And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son.
2 KINGS 4:36KJVWhat does 2 Kings 4:36 mean?
2 Kings 4:36 describes the prophet Elisha calling his servant Gehazi and instructing him to summon the Shunammite woman, so she can come in and receive her son, whom Elisha has just brought back to life. The verse shows the moment when Elisha returns the child to his mother after a miraculous act.
In this scene, Elisha is speaking to Gehazi after God has answered his prayer and revived the Shunammite woman's son. Gehazi acts as a messenger, calling the woman into the room. Elisha then tells her to "take up thy son," signaling that her child is alive and restored to her, which is the climax of a story about faith, loss, and restoration.
The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 4:36
- "called" (קָרָא, qara): This word appears several times in the verse, emphasizing the act of summoning or inviting. It highlights the formal and respectful way Elisha involves others in the miracle.
- "up" (נָשָׂא, nasa): This word means "to lift" or "to carry." Elisha is not just telling the woman to approach her son, but to physically take him up, underlining the reality of the boy's restoration to life and her role as his mother.
Why 2 Kings 4:36 matters
- This verse clears up any doubt about the boy's condition by showing that Elisha does not just pray for the child, but actually returns him alive to his mother.
- The verse emphasizes Elisha’s compassion and the personal nature of the miracle, as he ensures the mother is present to receive her son firsthand.
- It connects to the wider passage by completing the story arc of the Shunammite woman's faith and Elisha's role as a prophet through whom God brings restoration and hope.