2 Kings 4:10 (KJV)

What does 2 Kings 4:10 mean?

2 Kings 4:10 describes a woman’s proposal to give the prophet Elisha a place of his own when he visits. Her plan turns his visits into something the household can welcome regularly, with a room furnished for both rest and ordinary needs.

The woman is speaking to her husband. After identifying Elisha as a holy man of God in verse 9, she suggests a small room on the wall, a bed, a table, a stool, and a lamp. “Turn in thither” means that Elisha could go into the room when he came to their home.

The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 4:10

• “chamber” — עֲלִיָּה (ʿaliyyah): This word can mean an upper room. It suggests a room above the main living area, though the KJV describes its position as “on the wall.”
• “candlestick” — מְנוֹרָה (menorah): This word means a lampstand. The object would hold a lamp to give light in the room.
• “turn” — סוּר (sur): This word can carry the sense of turning aside or going in. Here it pictures Elisha leaving his route to stay in the room prepared for him.

Why 2 Kings 4:10 matters

• The woman’s proposal grows out of her recognition of Elisha. In verse 9 she calls him “a holy man of God,” and in verse 10 she proposes a place for him in her household.
• The furnishings show a room equipped for more than a brief stop. The bed provides a place to sleep, while the table, stool, and lampstand provide for other needs during his stay.
• The proposal becomes part of the story’s setting. In verse 11, Elisha comes to the house, enters the room, and lies down there.