2 Kings 4:24

2 Kings 4:24 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.
• New International Version (NIV)She saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Lead on; don’t slow down for me unless I tell you.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then she saddled the donkey, and she said to her servant, "Urge the animal on; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, “Drive, and go forward; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.”

Context of 2 Kings 4:24

22Then she called to her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, so that I may run to the man of God and return.” 23But he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath.” So she just said, “It will be fine.” Then she saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Drive the donkey and go on; do not slow down the pace for me unless I tell you.” 25So she went on and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel. When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, that person there is the Shunammite. 26Please run now to meet her and say to her, ‘Is it going well for you? Is it going well for your husband? Is it going well for the child?’” Then she answered, “It is going well.”

2 Kings 4:24 word by word

וַֽתַּחֲבֹשׁ֙ הָֽאָת֔וֹן וַתֹּ֥אמֶר אֶֽל־נַעֲרָ֖הּ נְהַ֣ג וָלֵ֑ךְ אַל־תַּעֲצָר־לִ֣י לִרְכֹּ֔ב כִּ֖י אִם־אָמַ֥רְתִּי לָֽךְ׃Read the interlinear

• Then she saddledחָבַשׁchâbash · to saddle/tieH2280
• the donkeyאָתוֹן'âthôn · she-assH860
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to her servantנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• Driveנָהַגnâhag · to leadH5090
• and goהָלַךְhâlak · to go: continueH1980
• on; do not slowעָצַר‛âtsar · to restrainH6113
• the paceרָכַבrâkab · to rideH7392
• for me unlessכִּי [אם]kîy · that if: exceptH3588
• for me unless[כִּי] אם'im · if: exceptH518

Cross-references for 2 Kings 4:24

• Exodus 4:20So Moses took his wife and his sons and mounted them on a donkey, and returned to the land of Egypt. Moses also took the staff of God in his hand.
• 1 Samuel 25:20And it happened as she was riding on her donkey and coming down by the hidden part of the mountain, that behold, David and his men were coming down toward her; so she met them.
• 1 Kings 13:13Then he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him and he rode away on it.
• 1 Samuel 25:19Then she said to her young men, “Go on ahead of me; behold, I am coming after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 4:24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24Drive, and go forward - It is customary in the East for a servant to walk along side or drive the ass his master rides. Sometimes he walks behind, and goads on the beast; and when it is to turn, he directs its head with the long pole of the goad. It is probably to this custom that the wise man alludes when he says, "I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth," on the ground.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 24Slack not thy riding - Translate, “delay me not in my riding, except I bid thee.” The servant went on foot with the donkey to urge it forward, as is the ordinary custom in the East.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. 24-26Mount Carmel was about twenty miles northwest of Shunem. The long trip and the woman's hurry made Elisha suspect something bad had happened to the child. Everything is all right: The woman ignored Gehazi's questions. She was determined to speak only with Elisha.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2424. Drive, and go forward--It is usual for women to ride on asses, accompanied by a servant, who walks behind and drives the beast with his stick, goading the animal at the speed required by his mistress. The Shunammite had to ride a journey of five or six hours to the top of Carmel.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 4:24

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

In the dictionaries

• Aside
• Careful
• Desire
• Shunem
• Ass
• Daniel, Book of
• Elisha
• Gehazi
• Images
• Jehoahaz

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