He said to Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” When he had called her, she stood before him.
Parallel Translations
-
He said to Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” When he had called her, she stood before him.
-
And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.
-
And he said to Gehazi his servant: 'Call this Shunammite.' And when he had called her, she stood before him.
Cross-references (7)
Passages linked to 2 Kings 4:12 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 2 Kings 8:4-5 Now the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, “Please tell me all the great things that Elisha has done.” As he was telling the king how he had restored to life him who was dead, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, begged the king for her house and for her land. Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.”
- 1 Kings 19:3 When he saw that, he arose, and ran for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.
- 2 Kings 3:11 But Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there a prophet of Yahweh here, that we may inquire of Yahweh by him?” One of the king of Israel’s servants answered, “Elisha the son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah, is here.”
- 2 Kings 4:29-31 Then he said to Gehazi, “Tuck your cloak into your belt, take my staff in your hand, and go your way. If you meet any man, don’t greet him; and if anyone greets you, don’t answer him again. Then lay my staff on the child’s face.” The child’s mother said, “As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So he arose, and followed her. Gehazi went ahead of them, and laid the staff on the child’s face; but there was no voice and no hearing. Therefore he returned to meet him, and told him, “The child has not awakened.”
- 2 Kings 5:20-27 But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought. As Yahweh lives, I will run after him, and take something from him.” So Gehazi followed after Naaman. When Naaman saw one running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is all well?” He said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, even now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’ ” Naaman said, “Be pleased to take two talents.” He urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and laid them on two of his servants; and they carried them before him. When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and stored them in the house. Then he let the men go, and they departed. But he went in, and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, “Where did you come from, Gehazi?” He said, “Your servant went nowhere.” He said to him, “Didn’t my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive groves and vineyards, and sheep and cattle, and male servants and female servants? Therefore the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and to your offspring forever.” He went out from his presence a leper, as white as snow.
- 1 Kings 18:43 He said to his servant, “Go up now, and look toward the sea.” He went up, and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” He said, “Go again” seven times.
- Acts 13:5 When they were at Salamis, they proclaimed God’s word in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their attendant.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (10 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
Saved on this device only — never synced or sent anywhere.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 2Ki 4:12 And he said to Gehazi his servant,…
2Ki 4:12 And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.
Ver. 12. Call this Shunammite.] Gehazi it seemeth was sent to call her, but withal to acquaint her with the business, - viz., that if she had any suit to the king or his general, &c., - and to bring back her answer; whereupon consulting with Gehazi what was to be done for her, and understanding by him that she had no child, Elisha bade Gehazi call her, as 2Ki 4:15.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain i.e. Before the prophet, in the door of his…
i.e. Before the prophet, in the door of his chamber, as it is said, 2Ki 4:15. The relation seems to be a little perplexed, but may be thus conceived. It is in this verse recorded, in the general, that the prophet sent Gehazi to call her, and that she came to him upon that call; then follows a particular description of the whole business, with all the circumstances, first, of the message with which Gehazi was sent when he went to call her, and of her answer to that message, 2Ki 4:13, and of Gehazi’s conjecture thereupon, 2Ki 4:14, and then of her coming to the prophet at his call; which is there repeated to make way for the following passages.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And he said to Gehazi his servant,.... Who attended…
And he said to Gehazi his servant,.... Who attended him wherever he went, and ministered to him, and lay very probably in the same chamber with him; he might be one of the sons of the prophets:
call this Shunammite; tell her I desire to speak with her:
Read full note →
and when he had called her, she stood before him; at the door of the chamber, in great reverence of him, and with much humility, waiting to hear what he had to say to her: this must be understood after what had further passed between Elisha and Gehazi, and between Gehazi and the woman, who returned to his master, and acquainted him with what she had said to him, upon which he was sent to call her, and she came.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain She stood - The relation seems to be a…
She stood - The relation seems to be a little perplexed, but may be thus conceived. It is in this verse recorded in the general, that the prophet sent Gehazi to call her, and that she came to him upon that call: then follows a particular description of the whole business, with all the circumstances, first, of the message with which Gehazi was sent when he went to call her, and of her answer to that message, ver. 13, and of Gehazi's conjecture thereupon, ver. 14, and then of her coming to the prophet at his call: which is there repeated to make way for the following passages.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 12. Gehazi his servant] This is the first…
Verse 12. Gehazi his servant] This is the first time we hear of this very indifferent character.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain 2Ki 4:12. She stood before him — The narrative…
2Ki 4:12. She stood before him — The narrative seems to be a little perplexed, but may be thus conceived: it is in this verse recorded in the general, that the prophet sent Gehazi to call her, and that she came to him upon that call; then follows a particular description of the whole business, with all the circumstances; first, of the message with which Gehazi was sent when he went to call her, and of her answer to that message, (2Ki 4:13,) and Gehazi’s conjecture thereupon, (2Ki 4:14,) and then of her coming to the prophet at his call; which is there repeated to make way for the following passages.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 12. to Gehazi his servant] Gehazi is mentioned in…
12. to Gehazi his servant] Gehazi is mentioned in this narrative, in ch. 2Ki_5:20 and the following verses, and again in ch. 2Ki_8:4. He probably stood in the same position to Elisha which the latter had held towards Elijah, though the men were utterly different in character. Gehazi appears from 2Ki_8:4 to have been a person of consequence enough to be known to, and conversed with, by the king. See note there.
she stood before him] i.e. before Elisha. It is clear that Elisha’s character inspired great reverence, and though the Shunammite was his hostess she did not come unbidden into his presence.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (12) Gehazi his servant.—First mentioned here. His name means…
(12) Gehazi his servant.—First mentioned here. His name means “valley of vision,” and is perhaps derived from his native place, which may have got its name from being a haunt of prophets.
His servant.—His young man (Gen_22:3).
Read full note →
She stood before him—i.e., before Gehazi. The sentence, “And when he had called her, she stood before him,” is an anticipation of the result, and might be placed within a parenthesis.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain And he said to Gehazi his servant. Gehazi is…
And he said to Gehazi his servant. Gehazi is here mentioned for the first time. He seems to have been Elisha"s "servant" in a lower sense than Elisha had been Elijah"s. Still, his position was such that on one occasion (2Ki_8:4, 2Ki_8:5) a king of Israel did not disdain to hold a conversation with him. Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him; i.e. before Gehazi. Elisha communicates with the woman through his servant, or at any rate in his presence, probably to prevent any suspicion of impropriety arising in the mind of any one. The prophet of the Lord must not be evil spoken of.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 This is the name of a man. (See: How…
Gehazi
This is the name of a man. (See: How to Translate Names)
Read full note →
Call this Shunammite
"Call the Shunammite woman." This refers to the woman from Shunem that Elisha was staying with.
You have gone to all this trouble to care for us
The phrase "gone to all this trouble" is an idiom that means to make great effort to do something. AT: "You have made a great effort to care for us" or "You have worked very hard to take care of us" (See: Idiom)
What can be done for you
This can be stated in active form. AT: "What can we do for you" (See: Active or Passive)
Can we speak for you
Here Elisha is asking if she would like for him to speak to the king or army commander to make a request for her. The implicit meaning of this question can be made explicit. AT: "Can we make a request for you" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
I live among my own people
The woman is implying that she does not need anything because her family cares for her needs. AT: "I live surrounded by my family, and because they take care of me, I have no needs" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
translationWords
servant
call
trouble
king
commander
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.