2 Kings 4 36

2 Kings 4:36 kjv

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 4:36 nkjv

And he called Gehazi and said, "Call this Shunammite woman." So he called her. And when she came in to him, he said, "Pick up your son."

2 Kings 4:36 niv

Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, "Call the Shunammite." And he did. When she came, he said, "Take your son."

2 Kings 4:36 esv

Then he summoned Gehazi and said, "Call this Shunammite." So he called her. And when she came to him, he said, "Pick up your son."

2 Kings 4:36 nlt

Then Elisha summoned Gehazi. "Call the child's mother!" he said. And when she came in, Elisha said, "Here, take your son!"

2 Kings 4 verses

2 Kings 4 36 Meaning

2 Kings 4:36 describes the culmination of the miracle wherein Elisha raised the Shunammite woman's son from death. Elisha commands his servant Gehazi to summon the distraught mother. Upon her arrival, Elisha directly instructs her to physically take her son, confirming that the boy has been miraculously restored to life and is now hers to embrace and cherish once more.

2 Kings 4 36 Context

The verse is part of a larger narrative in 2 Kings 4, highlighting Elisha's miraculous ministry. Earlier in the chapter, the Shunammite woman, a wealthy and devout woman, provides hospitality to Elisha by building a room for him. In return for her kindness, and as she was childless, Elisha prophesies that she will have a son, which comes to pass. Some years later, this cherished son falls ill and dies. The woman immediately seeks Elisha, demonstrating remarkable faith that he could somehow restore her son. Elisha sends his servant Gehazi ahead with his staff, but this attempt fails. Finally, Elisha himself comes, prays, and exerts himself over the child's body until life returns to him (verses 33-35). Verse 36 describes the climactic moment where Elisha publicly presents the living child to his mother, thereby completing the miracle and fulfilling her unwavering faith. Historically, such miracles authenticated a prophet's divine commission during a time of widespread idolatry in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, reaffirming Yahweh as the true living God who has power over life and death.

2 Kings 4 36 Word analysis

• Then he called (וַיִּקְרָא - vayyikra): "Called" here indicates a summons, a direct and authoritative command from Elisha. This simple verb introduces the final stage of the miraculous restoration.
• Gehazi (גֵּיחֲזִי - Gechazi): Elisha's servant. He serves as an intermediary. His immediate obedience here stands in contrast to his previous inability to revive the child with the staff and later his downfall due to greed in 2 Kings 5, emphasizing the prophet's true power vs. symbolic instruments or unworthy agents.
• and said (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyomer): A straightforward conjunction, introducing Elisha's instructions.
• 'Call this Shunammite woman.' (קְרָא אֶל הַשּׁוּנַמִּית הַזֹּאת - qera el ha-Shunammite ha-zot): Elisha specifies exactly who is to be summoned. The use of "this" (הַזֹּאת) gives a sense of immediate focus and urgency. The "Shunammite woman" (הַשּׁוּנַמִּית) is identified by her residence, which implies her status and history within the narrative as the benefactor and receiver of miracles.
• So he called her. (וַיִּקְרָא לָהּ - vayyikra lah): Confirms Gehazi's obedience to Elisha's command, facilitating the encounter.
• And when she came to him, (וַתָּבוֹא אֵלָיו - vatta vo elav): Her swift response highlights her desperation and faith. She comes directly to Elisha, expecting divine intervention or revelation from the prophet.
• he said, (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyomer): Again, a clear verbal directive from Elisha.
• 'Pick up your son.' (שְׂאִי בְנֵךְ - se'i benech): This is the heart of the verse, a short, powerful command conveying restoration.
  • Pick up (שְׂאִי - se'i): An imperative verb from נָשָׂא (nasa'), meaning to lift, carry, or bear. It signifies active reception and possession, rather than just seeing. It’s an instruction for a physical, joyful reunion.
  • your son (בְנֵךְ - benech): Emphatically highlights the returned child's identity as her own. The possessive suffix confirms that what was lost has been definitively given back to its rightful owner.

Words-group analysis:

• "Then he called Gehazi and said, 'Call this Shunammite woman.'": This phrase establishes Elisha's method of operation: directing his servant in anticipation of a significant public presentation. It sets the scene for the emotional climax of the story.
• "So he called her. And when she came to him,": This concise description emphasizes the prompt obedience of Gehazi and the hopeful, possibly apprehensive, alacrity of the Shunammite woman, building the suspense toward the revelation of the miracle.
• "he said, 'Pick up your son.'": The simple, direct instruction from Elisha encapsulates the miracle's completion. It is a triumphant pronouncement, signaling the transfer of the child back into his mother's care, sealing the act of resurrection with the joyous command for physical embrace.

2 Kings 4 36 Bonus section

• This moment encapsulates the full cycle of divine promise (Gen 18:10), a parent's despair (2 Kgs 4:27-28), a prophet's intercession, and ultimately, God's restoration.
• Elisha’s immediate command to "pick up" indicates that the boy was fully alive and restored, not in a fragile state, demonstrating the completeness of God's miraculous work.
• The absence of emotional theatrics on Elisha's part underscores the authority and normalcy of divine intervention for a true prophet. His focus is on the transfer of the blessing, not self-aggrandizement.
• This verse foreshadows similar life-restoring acts in the New Testament by Jesus and His apostles, confirming the consistency of God's power through different dispensations (e.g., Lk 7:15, Acts 9:41).
• The Shunammite woman's subsequent reaction in the following verse (v. 37), falling at Elisha's feet in reverent gratitude, is the appropriate response to such a profound manifestation of divine grace and power.

2 Kings 4 36 Commentary

2 Kings 4:36 serves as the profound and understated conclusion to the miracle of the Shunammite's son being restored to life. Having exerted himself in private prayer and physical contact to revive the child, Elisha does not elaborate on the miracle. Instead, through Gehazi, he simply summons the distraught mother and delivers the definitive, liberating command: "Pick up your son." This brief instruction is packed with divine power and compassionate fulfillment. It confirms the boy's life, transforms the mother's deepest sorrow into unspeakable joy, and unequivocally validates Elisha's prophetic authority as God's instrument. The physical act of "picking up" solidifies the miracle's reality, transforming a lost hope into a tangible blessing, requiring her to physically re-engage with the life that God had graciously returned. It echoes God's life-giving nature, demonstrating His power over the very domain of death.