2 Kings 4:27

27 When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress, but the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me why.”

2 Kings 4:27 in Other Translations

KJV
27 And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.
ESV
27 And when she came to the mountain to the man of God, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came to push her away. But the man of God said, "Leave her alone, for she is in bitter distress, and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me."
NLT
27 But when she came to the man of God at the mountain, she fell to the ground before him and caught hold of his feet. Gehazi began to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone. She is deeply troubled, but the LORD has not told me what it is.”
MSG
27 But when she reached the Holy Man at the mountain, she threw herself at his feet and held tightly to him. Gehazi came up to pull her away, but the Holy Man said, "Leave her alone - can't you see that she's in distress? But God hasn't let me in on why; I'm completely in the dark."
CSB
27 When she came up to the man of God at the mountain, she clung to his feet. Gehazi came to push her away, but the man of God said, "Leave her alone-she is in severe anguish, and the Lord has hidden it from me. He hasn't told me."

2 Kings 4:27 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 4:27

And when she came to the man of God to the hill
To the top of it:

she caught him by the feet;
in reverence to him, and as a supplicant, she prostrated herself at his feet, and, out of affection to him, caught hold on them, and held them fast, and determined not to leave him until he had promised to go with her, see ( Matthew 28:9 ) . It was usual with the Jews to lay hold on and kiss the feet or knees of those to whom they did homage, or made supplication, see ( Matthew 28:9 ) ( Luke 7:38 ) . (See Gill on Luke 7:38), and so with the Greeks, as may be observed in various passages in Homer F25 and others:

but Gehazi came near to thrust her away;
as being troublesome and disagreeable to his master, and not for her honour and credit:

and the man of God said, let her alone, for her soul is vexed within
her;
or "is bitter" F26, full of trouble and distress, and knows not what to do, nor very well what she does:

and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me:
what is the cause of this her trouble; for prophets did not know things of themselves, nor had they the vision of prophecy at their will and pleasure, but according to the will of God.


FOOTNOTES:

F25 Vid. Barthium ad Claudian. de Raptu Proserpin. l. 1. ver. 50.
F26 (hrm) "amara", Pagninus, Montanus

2 Kings 4:27 In-Context

25 So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel. When he saw her in the distance, the man of God said to his servant Gehazi, “Look! There’s the Shunammite!
26 Run to meet her and ask her, ‘Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?’ ” “Everything is all right,” she said.
27 When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress, but the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me why.”
28 “Did I ask you for a son, my lord?” she said. “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t raise my hopes’?”
29 Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tuck your cloak into your belt, take my staff in your hand and run. Don’t greet anyone you meet, and if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff on the boy’s face.”

Cross References 1

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