When
Elisha had come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and lying on his bed. He went in therefore, and shut the door on them both, and prayed to Yahweh. He went up, and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. He stretched himself on him; and the child’s flesh grew warm. Then he returned, and walked in the house once back and forth; and went up, and stretched himself out on him. Then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. He called Gehazi, and said, “Call this Shunammite!” So he called her. When she had come in to him, he said, “Take up your son.”
Then she went in, fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground; then she picked up her son, and went out.
2 Kings 4:32-37
2 Kings 4 [31.] Gehazi went ahead of them, and laid the staff on the child’s face; but there was no voice and or hearing. Therefore he returned to meet him, and told him, “The child has not awakened.”
2 Kings 4 [32.] When Elisha had come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and lying on his bed. He went in therefore, and shut the door on them both, and prayed to Yahweh. He went up, and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. He stretched himself on him; and the child’s flesh grew warm. Then he returned, and walked in the house once back and forth; and went up, and stretched himself out on him. Then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. He called Gehazi, and said, “Call this Shunammite!” So he called her. When she had come in to him, he said, “Take up your son.”
2 Kings 4 [37.] Then she went in, fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground; then she picked up her son, and went out.
2 Kings 4 [38.] Elisha came again to Gilgal. There was a famine in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him; and he said to his servant, “Get the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.”
Meaning:
The woman of Shunem had shown kindness to the prophet Elisha, building a small room on her roof where he could stay. As a reward God gave her and her elderly husband a son. When the boy died, she rode to Mount Carmel to find Elisha, who first sent his servant Gehazi ahead with his staff, but nothing happened. These verses tell what took place when Elisha himself arrived.
- “He went in therefore, and shut the door on them both, and prayed”
Elisha’s first act was prayer. He did not rely on his staff, his reputation or any technique. He shut the door and prayed alone. His teacher Elijah had done the same for the widow of Zarephath’s son, crying, “Yahweh my God, please let this child’s soul come into him again” (1 Kings 17:21-22). The power to give life belonged to God alone.
- “Put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes”
Elisha lay on the child, matching mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes and hands to hands. It was an act of total identification with the dead boy. The child’s flesh grew warm, but Elisha did not stop. He walked back and forth in the house, then stretched himself on the boy again. The prophet persevered until God completed the work.
- “The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes”
The sneezing showed that breath had returned. Seven, the number of completeness in Scripture, suggests a full restoration. Then Elisha called the mother and spoke three simple words: “Take up your son.” She fell at his feet in gratitude and carried her son out alive.
- Echoes in the New Testament
This miracle took place at Shunem, just over the hill of Moreh from the town of Nain. There Jesus met the funeral of a widow’s only son, touched the coffin and said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” (Luke 7:11-17). Elisha prayed, stretched himself on the child and waited; Jesus simply spoke, and the dead man sat up at once. When Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter he too put the mourners out of the room (Mark 5:40-41), and Peter did the same when he prayed for Tabitha (Acts 9:40).
The Significance of 2 Kings 4:32-37
- Persevering prayer
Elisha prayed and kept on praying until the child revived. God sometimes answers step by step, and he honours those who keep seeking him.
- God is the giver of life
Neither the staff nor the prophet had power in themselves. Life came from Yahweh. This miracle points forward to Jesus, who has authority over death and who will raise all who belong to him.
Cross-References:
1 Kings 17:22: "Yahweh listened to the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived." Elijah raises a widow’s son.
Luke 7:14-15: "Young man, I tell you, arise!" Jesus raises a widow’s son at Nain.
Acts 9:40: "Peter sent them all out, and knelt down and prayed." Peter and Tabitha.
Conclusion: When Elisha reached the Shunammite’s house he found her son dead. He shut the door, prayed to Yahweh and stretched himself on the child until the boy’s flesh grew warm, he sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. Elisha gave him back to his mother, who bowed in thanks. The miracle shows God’s power over death and his care for a grieving mother, and it looks forward to Jesus, who raised the dead with a word.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible