2 Kings 4:9
in 2 Kings 4Then the woman said to her husband, “Behold, now I know that the one who often comes our way is a holy man of God.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God, that passeth by us continually.
KJV
And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.
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This verse in 2 Kings 4
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThis is a holy man of God - That is, a prophet, as the Chaldee interprets it. Which passeth by us continually - It probably lay in his way to some school of the prophets that he usually attended.
This site's exposition
One day Elisha went to Shunem
on 2 Kings 4:8-10
The Hebrew behind “a prominent woman” is literally a great woman, marking wealth and standing. She proposes the room herself, with “a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp”. The widow of Zarephath housed Elijah at 1 Kings 17:9-19, and here a woman houses his successor.
This site's exposition
a holy man of God
The Chaldee paraphrase renders a holy man of God simply as a prophet, Adam Clarke notes. Clarke thought Elisha's frequent road past Shunem led to some school of the prophets he often visited. The woman had watched him long enough to know him.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
It happened, in the next days, that Elisha arrived at Shunem and passed it. After the ascension of Elijah, Elisha took his place and was appointed as the chief and prefect of the children of the prophets. Duty to his calling obligated him to visit …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
That the stranger she would invite was a holy man of God, who therefore would do good to their family, and God would recompense the kindness done to him; perhaps she had heard how well paid the widow of Sarepta was for entertaining Elijah.
And she said unto her husband,.... Not being willing to do any thing without his leave and consent: behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God which passeth by us continually: and calls here frequently: this she perceived by his discourse and conversation; and by his carriage and behaviour he appeared to be a prophet, and one very eminent for holiness and religion.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ | vatomer | and she said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אִישָׁ֔הּ | ʾishah | husband her | H376 → | 1663 times |
| הִנֵּה־ | hineh- | here! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| נָ֣א | na' | please | H4994 → | 404 times |
| יָדַ֔עְתִּי | yada'ti | I know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| כִּ֛י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אִ֥ישׁ | ʾish | [is] a man of | H376 → | 1663 times |
| אֱלֹהִ֖ים | ʾelohim | God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| קָד֣וֹשׁ | kadoosh | holy | H6918 → | |
| ה֑וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| עֹבֵ֥ר | ʾover | [who] passes by | H5674 → | 556 times |
| עָלֵ֖ינוּ | ʾaleinu | at us | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| תָּמִֽיד׃ | tamid | continually | H8548 → | 104 times |
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙and she said
vatomerH559 →5305 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אִישָׁ֔הּhusband her
ʾishahH376 →1663 times
הִנֵּה־here!
hineh-H2009 →843 times
נָ֣אplease
na'H4994 →404 times
יָדַ֔עְתִּיI know
yada'tiH3045 →945 times
כִּ֛יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
אִ֥ישׁ[is] a man of
ʾishH376 →1663 times
אֱלֹהִ֖יםGod
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
קָד֣וֹשׁholy
kadooshH6918 →
ה֑וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
עֹבֵ֥ר[who] passes by
ʾoverH5674 →556 times
עָלֵ֖ינוּat us
ʾaleinuH5921 →5755 times
תָּמִֽיד׃continually
tamidH8548 →104 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Titus 1:8Instead, he must be hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 3:2
An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
- Titus 2:7
In everything, show yourself to be an example by doing good works. In your teaching show integrity, dignity,
- 1 Timothy 3:2
Through
1 Thessalonians 2:10You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless our conduct was among you who believed.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 5:3
not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
- 2 Corinthians 1:12
And this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in relation to you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God—not in worldly wisdom,…
- 1 Thessalonians 1:5
because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with great conviction—just as you know we lived among you for your sake.
- Titus 2:7–8
In everything, show yourself to be an example by doing good works. In your teaching show integrity, dignity,
- 1 Peter 5:3
Through
1 Kings 17:24Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is truth.”
it leads to
- John 16:30
Now we understand that You know all things and that You have no need for anyone to question You. Because of this, we believe that You came from God.”
- John 2:11
Jesus performed this, the first of His signs, at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.
- John 16:30
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
About 2 Kings
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Alfred Edersheim, Bible History: Old Testament; Ephrem the Syrian, ON THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS 4:8; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.