📖 2 Kings — Chapter 4 (KJV)
Read the complete King James Version chapter below, then explore the passage sections, check what you remember, and keep your private study notes.
Scripture source: Project Gutenberg KJV, ebook 10.
2 Kings 4:1 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that Rthy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.
2 Kings 4:2 And Elisha said unto her, RWhat shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.
2 Kings 4:3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even Rempty vessels; Tborrow not a few.
2 Kings 4:4 And when thou art come in, Rthou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.
2 Kings 4:5 So Rshe went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.
2 Kings 4:6 And it came to pass, Rwhen the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.
2 Kings 4:7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and Rpay thy Tdebt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.
2 Kings 4:8 And RTit fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she Tconstrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.
2 Kings 4:9 And Rshe said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.
2 Kings 4:10 Let us make Ra little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.
2 Kings 4:11 And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there.
2 Kings 4:12 And he said to RGehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.
2 Kings 4:13 And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, Rthou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.
2 Kings 4:14 And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily Rshe hath no child, and her husband is old.
2 Kings 4:15 And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.
2 Kings 4:16 And he said, RAbout this Tseason, 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.
2 Kings 4:17 And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.
2 Kings 4:18 And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father Rto the reapers.
2 Kings 4:19 And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.
2 Kings 4:20 And when he had taken him, and brought him to Rhis mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.
2 Kings 4:21 And she went up, and laid him on Rthe bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.
2 Kings 4:22 And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that RI may run to the man of God, and come again.
2 Kings 4:23 And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither Rnew moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be Twell.
2 Kings 4:24 RThen she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; Tslack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.
2 Kings 4:25 So she went and came unto the man of God Rto 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 4:26 RRun now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well:
2 Kings 4:27 And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught RThim by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is Tvexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.
2 Kings 4:28 Then she said, RDid I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?
2 Kings 4:29 Then he said to Gehazi, RGird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.
2 Kings 4:30 And the mother of the child said, RAs the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.
2 Kings 4:31 And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was Rneither voice, nor Thearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.
2 Kings 4:32 And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, Rthe child was dead, and laid upon his bed.
2 Kings 4:33 He went in therefore, and Rshut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.
2 Kings 4:34 And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
2 Kings 4:35 Then he returned, and walked in the house Tto and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, Rand the child opened his eyes.
2 Kings 4:36 And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, RTake up thy son.
2 Kings 4:37 Then she went in, and Rfell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.
2 Kings 4:38 And RElisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets.
2 Kings 4:39 And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found Ra wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not.
2 Kings 4:40 So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, RO thou man of God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eat thereof.
2 Kings 4:41 But he said, Then bring meal. And Rhe cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no Tharm in the pot.
2 Kings 4:42 And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of God Rbread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in Tthe husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat.
2 Kings 4:43 And his servitor said, RWhat, should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the LORD, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof.
2 Kings 4:44 So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the word of the LORD.
📚 Study This Chapter
📖 What We’re Reading
2 Kings 4:1–17 — Provision for a widow and welcome at Shunem
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
A widow’s oil fills borrowed vessels, allowing her to pay debt and support her children. A woman at Shunem offers Elisha a room, and he promises she will bear a son. The two households receive different help; these accounts do not promise identical material outcomes to every reader.
Key Truth: Notice practical need and practice thoughtful hospitality.
Check What You Remember
1. What did the widow possess? (2 Kings 4:2)
Find it in 2 Kings 4:2 (KJV).
2. What was she to pay after selling the oil? (2 Kings 4:7)
Find it in 2 Kings 4:7 (KJV).
3. Where did the hospitable woman live? (2 Kings 4:8)
Find it in 2 Kings 4:8 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
2 Kings 4:18–37 — The Shunammite seeks help for her dead son
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
The child dies and his mother urgently seeks Elisha. The prophet recognizes her distress and admits that the LORD has not shown him its cause. Gehazi’s use of the staff does not awaken the child; Elisha prays and the child returns to life. The mother receives her son with reverence.
Key Truth: Listen to a grieving person rather than pushing her away or pretending to know everything.
Check What You Remember
1. Where did the mother seek Elisha? (2 Kings 4:25)
Find it in 2 Kings 4:25 (KJV).
2. Which servant carried Elisha’s staff? (2 Kings 4:29)
Find it in 2 Kings 4:29 (KJV).
3. How many times did the child sneeze? (2 Kings 4:35)
Find it in 2 Kings 4:35 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
2 Kings 4:38–44 — Food made safe and enough to share
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
At Gilgal, unfamiliar gourds make the pottage dangerous until Elisha adds meal. Later, twenty barley loaves feed a hundred men with some left, according to the LORD’s word. The stories describe God’s particular provision; they are not food-safety techniques readers should imitate.
Key Truth: Gratitude for provision should include care for those who need food.
Check What You Remember
1. What did Elisha add to the pottage? (2 Kings 4:41)
Find it in 2 Kings 4:41 (KJV).
2. How many barley loaves were brought? (2 Kings 4:42)
Find it in 2 Kings 4:42 (KJV).
3. How many men were to be fed? (2 Kings 4:43)
Find it in 2 Kings 4:43 (KJV).
Related Scripture (KJV)
John 6:12 — Jesus’ feeding of a multitude also includes food remaining afterward.
This related passage is selected for its connection with this chapter. It is separate from the chapter text.
Reflect and Apply
Who could benefit from practical help or hospitality? Think of one concrete act that respects a person’s need and dignity.
Advanced Questions and Answers
Study this chapter’s wording, patterns, contrasts, and meaning in greater depth.
1. How does the widow’s provision depend on the vessels?
2. How is the widow told to use the proceeds?
3. What provision does the Shunammite woman make for Elisha?
4. How does the mother persist when Gehazi is sent ahead?
5. How does the feeding exceed the servant’s expectation?
Notes
Write what you want to remember, questions to explore, or Scriptures to look up later. Your saved notes are private to your account.
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