What does 2 Kings 4:32-35 mean?
"When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. So he went in, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the Lord. 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 he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes." - 2 Kings 4:32-35
2 Kings 4:32-35 (KJV) reads: "And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the Lord. 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 he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes."
The passage from 2 Kings tells the story of the prophet Elisha and a woman from Shunem, who had shown kindness to him and his servant Gehazi. In return for her hospitality, Elisha prophesied that the woman, who was previously childless, would give birth to a son. The woman did indeed conceive and bear a son, but tragically, the child died suddenly. This led the woman to seek out Elisha's help, and through his prayers and actions, the child is miraculously revived.
This passage is rich in meaning and symbolism, reflecting themes of faith, the power of God, and the commitment of the prophet to his calling. The narrative is a testament to the belief in the possibility of miracles and the enduring power of prayer.
One of the key themes in this passage is the power of faith. The woman had shown faith in Elisha, and in return, he had blessed her with a son. When faced with the death of her child, she did not give in to despair but instead turned to Elisha, whom she believed could help. Elisha, in turn, did not hesitate to intercede on her behalf, demonstrating his own faith in God's power to bring the child back to life. This faith is ultimately rewarded with the miraculous revival of the child, a powerful testament to the potency of faith in the face of adversity.
The passage also underscores the power of God to defy the natural order of things. The child's death seemed final and irreversible, but through Elisha's prayers and actions, he is brought back to life. This miracle serves as a reminder that God is not bound by the limitations of the physical world and has the ability to intervene in extraordinary ways to bring about restoration and renewal.
The actions of Elisha in this passage are also rich in symbolism. His physical contact with the child – laying on top of him, putting his mouth on the child's mouth, his eyes on the child's eyes, and his hands on the child's hands – reflect the depth of his commitment and empathy for the child's plight. His actions mirror the intimacy and compassion that God has for his people, illustrating the lengths to which he will go to bring healing and wholeness.
Furthermore, the resurrection of the child in this passage anticipates the ultimate resurrection of Jesus Christ, foreshadowing the redemptive power of Jesus' death and resurrection. Just as Elisha brought the child back to life through the power of God, Jesus would ultimately conquer death through his own sacrificial death and triumphant resurrection, offering eternal life to all who believe in him.
In conclusion, 2 Kings 4:32-35 is a powerful and poignant passage that speaks to the enduring themes of faith, the power of God, and the compassion of His servants. The narrative serves as a reminder of the miraculous possibilities that exist through faith and prayer and foreshadows the ultimate victory over death through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a testament to the enduring nature of God's love and compassion for His people, offering hope and reassurance in times of doubt and despair.
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2 Kings 4:32-35 Artwork
2 Kings 4:32-35 - "When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the Lord. Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. Then he got up again and walked once back and forth in the house, and went up and stretched himself upon him. The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes."
"When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the Lord. Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. Then he got up again and walked once back and forth in the house, and went up and stretched himself upon him. The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes." - 2 Kings 4:32-35
2 Kings 4:32 - "And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed."
"And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed." - 2 Kings 4:32
2 Kings 4:35 - "Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes."
2 Chronicles 32:4 - "So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?"
1 Kings 4:32 - "And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five."
2 Chronicles 32:32 - "Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel."
2 Chronicles 35:27 - "And his deeds, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah."
Numbers 32:35 - "And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah,"
"And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five." - 1 Kings 4:32
2 Kings 9:35 - "And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands."
2 Kings 10:35 - "And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead."
Exodus 35:32 - "And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,"
1 Kings 2:35 - "And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host: and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar."
2 Kings 4:4-5
2 Kings 15:32 - "¶ In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign."
2 Kings 23:32 - "And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done."
2 Kings 10:32 - "¶ In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;"
Exodus 32:35 - "And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made."
"And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah," - Numbers 32:35
"And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah," - Numbers 32:35
2 Kings 18:35 - "Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?"
2 Kings 15:35 - "¶ Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate of the house of the LORD."
"Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes." - 2 Kings 4:35
2 Kings 17:32 - "So they feared the LORD, and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high places, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places."
2 Kings 9:32 - "And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs."
2 Chronicles 35:4 - "And prepare yourselves by the houses of your fathers, after your courses, according to the writing of David king of Israel, and according to the writing of Solomon his son."
2 Kings 19:35 - "¶ And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses."
2 Kings 17:35 - "With whom the LORD had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:"