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 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.” 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. Gehazi 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. 33He went in alone and shut the door behind him and 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Gehaziגֵּיחֲזִיgêychăzîy gêchăzîy · GehaziH1522
• passed onעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• them, and laidשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
• the staffמִשְׁעֶ֫נֶתmish‛ênâh mish‛eneth · staffH4938
• upon the faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• of the childנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• neither voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voice: soundH6963
• nor hearingקֶ֫שֶׁבqesheb · attentivenessH7182
• Wherefore he went againשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• to meetקִרְאָהqir'âh · befallH7125
• him, and toldנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• him, sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• is not awakedקִיץqûts · to awakeH6974

Cross-references for 2 Kings 4:31

• 1 Samuel 14:37So Saul asked God, “Should we go after the Philistines? Will you help us defeat them?” But God made no reply that day.
• 1 Samuel 28:6He asked the Lord what he should do, but the Lord refused to answer him, either by dreams or by sacred lots or by the prophets.
• Ezekiel 14:3“Son of man, these leaders have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests?
• Matthew 17:16So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”
• Mark 9:19Jesus said to them, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
• Acts 19:13A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!”
• 1 Kings 18:26So they prepared one of the bulls and placed it on the altar. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning until noontime, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no reply of any kind. Then they danced, hobbling around the altar they had made.
• Job 14:12people are laid to rest and do not rise again. Until the heavens are no more, they will not wake up nor be roused from their sleep.
• Daniel 12:2Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace.
• Mark 5:39He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.”
• John 11:11Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.”
• Ephesians 5:14for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

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