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.
• 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.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)Then Elisha said to Gehazi, “Get ready to travel; take my staff and go! Don’t talk to anyone along the way. Go quickly and lay the staff on the child’s face.”

Context of 2 Kings 4:29

27When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress, but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why.” 28“Did I ask you for a son, my lord?” she said. “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t raise my hopes’?” 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.” 30But the child’s mother said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her. 31Gehazi 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.”

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 summoned a man from the company of the prophets and said to him, “Tuck your cloak into your belt, take this flask of olive oil with you and go to Ramoth Gilead.
• 1 Kings 18:46The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
• Ephesians 6:14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
• 1 Peter 1:13Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.
• 2 Kings 2:14He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.
• Exodus 4:17But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.”
• Luke 10:4Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
• 2 Kings 2:8Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over 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—over the streams and canals, over the ponds and all the reservoirs—and they will turn to blood.’ Blood will be everywhere in Egypt, even in vessels of wood and stone.”
• Exodus 14:16Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.
• Joshua 6:4Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.
• Acts 3:16By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
• Acts 19:12so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left 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