He said, “At this season, when the time comes around, you will embrace a son.” She said, “No, my lord, you man of God, do not lie to your servant.”
Parallel Translations
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He said, “At this season, when the time comes around, you will embrace a son.” She said, “No, my lord, you man of God, do not lie to your servant.”
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And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.
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And he said: 'At this season, when the time cometh round, thou shalt embrace a son.' And she said: 'Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thy handmaid.'
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Historical claims about the natural world, weighed against the scientific record.
Cross-references (13)
Passages linked to 2 Kings 4:16 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Genesis 18:10 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.
- Luke 1:13 But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
- 2 Kings 4:28 Then she said, “Did I ask you for a son, my lord? Didn’t I say, ‘Do not deceive me’?”
- Genesis 17:21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year.”
- Genesis 18:12-15 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.” Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
- Genesis 17:16-17 I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she will be a mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her.” 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?”
- 2 Kings 2:19 The men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold, please, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the land is barren.”
- Psalms 116:11 I said in my haste, “All people are liars.”
- Luke 1:30-31 The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him ‘Jesus.’
- 1 Kings 17:18 She said to Elijah, “What have I to do with you, you man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to memory, and to kill my son!”
- Luke 1:18-20 Zacharias said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak until the day that these things will happen, because you didn’t believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
- 1 Kings 18:9 He said, “How have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?
- 2 Kings 5:10-11 Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall come again to you, and you shall be clean.” But Naaman was angry, and went away, and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leper.’
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (12 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 2Ki 4:16 And he said, About this season, according…
2Ki 4:16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, [thou] man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.
Ver. 16. About this season,] i.e., About this time twelve months from now.
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Thou shalt embrace a son.] God dealeth with his servants, as the prophet here did with this Shunammite, when he bade her ask what she needed, and tell him what he should do for her, and she found not anything to request at his hands; he sends for her, and makes her a free promise of that which she most wanted and desired - a son. So, oft God is pleased to give his servants what they forget or presume not to ask.
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 According to the time of life; of which phrase…
According to the time of life; of which phrase See Poole on "Gen 18:10".
Do not lie unto thine handmaid; do not delude me with vain hopes. She could not believe it for joy, and supposed the prophet might say thus either for her trial, or from his own private judgment and affection, and not by warrant from God.
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, about this season,.... In the next…
And he said, about this season,.... In the next year:
according to the time of life; the usual time women go with child:
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thou shalt embrace a son; in thine arms, that shall be born of thee, which she should have in her lap, and in her bosom:
and she said, nay, my lord, do not lie unto thine handmaid; or speak unto her what was not truth; it was so great, and so unaccountable, how it could be in her circumstances, that she could not believe it to be true, though she wished it might; or do not deceive me with vain and false words, or flatter me, jest with me, which would be unbecoming his character as a man of God, and prophet of the Lord; according to the Targum, she wished it might prove true, and she not deceived; see Kg2 4:28.
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 Do not lie - Do not delude me with…
Do not lie - Do not delude me with vain hopes. She could not believe it for joy.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 16. Thou shalt embrace a son.] This promise,…
Verse 16. Thou shalt embrace a son.] This promise, and the circumstances of the parties, are not very dissimilar to that relative to the birth of Isaac, and those of Abraham and Sarah.
Do not lie] That is, Let thy words become true; or, as the rabbins understand it, Do not mock me by giving me a son that shall soon be removed by death; but let me have one that shall survive me.
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 4:16-17. About this season, according to the time…
2Ki 4:16-17. About this season, according to the time of life — About this time next year; see on Gen 18:10; thou shall embrace a son — She had received this prophet in the name of a prophet, and now she receives, not a courtier’s reward, in being spoken for to the king, but a prophet’s reward, a signal mercy, given in answer to a prophet’s prayer. Nay, my lord, do not lie unto thy handmaid — Do not delude me with vain hopes. She could not believe it for joy. The woman — bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her — The event, within the time limited, confirmed the truth of the promise. God built up her house in reward of her kindness in building the prophet a chamber.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Do not lie - Compare a similar incredulity in…
Do not lie - Compare a similar incredulity in Gen 17:17; Gen 18:12; Luk 1:20. The expression, “do not lie,” which is harsh to us, accords with the plain, straightforward simplicity of ancient speech. It would not mean more than “deceive” (compare the marginal reference).
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Womb. Hebrew, "At this season, according to the time…
Womb. Hebrew, "At this season, according to the time of life, (Haydock; or of a woman with child, Menochius) thou shalt embrace a son" in thy arms. (Haydock) See Genesis xviii. 10. (Calmet) --- If is added by St. Jerome, agreeably to an usual form of speaking. (Menochius) --- The prophet assures the woman, that she will not only live, but also bear a son, and nurse him. --- Lie, deceive, (ver. 28; Haydock) or flatter me with vain hopes. (Calmet) She might think that the prophet was not actually inspired. (Menochius) --- Through joy, she could hardly believe. See Luke xxiv. 41. (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).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 16. About this season, according to the time of…
16. About this season, according to the time of life — That is, about this time next year.
Embrace a son — Fold in thy arms a child. To estimate the value of this promise we must remember that childlessness was a reproach and disgrace to an Israelitish wife. Compare Gen_30:23; Luk_1:25.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 16. according to the time of life] R.V. when…
16. according to the time of life] R.V. when the time cometh round. The literal sense of the verb is explained on the margin of R.V. = liveth, or reviveth. The phrase is the same which is used Gen_18:14 to the childless Sarah before the birth of Isaac.
thou man of God] She appeals to him in the character which she felt to be most sacred; the character which had at first (see verse 9) made her desirous to entertain him.
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do not lie unto thine handmaid] The verb in all its directness is common in Hebrew in very solemn expressions. Thus Num_23:19, ‘God is not a man that he should lie’, and of God’s word (Hab_2:3), ‘It shall speak and not lie’. The blessing promised was so great, and appeared so unlikely of fulfilment, that the woman implores Elisha not to raise false expectations in such a matter.
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 (16) About this season.—At this set time.
(16) About this season.—At this set time.
According to the time of life.—Rather, at the reviving time—i.e., next spring; or, when the time revives—i.e., in the following year: a phrase occurring in Gen_18:10; Gen_18:15. Böttcher renders, “when the year has revolved,” assuming the ground meaning of the term “life” to be something joined in a circle.
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Thou shalt embrace.—Thou art about to embrace.
Do not lie—i.e., raise no delusive hopes. (Comp. Isa_58:11.) We can imagine the emotion with which this would be said. (Comp. the incredulity of Sarah, Gen_18:12-13.)
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 hei.e. Elishasaid, About this season, according to the…
And hei.e. Elishasaid, About this season, according to the time of life rather, when the time comes round; literally, revives; i.e. about this time next yearthou shalt embrace a son; i.e. "a son shall be born to thee, whom thou wilt embrace, as mothers are wont to do." And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid. Like Sarah, the woman was incredulous; she could not believe the good tidings, and thought the prophet was only raising hopes to disappoint them. Her words, "Do not lie unto thy servant," are less harsh in the original, being merely equivalent to the "Do not deceive me" of ver. 28.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.