2 Kings 4:31

2 Kings 4:31 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.
• New International Version (NIV)Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response. So Gehazi went back to meet Elisha and told him, “The boy has not awakened.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the face of the child, but there was no sound or sign of life. Therefore he returned to meet him and told him, "The child has not awakened."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now Gehazi went on ahead of them, and laid the staff on the face of the child; but there was neither voice nor hearing. Therefore he went back to meet him, and told him, saying, “The child has not awakened.”

Context of 2 Kings 4:31

29Then he said to Gehazi, “Get ready 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 to him. And lay my staff on the boy’s face.” 30The mother of the boy said, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her. Then Gehazi went on ahead of them and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response. So he returned to meet him and informed him, saying, “The boy has not awakened.” 32When Elisha entered the house, behold the boy was dead, laid on his bed. 33So he entered and shut the door behind them both, and he prayed to the Lord.

2 Kings 4:31 word by word

וְגֵחֲזִ֞י עָבַ֣ר לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם וַיָּ֤שֶׂם אֶת־הַמִּשְׁעֶ֙נֶת֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַנַּ֔עַר וְאֵ֥ין ק֖וֹל וְאֵ֣ין קָ֑שֶׁב וַיָּ֤שָׁב לִקְרָאתוֹ֙ וַיַּגֶּד־ל֣וֹ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹ֥א הֵקִ֖יץ הַנָּֽעַר׃Read the interlinear

• Then Gehaziגֵּיחֲזִיgêychăzîy gêchăzîy · GehaziH1522
• wentעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• aheadפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• of them and laidשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
• the staffמִשְׁעֶ֫נֶתmish‛ênâh mish‛eneth · staffH4938
• on the boy’sנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• but thereאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
• soundקוֹלqôl qôl · voice: soundH6963
• responseקֶ֫שֶׁבqesheb · attentivenessH7182
• So he returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• to meetקָרָאqârâ' · to encounter: meetH7122
• him and informedנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• him, sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559

Cross-references for 2 Kings 4:31

• 1 Samuel 14:37So Saul inquired of God: “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You hand them over to Israel?” But He did not answer him on that day.
• 1 Samuel 28:6So Saul inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him, either in dreams, or by the Urim, or by the prophets.
• Ezekiel 14:3“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put in front of their faces the stumbling block of their wrongdoing. Should I let Myself be consulted by them at all?
• Matthew 17:16And I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him.”
• Mark 9:19And He answered them and said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!”
• Acts 19:13But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had the evil spirits, saying, “I order you in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches!”
• 1 Kings 18:26Then they took the ox which was given them and they prepared it, and they called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice and no one answered. And they limped about the altar which they had made.
• Job 14:12So a man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens no longer exist, He will not awake nor be woken from his sleep.
• Daniel 12:2And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.
• Mark 5:39And after entering, He said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child has not died, but is asleep.”
• John 11:11This He said, and after this He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going so that I may awaken him from sleep.”
• Ephesians 5:14For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”

Commentaries on 2 Kings 4:31

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31There was neither voice nor hearing - Compare 1 Kings 18:29. The child is not awakened - See 2 Kings 4:20. The euphemism by which death is spoken of as a sleep was already familiar to the Jews (see 1 Kings 1:21 note).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. 31but there was no sound or response: Elisha's staff had no magical power; only God creates life (Acts 17:25–28).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 4:31

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

In the dictionaries

• Aside
• Careful
• Carmel
• Desire
• Gehazi
• Shunem
• Daniel, Book of
• Elisha
• 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