2 Kings 4:36 (KJV)

What does 2 Kings 4:36 mean?

2 Kings 4:36 describes the moment Elisha returns a living child to his mother. His instruction, “Take up thy son,” brings the mother back into the room and makes clear that the child she had lost has been restored to her.

Elisha speaks first to Gehazi, his servant, and then to the Shunammite woman when she comes in. After the child opens his eyes in verse 35, Elisha’s words invite his mother to pick him up herself.

The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 4:36

• “Shunammite” — שׁוּנַמִּית (shunammit): This word identifies a woman from Shunem, a town in Israel. In this verse, she is identified by her home rather than by a personal name.
• “up” — נָשָׂא (nasa): This word can mean to lift or carry. In the command “Take up thy son,” it describes the mother physically lifting her child.

Why 2 Kings 4:36 matters

• The verse shows Elisha acting through Gehazi before addressing the mother directly. He tells Gehazi to call her, then speaks to her once she enters.
• The words “thy son” connect the child to the mother whose loss has driven the story. Earlier, she had gone to Elisha after her son died (2 Kings 4:20–28).
• The mother’s response follows in verse 37: she falls at Elisha’s feet and then carries her son out. Her actions complete the reunion that Elisha’s command begins.