, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” As he struck the water, it divided to his left and his right, and Elisha crossed ⌞the river⌟.
• Exodus 4:17Take that shepherd’s staff with you, and use it to do the miraculous signs.”
• Luke 10:4Don’t carry a wallet, a traveling bag, or sandals, and don’t stop to greet anyone on the way.
• 2 Kings 2:8Elijah took his coat, rolled it up, and struck the water with it. The water divided to their left and their right, and the two men crossed ⌞the river⌟ on dry ground.
• Exodus 7:19The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—its rivers, canals, ponds, and all its reservoirs—so that they turn into blood. There will be blood everywhere in Egypt, even in the wooden and stone containers.’ ”
• Exodus 14:16Raise your staff, stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide the water. Then the Israelites will go through the sea on dry ground.
• Joshua 6:4Seven priests will carry rams’ horns ahead of the ark. But on the seventh day you must march around the city seven times while the priests blow their horns.
• Acts 3:16We believe in the one named Jesus. Through his power alone this man, whom you know, was healed, as all of you saw.
• Acts 19:12People would take handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Paul’s skin to those who were sick. Their sicknesses would be cured, and evil spirits would leave them.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 4:29

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 29Salute him not - Make all the haste thou possibly canst, and lay my staff on the face of the child; he probably thought that it might be a case of mere suspended animation or a swoon, and that laying the staff on the face of the child might act as a stimulus to excite the animal motions.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 29Salute him not - Compare the marginal reference. Salutation is the forerunner of conversation and one bent on speed would avoid every temptation to loiter. Lay my staff upon the face of the child - Perhaps to assuage the grief of the mother, by letting her feel that something was being done for her child.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-37Verses 18-37 Here is the sudden death of the child. All the mother's tenderness cannot keep alive a child of promise, a child of prayer, one given in love. But how admirably does the prudent, pious mother, guard her lips under this sudden affliction! Not one peevish word escapes from her. Such confidence had she of God's goodness, that she was ready to believe that he would restore what he had now taken away. O woman, great is thy faith! He that wrought…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 29Elisha told Gehazi not to talk to anyone on the way, showing how serious and urgent the mission was. Jesus gave similar instructions when he sent out the seventy-two disciples (Luke 10:4). Placing Elisha’s staff on the child’s face showed the prophet's intention to connect with the boy and call upon God’s power.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 29-3129-31. take my staff ... and lay ... upon the face of the child--The staff was probably an official rod of a certain form and size. Necromancers used to send their staff with orders to the messengers to let it come in contact with nothing by the way that might dissipate or destroy the virtue imparted to it. Some have thought that Elisha himself entertained similar ideas, and was under an impression that the actual application of his staff would serve as…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 4:29

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Children
• Elisha
• Gehazi
• Miracles
• Shunammite
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Aside
• Careful
• Carmel
• Desire
• Kings, The Books of
• Shunem
• Daniel, Book of
• Elisha
• Gehazi
• Images

Commentaries on 2 Kings 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings