New Living Translation
2 Kings 4:30
30But the boy’s mother said, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I won’t go home unless you go with me.” So Elisha returned with her.
2 Kings 4:30 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the mother of the child said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.
- New International Version (NIV)But 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then the mother of the child said, "As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So he arose and followed her.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the mother of the child said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So he arose and followed her.
Context of 2 Kings 4:30
28Then she said, “Did I ask you for a son, my lord? And didn’t I say, ‘Don’t deceive me and get my hopes up’?” 29Then 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.” But the boy’s mother said, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I won’t go home unless you go with me.” So Elisha returned with her. 31Gehazi hurried on ahead and laid the staff on the child’s face, but nothing happened. There was no sign of life. He returned to meet Elisha and told him, “The child is still dead.” 32When Elisha arrived, the child was indeed dead, lying there on the prophet’s bed.
Read all of 2 Kings 42 Kings 4:30 word by word
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֵ֣ם הַנַּ֔עַר חַי־יְהוָ֥ה וְחֵֽי־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ אִם־אֶעֶזְבֶ֑ךָּ וַיָּ֖קָם וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ אַחֲרֶֽיהָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the motherאֵם'êm · motherH517
- of the childנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- livethחַיchay · aliveH2416
- thy soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: myselfH5315
- I will not leaveעָזַב‛âzab · to leave: forsakeH5800
- thee. And he aroseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
- and followedאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- and followedיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
Cross-references for 2 Kings 4:30
- 2 Kings 2:2And Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to Bethel.” But Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you!” So they went down together to Bethel.
- Exodus 33:12One day Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Take these people up to the Promised Land.’ But you haven’t told me whom you will send with me. You have told me, ‘I know you by name, and I look favorably on you.’
- Ruth 1:16But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 4:30
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 30I will not leave thee - The prophet it seems had no design to accompany her; he intended to wait for Gehazi's return; but as the woman was well assured the child was dead, she was determined not to return till she brought the prophet with her.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. 8-37Elisha's interactions with the woman from Shunem are shown in two similar parts (2 Kings 4:8–20, 21–37). Shunem was a border town in the land given to the tribe of Issachar (Joshua 19:18).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 4:30
In the dictionaries
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries