2 Kings 4:25 kjv
So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite:
2 Kings 4:25 nkjv
And so she departed, and went to the man of God at Mount Carmel. So it was, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to his servant Gehazi, "Look, the Shunammite woman!
2 Kings 4:25 niv
So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel. When he saw her in the distance, the man of God said to his servant Gehazi, "Look! There's the Shunammite!
2 Kings 4:25 esv
So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel. When the man of God saw her coming, he said to Gehazi his servant, "Look, there is the Shunammite.
2 Kings 4:25 nlt
As she approached the man of God at Mount Carmel, Elisha saw her in the distance. He said to Gehazi, "Look, the woman from Shunem is coming.
2 Kings 4 25 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 46:1 | God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. | God as refuge in distress. |
| Isa 41:10 | Fear not, for I am with you... I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. | God's comforting presence and support. |
| Heb 11:6 | And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever... must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. | Importance of faith in seeking God. |
| Matt 7:7 | Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find... | Principle of seeking and receiving. |
| Jer 29:13 | You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. | Seeking God wholeheartedly. |
| Job 1:21 | And said, “Naked I came... and naked I shall return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” | Resignation and trust in God's sovereignty amid loss. |
| Phil 4:6 | Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. | Presenting anxieties to God. |
| 1 Pet 5:7 | casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. | Trusting God with worries. |
| Mk 5:22-23 | Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name... beseeching him greatly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death..." | Parent seeking divine intervention for child. |
| Jn 11:32 | When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” | Grief leading to seeking Jesus. |
| Deut 33:1 | Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. | Title "man of God" for a prophet. |
| 1 Sam 2:27 | And there came a man of God to Eli... | A prophet as a "man of God." |
| 1 Kgs 13:1 | And behold, a man of God came from Judah by the word of the Lord to Bethel. | Another example of a "man of God." |
| Isa 35:3-4 | Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance... He will come and save you.” | Encouragement for the disheartened. |
| 2 Kgs 5:8 | But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, "Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel." | Elisha's authority as "man of God." |
| 2 Kgs 8:5 | And when Gehazi was relating to the king how he had restored the dead to life, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life appealed to the king for her house and her land. | Elisha's ability to raise the dead. |
| Heb 4:16 | Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. | Confident approach to divine help. |
| Rom 12:12 | Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. | Perseverance in tribulation. |
| Joel 2:25 | I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten... | God's promise of restoration. |
| Luke 8:49-50 | While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler’s house came and said, "Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any longer.” But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” | Urgency and the need for faith in crisis. |
| Ps 23:4 | Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me... | Finding comfort and protection in distress. |
2 Kings 4 verses
2 Kings 4 25 Meaning
2 Kings 4:25 describes the urgent journey of the Shunammite woman to Mount Carmel to seek Elisha, the man of God, immediately after her son had died. Her actions demonstrate a desperate yet unwavering faith in the prophet's ability, and by extension, in the Lord, to restore her son's life. This verse highlights her determination to find the divine answer to her profound sorrow.
2 Kings 4 25 Context
2 Kings chapter 4 highlights the miraculous works performed through Elisha, demonstrating God's power and provision through His chosen prophet. The preceding verses include the miracle of multiplying the widow's oil (vv. 1-7) and Elisha's previous interactions with the Shunammite woman. This woman, a prominent and generous figure, had shown great hospitality to Elisha. As a reward, Elisha promised her a son, despite her barrenness and her husband's old age, a promise that was miraculously fulfilled (vv. 8-17). The context of verse 25 is the sudden and unexpected death of this very son (vv. 18-21), throwing the woman into profound grief and prompting her desperate quest for divine intervention. Her decision to seek Elisha on Mount Carmel is a testament to her faith in the man of God's ability to perform a miracle, reminiscent of the prophet Elijah's earlier demonstration of God's power on the same mountain.
Word Analysis
- Then: Indicates immediate succession from the previous events (her son's death). It marks the prompt, decisive action she took.
- she went: Hebrew: va-tê·leḵ (וַתֵּלֶךְ), literally "and she went." This active verb emphasizes her personal initiative and determination. Despite her immense grief, she acted with purpose and urgency, not despair.
- and came: Hebrew: va-ta·vo' (וַתָּבֹא), "and she came." Continues to emphasize the completion of her journey.
- unto: Hebrew: ʾel (אֶל), denoting motion towards a person or place.
- the man of God: Hebrew: ʾîsh ha-ʾElohîm (אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים). This title signifies a prophet chosen by God, empowered by Him, and through whom God speaks and acts. It implies divine authority and a direct channel to YHWH's power. For the Shunammite woman, Elisha was not just a person but an instrument of God's miraculous work, the one who previously predicted her son's birth. The title contrasts starkly with any "men of Baal" or other false gods of the time, positioning YHWH as the sole source of true power and life.
- to Mount Carmel: Hebrew: har ha-Karmel (הַר הַכַּרְמֶל). A significant mountain range, often associated with spiritual activity and revelation. It was notably the site of Elijah's famous confrontation with the prophets of Baal (1 Kgs 18), demonstrating YHWH's exclusive power over life and death and rain. Elisha often resided or ministered from here, further linking it to YHWH's powerful presence. For the woman to travel to Carmel underscored her expectation of encountering God's potent intervention. This journey itself, for a woman in that era, would have been arduous and dangerous, further illustrating her resolute faith and desperation.
- And so it was: A narrative connective, highlighting the outcome of her purposeful journey.
2 Kings 4 25 Bonus section
The Shunammite woman's action immediately after her son's death indicates that she had a spiritual insight or profound faith beyond merely grieving. She didn't seek a doctor or perform typical funeral rites first. Instead, her first inclination was to go to Elisha, indicating her belief that the solution to her son's death lay in divine intervention through the prophet. Her journey, even before anyone else knew of her son's death outside her household (vv. 21-22), highlights her resolve to trust God implicitly through His prophet. This scene underscores the unique relationship of trust she had cultivated with Elisha due to his earlier accurate prophecy of her son's birth. The urgency of her quest also communicates the concept of God as an immediate resource in times of great affliction, contrasting with a belief in a distant or unresponsive deity.
2 Kings 4 25 Commentary
2 Kings 4:25 vividly portrays the Shunammite woman's extraordinary faith and determination in the face of profound loss. Rather than succumbing to despair, she actively pursued the "man of God," Elisha, as her sole source of hope. Her journey to Mount Carmel was not a mere stroll; it was a desperate pilgrimage, emphasizing the length to which she would go to seek divine intervention. Her trust was placed squarely on YHWH, whose power was manifest through His prophet, a subtle but significant polemic against the regional pagan worship of gods like Baal who offered no true hope in such a crisis. This verse sets the stage for God's miraculous act of resurrection, affirming His sovereignty over life and death and validating Elisha's ministry as a true spokesman for the Lord. Her actions provide an example of fervent prayer and relentless pursuit of God's help when all human hope seems lost.