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, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thy hand, and go thy way: and if thou shalt meet any man, greet him not; and if any shall greet thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child. 30And 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. And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Therefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awakened. 32And when Elisha had come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. 33He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them both, 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

• Gehaziגֵּיחֲזִיgêychăzîy gêchăzîy · GehaziH1522
• onעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• laidשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
• staffמִשְׁעֶ֫נֶתmish‛ênâh mish‛eneth · staffH4938
• faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• childנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voice: soundH6963
• hearingקֶ֫שֶׁבqesheb · attentivenessH7182
• againשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• meetקִרְאָהqir'âh · befallH7125
• toldנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• awakenedקִיץqûts · to awakeH6974

Cross-references for 2 Kings 4:31

• 1 Samuel 14:37And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day.
• 1 Samuel 28:6And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
• Ezekiel 14:3Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?
• Matthew 17:16And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
• Mark 9:19He answered him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I bear with you? bring him to me.
• Acts 19:13Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them who had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
• 1 Kings 18:26And they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
• Job 14:12So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens shall be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
• Daniel 12:2And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
• Mark 5:39And when he had come in, he saith to them, Why make ye this tumult, and weep? the child is not dead, but sleepeth.
• John 11:11These things he said: and after that he saith to them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
• Ephesians 5:14Therefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee 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