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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 4:18-37

We may well suppose that, after the birth of this son, the prophet was doubly welcome to the good Shunammite. He had thought himself indebted to her, but henceforth, as long as she lives, she will think herself in his debt, and that she can never do too much for him. We may also suppose that the child was very dear to the prophet, as the son of his prayers, and very dear to the parents, as the son of their old age. But here is, I. The sudden death of the child, though so much a darling. He was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 4:18

And when the child was grown ,.... Perhaps was six or seven years of age, or more: it fell on a day that he went out to his father to the reapers ; it was harvest time, and the men were reaping the corn in the fields; and his father, though a wealthy man, was with them to direct them, and see they did their business well, as Boaz formerly; and the child went out from the house to the field, to see his father and the reapers, for his recreation and diversion. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 4:19

And he said unto his father, my head, my head ,.... After he had been some time with him, he complained of a pain in his head, which might be owing, as Abarbinel thinks, to the sun's beating upon it, being harvest time, and hot weather; and the pain being exceeding great and vehement, he repeated his complaint, see Jeremiah 4:19 . and he said to a lad, carry him home to his mother ; his father gave orders to a lad that attended the reapers to have him home to his mother, that she might... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 4:20

And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother ,.... The lad led him home, and delivered him to his mother: he sat on her knees till noon, and then died ; out of her great affection, she took him on her knees, and laid his head in her bosom to sooth the pain, and in this posture he continued until the middle of the day, and then expired; by which it appears it was in the morning when he went into the field, and when the sun was pretty high, and beat strongly on him; which, it... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 4:21

And she went up ,.... Into the little chamber built for the prophet: and laid him on the bed of the man of God ; not from any imagination of any virtue in it to bring her child to life; though she might think of the prophet, and have faith that he could raise it to life, as Elijah raised the widow of Zarephath's son laid on his bed, of which she might have heard; but this being a private room, and into which none went, she laid it here to conceal its death from her husband and family,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 4:22

And she called unto her husband ,.... In the field, who might be within call, or by a messenger she sent to him: and said, send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again ; intimating that she should not be long gone, but should return again presently; saying not a word of the death of the child, or of the occasion of her going. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 4:23

And he said, wherefore wilt thou go to him today ?.... What reason is there for it? what is the meaning of it? it is neither new moon nor sabbath ; neither the first day of the month, nor the seventh day of the week, times which were religiously observed; so with the Heathens the new moon and the seventh of the week, and so the fourth, were sacred F21 Hesiod. Opera & Dies, l. 2. ; which notions they borrowed from the Jews; see Gill on 1 Samuel 20:5 and when, it seems, it was... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Kings 4:18

When the child was grown - We know not of what age he was, very likely four or six, if not more years; for he could go out to the reapers in the harvest field, converse, etc. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Kings 4:19

My head , my head - Probably affected by the coup de soleil , or sun stroke, which might, in so young a subject, soon occasion death, especially in that hot country. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Kings 4:21

Laid him on the bed of the man of God - She had no doubt heard that Elijah had raised the widow's son of Zarephath to life; and she believed that he who had obtained this gift from God for her, could obtain his restoration to life. read more

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