He said, “What then is to be done for her?” Gehazi answered, “Most certainly she has no son, and her husband is old.”
Parallel Translations
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He said, “What then is to be done for her?” Gehazi answered, “Most certainly she has no son, and her husband is old.”
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And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.
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And he said: 'What then is to be done for her?' And Gehazi answered: 'Verily she hath no son, and her husband is old.'
Cross-references (9)
Passages linked to 2 Kings 4:14 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Genesis 15:2-3 Abram said, “Lord Yahweh, what will you give me, since I go childless, and he who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” Abram said, “Behold, you have given no children to me: and, behold, one born in my house is my heir.”
- 1 Samuel 1:8 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why don’t you eat? Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
- Luke 1:7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.
- Genesis 18:10-14 He said, “I will certainly return to you at about this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child when I am old?’ Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes round, and Sarah will have a son.”
- Genesis 25:21 Isaac entreated Yahweh for his wife, because she was barren. Yahweh was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
- Judges 13:2 There was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and childless.
- Genesis 17:17 Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to him who is one hundred years old? Will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?”
- Genesis 30:1 When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I will die.”
- 1 Samuel 1:2 He had two wives. The name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (12 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Which then was a reproach, and therefore he would…
Which then was a reproach, and therefore he would that his master should pray to God for her that she might be fruitful.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 2Ki 4:14 And he said, What then [is] to…
2Ki 4:14 And he said, What then [is] to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.
Ver. 14. What then is to be done for her?] So great a prophet disdaineth not to consult and advise with his servant; and all his care is how to express his thankfulness to his hostess.
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 What then is to be done for her? hast…
What then is to be done for her? hast thou observed any thing which she wants or desires? For the prophet kept himself much in his chamber, whilst Gehazi went more freely about the house, as his occasions led him.
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,.... That is, Elisha to Gehazi, when…
And he said,.... That is, Elisha to Gehazi, when he returned to him, and told him what the Shunammite said:
what then is to be done for her? something he thought should be done in gratitude, the favours they had received, and advises with his servant what could be thought of, he being one about the house:
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and Gehazi answered, verily she hath no child, and her husband is old; and so not likely to have any by him; as children were always very desirable by women, and especially in those days, the servant suggests, that no doubt to have one would be very acceptable to her.
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 He said - Hast thou observed any thing which…
He said - Hast thou observed any thing which she wants or desires? For the prophet kept himself much in his chamber, whilst Gehazi went more freely about the house, as his occasions led him.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 14. What then is to be done for…
Verse 14. What then is to be done for her?] It seems that the woman retired as soon as she had delivered the answer mentioned in the preceding verse.
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 4:14-15. And he said, What then is to…
2Ki 4:14-15. And he said, What then is to be done for her? — The above answer being returned to his master by Gehazi, Elisha asked him what he thought might be most welcome to her, as if he had said, Hast thou observed any thing which she wants or desires? For the prophet kept himself much in his chamber, while Gehazi went more freely about the house, as occasion led him. Gehazi answered, Verily, she hath no child —
She has a great estate, but no son to leave it to, and is past hopes of having any, her husband being old: if Elisha can obtain this favour from God for her, it will be the removal of that which, at present, was her only grievance. Those kindnesses are the most welcome which are most suited to our necessities. When he had called her, she stood at the door — Either out of modesty, or reverence, or an unwillingness to disturb him.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain No son. The desire of one was very natural,…
No son. The desire of one was very natural, particularly to people in good circumstances (Menochius) and of the Hebrew nation. (Haydock)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 14. And he said] Clearly, to Gehazi. This the…
14. And he said] Clearly, to Gehazi. This the LXX. adds.
Verily she hath no child] R.V. son. The R.V. is correct, though it seems from the whole narrative that the woman was childless. Of the great grief felt from want of children we learn in the history of Hannah (1Sa_1:10-11). Gehazi had probably learnt that this was a sorrow in the family at Shunem.
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 (14) And he said—i.e., when Gehazi had reported the…
(14) And he said—i.e., when Gehazi had reported the woman’s reply.
She hath no child.—Which was at once a misfortune and a reproach. (Comp. Gen_30:23; 1Sa_1:6-7; Luk_1:25; Deu_7:13-14; Psa_128:3-4.)
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 he, Elisha, said to GehaziWhat then…
And he said he, Elisha, said to GehaziWhat then is to be done for her? If the woman will suggest nothing herself, can Gehazi suggest anything? Has he heard her express any wish? Does he know of any boon that would be welcome to her? Evidently the woman"s disinterestedness has increased the prophet"s desire to do something for her. b It does not appear that the woman had made any complaint or exhibited any special anxiety on the subject of offspring. But Gehazi knows, that to be barren is regarded by all Hebrew women as a re-preach, that it exposes them to scorn and contumely, (1Sa_1:6, 1Sa_1:7) and that offspring is universally, or all but universally, desired. He therefore assumes that the Shunammite must wish for it. And Elisha accepts his suggestion without a moment"s hesitation.
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 Call her
Call her
"Ask her to come to see me"
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When he had called her
"When Gehazi had called her"
the door
This refers to the doorway. AT: "the doorway" (See: Metonymy)
a son
"your son"
my master and man of God
The woman uses both of these names to refer to Elisha.
your servant
The woman refers to herself as Elisha's servant to show him honor.
translationWords
lord
God
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.