And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.
2 KINGS 4:27KJVWhat does 2 Kings 4:27 mean?
2 Kings 4:27 shows the Shunammite woman coming to Elisha, grabbing his feet in desperation, while Elisha’s servant Gehazi tries to push her away. Elisha tells Gehazi to leave her alone because she is deeply troubled, and he admits that God has not revealed to him the reason for her distress.
In this scene, the Shunammite woman approaches Elisha, the "man of God," on a hill, overwhelmed by grief after her son’s sudden death. Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, tries to stop her, but Elisha recognizes her deep sorrow and insists she not be disturbed. Elisha’s comment that the LORD has "hid it from me" shows that even prophets sometimes do not know everything and must wait for God’s guidance.
The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 4:27
- נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh, "soul"): This word means "life," "self," or "inner being." Elisha says her "soul is vexed" (נַפְשָׁהּ מָרָה, "her soul is bitter"), highlighting the depth of her emotional pain, not just surface upset.
- מָרָה (marah, "vexed"): This word carries the sense of being deeply bitter or distressed. It emphasizes that the woman’s anguish is intense and heartfelt.
- הִסְתִּיר (histir, "hid"): Elisha says the LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH) has "hid it from me," using a word that means to conceal or keep something secret. This points out that even prophets are not always given insight into every situation.
Why 2 Kings 4:27 matters
- This verse clarifies that prophets like Elisha, though close to God, do not always have immediate answers or knowledge about every situation; God sometimes withholds information even from them.
- The verse highlights the Shunammite woman’s boldness and deep grief, showing her willingness to break social norms by grabbing Elisha’s feet in her desperation.
- The interaction sets up the following miracle, emphasizing the importance of compassion and attentiveness to those in distress, rather than simply following protocol or pushing people away.