18 Now one day, when the child was older, he went out to his father to where the grain was being cut. 19 And he said to his father, My head, my head! And the father said to a servant, Take him in to his mother. 20 And he took him in to his mother, and she took him on her knees and kept him there till the middle of the day, when his life went from him. 21 Then she went up and put him on the bed of the man of God, shutting the door on him, and went out. 22 And she said to her husband, Send me one of the servants and one of the asses so that I may go quickly to the man of God and come back again. 23 And he said, Why are you going to him today? it is not a new moon or a Sabbath. But she said, It is well. 24 Then she made the ass ready and said to her servant, Keep driving on; do not make a stop without orders from me. 25 So she went, and came to Mount Carmel, to the man of God. And when the man of God saw her coming in his direction, he said to Gehazi, his servant, See, there is the Shunammite; 26 Go quickly to her, and on meeting her say to her, Are you well? and your husband and the child, are they well? And she said in answer, All is well. 27 And when she came to where the man of God was on the hill, she put her hands round his feet; and Gehazi came near with the purpose of pushing her away; but the man of God said, Let her be, for her soul is bitter in her; and the Lord has kept it secret from me, and has not given me word of it. 28 Then she said, Did I make a request to my lord for a son? did I not say, Do not give me false words? 29 Then he said to Gehazi, Make yourself ready, and take my stick in your hand, and go: if you come across anyone on the way, give him no blessing, and if anyone gives you a blessing, give him no answer. And put my stick on the child's face. 30 But the mother of the child said, As the Lord is living and as your soul is living, I will not go back without you. So he got up and went with her. 31 And Gehazi went on before them and put the stick on the child's face; but there was no voice, and no one gave attention. So he went back, and meeting him gave him the news, saying, The child is not awake. 32 And when Elisha came into the house he saw the child dead, stretched on his bed. 33 So he went in, and shutting the door on the two of them, made prayer to the Lord. 34 Then he got up on the bed, stretching himself out on the child, and put his mouth on the child's mouth, his eyes on his eyes and his hands on his hands; and the child's body became warm. 35 Then he came back, and after walking once through the house and back, he went up, stretching himself out on the child seven times; and the child's eyes became open. 36 And he gave orders to Gehazi, and said, Send for the Shunammite. And she came in answer to his voice. And he said, Take up your son. 37 And she came in, and went down on her face to the earth at his feet; then she took her son in her arms and went out.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Kings 4:18-37
Commentary on 2 Kings 4:18-37
(Read 2 Kings 4:18-37)
Here is the sudden death of the child. All the mother's tenderness cannot keep alive a child of promise, a child of prayer, one given in love. But how admirably does the prudent, pious mother, guard her lips under this sudden affliction! Not one peevish word escapes from her. Such confidence had she of God's goodness, that she was ready to believe that he would restore what he had now taken away. O woman, great is thy faith! He that wrought it, would not disappoint it. The sorrowful mother begged leave of her husband to go to the prophet at once. She had not thought it enough to have Elisha's help sometimes in her own family, but, though a woman of rank, attended on public worship. It well becomes the men of God, to inquire about the welfare of their friends and their families. The answer was, It is well. All well, and yet the child dead in the house! Yes! All is well that God does; all is well with them that are gone, if they are gone to heaven; and all well with us that stay behind, if, by the affliction, we are furthered in our way thither. When any creature-comfort is taken from us, it is well if we can say, through grace, that we did not set our hearts too much upon it; for if we did, we have reason to fear it was given in anger, and taken away in wrath. Elisha cried unto God in faith; and the beloved son was restored alive to his mother. Those who would convey spiritual life to dead souls, must feel deeply for their case, and labour fervently in prayer for them. Though the minister cannot give Divine life to his fellow-sinners, he must use every means, with as much earnestness as if he could do so.