2 Kings 4:17
in 2 Kings 4But the woman did conceive, and at that time the next year she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season, when the time came round, as Elisha had said unto her.
KJV
And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.
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This verse in 2 Kings 4
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
At this time next year, you will hold a son in your arms
on 2 Kings 4:16-17
Elisha promises, “At this time next year, you will hold a son in your arms”. She answers, “Do not lie to your maidservant, O man of God”, guarding against a hope raised and dashed. Sarah laughed at a like promise at Genesis 18:12-15.
This site's exposition
the woman did conceive
Adam Clarke read her plea do not lie as a prayer that the words would come true. The next year they did. The rabbis, Clarke notes, heard a further fear, a son given and soon taken by death, and verse 20 brings that fear to pass.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"The woman conceived and bore a son at that season, in due time, as Elisha had declared to her," but after a few years, the child died. His mother placed the corpse on the bed of the prophet in the high room of her house …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
25 So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite: 26 Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child?
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
And the woman conceived, and bare a son at the season that Elisha said unto her,.... Quickly after this she conceived, and became pregnant, and by that time the year came round, she was brought to bed of a son: according to the time of life: when she had gone her full time to have a son born alive, and live.
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתַּ֥הַר | vatahar | and she conceived | H2029 → | |
| הָאִשָּׁ֖ה | haishah | the woman | H802 → | 781 times |
| וַתֵּ֣לֶד | vateled | and she gave birth to | H3205 → | 496 times |
| בֵּ֑ן | ben | a son | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| לַמּוֹעֵ֤ד | lamoed | to the appointed time | H4150 → | |
| הַזֶּה֙ | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| כָּעֵ֣ת | kaet | about the time | H6256 → | 296 times |
| חַיָּ֔ה | chaiyah | living | H2416 → | 498 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| דִּבֶּ֥ר | diber | he had spoken | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֵלֶ֖יהָ | ʾeleiha | to her | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אֱלִישָֽׁע׃ | ʾelisha' | Elisha | H477 → | 58 times |
וַתַּ֥הַרand she conceived
vataharH2029 →
הָאִשָּׁ֖הthe woman
haishahH802 →781 times
וַתֵּ֣לֶדand she gave birth to
vateledH3205 →496 times
בֵּ֑ןa son
benH1121 →4930 times
לַמּוֹעֵ֤דto the appointed time
lamoedH4150 →
הַזֶּה֙<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
כָּעֵ֣תabout the time
kaetH6256 →296 times
חַיָּ֔הliving
chaiyahH2416 →498 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
דִּבֶּ֥רhe had spoken
diberH1696 →1141 times
אֵלֶ֖יהָto her
ʾeleihaH413 →5510 times
אֱלִישָֽׁע׃Elisha
ʾelisha'H477 →58 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
Hebrews 11:11By faith Sarah, even though she was barren and beyond the proper age, was enabled to conceive a child, because she considered Him faithful who had promised.
it leads to
- Romans 4:20–21
Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
- Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.
- Genesis 18:11–14
And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
- Romans 4:20–21
Through
Genesis 21:1Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised.
it leads to
- Psalms 12:6
The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold.
- Genesis 18:10
Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the…
- Genesis 18:14
Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.”
- Genesis 17:19
But God replied, “Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after…
- Galatians 4:23
His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise.
- Psalms 12:6
Where this verse is studied
About 2 Kings
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ephrem the Syrian, ON THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS 4:17; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.