2 Kings 4:30

2Ki 4:30 And the mother of the child said, [As] the LORD liveth, and [as] thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.

Ver. 30. And he arose, and followed her.] As our Saviour also, upon a like occasion, arose and followed Jairus, {Mat 9:18-19} not taking offence at his weak faith, nor turning him off, as presuming to prescribe.

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.

2Ki 4:30. And the mother of the child said, I will not leave thee — Until thou goest with me; for she had no great confidence in Gehazi, nor was her faith so strong as to think that the prophet could work so great a miracle at that distance, and by his staff. And he arose, and followed her — Being overcome by her importunity, and his tenderness toward so great a friend.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 30. I will not leave thee.] The prophet it seems had no design to accompany her; he intended to wait for Gehazi's return; but as the woman was well assured the child was dead, she was determined not to return till she brought the prophet with her.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(30) I will not leave thee.—She wished the prophet himself to go to her child. The writer appropriately substitutes “the mother of the child” for “the Shunammite” or “the woman” in connection with this impassioned utterance, which induced the prophet to yield to her wishes.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

30. I will not leave thee] Whether the staff sent by Gehazi may have an effect, she cannot know. Her only security is in Elisha’s presence, and with him she will return to her desolated home. It seems as though the prophet had not at first intended to go with her, but she will take no refusal, so he prepares for the journey. ‘She, not regarding the staff or the man, holds fast to Elisha. No hopes of his message can loose her fingers. She imagined that the servant, the staff, might be severed from Elisha: she knew that wherever the prophet was, there was power’ (Bp Hall).

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.

And the mother of the child said,.... Having no faith in what the servant was to do, or could do:

as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee; signifying she would not go with his servant, but insisted upon it that he himself went with her, or she would not depart:

and he arose, and followed her; influenced by her importunity, and a sense of favours he had received from her, and more especially by the Spirit of God.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

I will not leave thee, until thou goest home with me. For she had no great confidence in Gehazi, nor was her faith so strong as to think that the prophet could work so great a miracle at this distance, and by his staff; which possibly was one reason why this did no good. Compare Mat 9:18; 13:58; 17:20.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

30. I will not leave thee — After the heartless attempt of Gehazi to thrust her away from the prophet’s presence, (2Ki_4:27,) she has no confidence in his ministry, even though he carry the staff of Elisha. Sacred vestments and a holy commission will not command the confidence of earnest souls, unless they be associated with a minister who himself gives evidence of a true and tender heart.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the mother of the child said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, (comp. 2Ki_3:2, 2Ki_3:4, 2Ki_3:6) I will not leave thee. Apparently, the woman supposed that Elisha intended to do nothing more, but trust the child"s recovery to such virtue as might inhere in his staff. But her own resolution was long ago taken she would be content with nothing less than bringing the prophet face to face with her dead child. She "will not leave" him till he consents to accompany her to her home. And he arose, and followed her; as, no doubt, he had intended from the first.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Will not leave thee - Until thou goest home with me. For she had no great confidence in Gehazi, nor was her faith so strong as to think that the prophet could work so great a miracle at this distance.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

As Yahweh lives, and as you live

"As surely as Yahweh lives and as you live." This shows that the mother is taking an oath. The mother compares the certainty that Yahweh and Elisha are alive to the certainty of what she is saying. This is a way of making a solemn promise. AT: "I solemnly promise that"

but the child did not speak or hear

This means that the child was not alive. The full meaning of this statement can be made explicit. AT: "but the child did not show any signs of being alive" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

has not awakened

Here being dead is spoken of as being asleep. AT: "is still dead" (See: Euphemism)

translationWords

life

raise

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.