2 Kings 4:34 - Exposition

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; following the example set him by his master and predecessor, Elijah ( 1 Kings 17:21 ). The idea may in both cases have been to fit the Body for reinhabitation by the soul (see 2 Kings 4:22 ), through the restoration of warmth to it. And he stretched himself upon the child ; i.e. brought his flesh as close as he could to the flesh of the child, covering the body and pressing on it, to force his own bodily warmth to pass into it. The word used, יִגְהַר , is different from that in 1 Kings 17:21 , which is יִתְמֹדֵד , and implies a closer contact. And the flesh of the child waxed warm. Elisha's efforts had an effect; the child's Body was actually warmed by them.