2 Kings 4:37
New International Version
She came in, fell at his feet and bowed to the ground. Then she took her son and went out.

New Living Translation
She fell at his feet and bowed before him, overwhelmed with gratitude. Then she took her son in her arms and carried him downstairs.

English Standard Version
She came and fell at his feet, bowing to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out.

Berean Standard Bible
She came in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out.

King James Bible
Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.

New King James Version
So she went in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground; then she picked up her son and went out.

New American Standard Bible
Then she came in and fell at his feet and bowed down to the ground, and she picked up her son and left.

NASB 1995
Then she went in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground, and she took up her son and went out.

NASB 1977
Then she went in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground, and she took up her son and went out.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then she came in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground, and she took up her son and went out.

Amplified Bible
She came and fell at his feet, bowing herself to the ground [in respect and gratitude]. Then she picked up her son and left.

Christian Standard Bible
She came, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground; she picked up her son and left.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
She came, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground; she picked up her son and left.

American Standard Version
Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground; and she took up her son, and went out.

Contemporary English Version
She came in and bowed down at Elisha's feet. Then she picked up her son and left.

English Revised Version
Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground; and she took up her son, and went out.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then she immediately bowed at his feet. She took her son and left.

Good News Translation
She fell at Elisha's feet, with her face touching the ground; then she took her son and left.

International Standard Version
Then she approached him, fell at his feet, bowing low to the ground, took back her son, and went out.

Majority Standard Bible
She came in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out.

NET Bible
She came in, fell at his feet, and bowed down. Then she picked up her son and left.

New Heart English Bible
Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground; and she took up her son, and went out.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.

World English Bible
Then she went in, fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground; then she picked up her son, and went out.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And she goes in, and falls at his feet, and bows herself to the earth, and lifts up her son, and goes out.

Young's Literal Translation
And she goeth in, and falleth at his feet, and boweth herself to the earth, and lifteth up her son, and goeth out.

Smith's Literal Translation
And she will go in and fall at his feet, and worship him to the earth; and she will lift up her son and go forth.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
She came and fell at his feet, and worshipped upon the ground: and took up her son, and went out.

Catholic Public Domain Version
She went and fell at his feet, and she reverenced upon the ground. And she took up her son, and departed.

New American Bible
She came in and fell at his feet in homage; then she took her son and left.

New Revised Standard Version
She came and fell at his feet, bowing to the ground; then she took her son and left.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then she went in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground and took up her son and went Out.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And she fell at his feet, and she bowed to him on the floor, and the Shilumite took her son and she went out.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed down to the ground; and she took up her son, and went out.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the woman went in, and fell at his feet, and did obeisance bowing to the ground; and she took her son, and went out.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Elisha Raises the Shunammite's Son
36Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite woman.” So he called her and she came. Then Elisha said, “Pick up your son.” 37She came in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out.

Cross References
1 Kings 17:22-24
And the LORD listened to the voice of Elijah, and the child’s life returned to him, and he lived. / Then Elijah took the child, brought him down from the upper room into the house, and gave him to his mother. “Look, your son is alive,” Elijah declared. / Then 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.”

Hebrews 11:35
Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused their release, so that they might gain a better resurrection.

Luke 7:14-15
Then He went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. “Young man,” He said, “I tell you, get up!” / And the dead man sat up and began to speak! Then Jesus gave him back to his mother.

Mark 5:41-42
Taking her by the hand, Jesus said, “Talitha koum!” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” / Immediately the girl got up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). And at once they were utterly astounded.

John 11:43-44
After Jesus had said this, He called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” / The man who had been dead came out with his hands and feet bound in strips of linen, and his face wrapped in a cloth. “Unwrap him and let him go,” Jesus told them.

Acts 9:40-41
Then Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down and prayed, and turning toward her body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. / Peter took her by the hand and helped her up. Then he called the saints and widows and presented her to them alive.

Matthew 9:25
After the crowd had been put outside, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.

1 Samuel 1:27-28
I prayed for this boy, and since the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him, / I now dedicate the boy to the LORD. For as long as he lives, he is dedicated to the LORD.” So they worshiped the LORD there.

Genesis 22:12-13
“Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him,” said the angel, “for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.” / Then Abraham looked up and saw behind him a ram in a thicket, caught by its horns. So he went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son.

1 Kings 17:17-23
Later, the son of the woman who owned the house became ill, and his sickness grew worse and worse, until no breath remained in him. / “O man of God,” said the woman to Elijah, “what have you done to me? Have you come to remind me of my iniquity and cause the death of my son?” / But Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.” So he took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed. ...

2 Kings 8:1-6
Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Arise, you and your household; go and live as a foreigner wherever you can. For the LORD has decreed that a seven-year famine will come to the land.” / So the woman had proceeded to do as the man of God had instructed. And she and her household lived as foreigners for seven years in the land of the Philistines. / At the end of seven years, when the woman returned from the land of the Philistines, she went to the king to appeal for her house and her land. ...

Job 1:20-21
Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped, / saying: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.”

Psalm 30:11-12
You turned my mourning into dancing; You peeled off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, / that my heart may sing Your praises and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks forever.

Isaiah 25:8
He will swallow up death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face and remove the disgrace of His people from the whole earth. For the LORD has spoken.

Jeremiah 31:16-17
This is what the LORD says: “Keep your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for the reward for your work will come, declares the LORD. Then your children will return from the land of the enemy. / So there is hope for your future, declares the LORD, and your children will return to their own land.


Treasury of Scripture

Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.

fell at his feet

2 Kings 4:27
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.

2 Kings 2:15
And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

1 Kings 17:24
And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.

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2 Kings 4
1. Elisha multiplies the widow's oil
8. He obtains a son for the good Shunammite
18. He restores her son when dead
38. At Gilgal he heals the deadly pottage
42. He satisfies a hundred men with twenty loaves














She came in
The woman in this passage is the Shunammite woman, who had previously shown great hospitality to the prophet Elisha. Her coming in signifies her return to the prophet's presence after a miraculous event. This reflects the cultural practice of seeking out a prophet or man of God for guidance and intervention, as prophets were seen as intermediaries between God and His people.

fell at his feet
Falling at someone's feet was a sign of deep respect and gratitude in ancient Near Eastern culture. This act indicates her acknowledgment of Elisha's role as a man of God and her profound thankfulness for the miracle that has just occurred. It also parallels other biblical instances where individuals fall at the feet of Jesus, recognizing His divine authority and power (e.g., Luke 8:41, Mark 5:22).

and bowed to the ground
Bowing to the ground further emphasizes her humility and reverence. This gesture is often associated with worship and submission, seen throughout the Old Testament when individuals encounter divine intervention or presence (e.g., Genesis 18:2, Exodus 34:8). It underscores the recognition of God's power working through His prophet.

Then she picked up her son
The act of picking up her son signifies the restoration of life and the fulfillment of Elisha's promise. This miracle is reminiscent of other biblical accounts of resurrection, such as Elijah raising the widow's son in 1 Kings 17:22 and Jesus raising Jairus's daughter in Mark 5:41-42. It serves as a type of Christ, foreshadowing the ultimate resurrection power of Jesus.

and went out
Her departure with her son symbolizes the completion of the miracle and the return to normalcy. It highlights the transformative power of faith and God's intervention in the lives of His people. This moment also reflects the peace and restoration that follows divine encounters, as seen in other biblical narratives where individuals are sent away in peace after experiencing God's miraculous works (e.g., Mark 5:34, Luke 7:50).

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Shunammite Woman
A notable woman from Shunem who showed great hospitality to the prophet Elisha. Her faith and perseverance are central to this account.

2. Elisha
A prophet of God who succeeded Elijah. He performed many miracles, including the resurrection of the Shunammite woman's son.

3. The Shunammite's Son
The child given to the Shunammite woman as a promise from God through Elisha. His death and subsequent resurrection are pivotal events in this chapter.

4. Shunem
A town in the territory of Issachar, where the Shunammite woman lived. It serves as the setting for this miraculous event.

5. The Miracle of Resurrection
The event where Elisha, through God's power, raises the Shunammite woman's son from the dead, demonstrating God's power over life and death.
Teaching Points
Faith in God's Promises
The Shunammite woman's account teaches us to hold steadfastly to God's promises, even when circumstances seem dire.

The Power of Prayer and Persistence
Her actions demonstrate the importance of persistent prayer and seeking God's intervention in times of crisis.

God's Compassion and Power
This account illustrates God's compassion and His sovereign power over life and death, encouraging believers to trust in His ultimate authority.

The Role of Gratitude and Worship
The Shunammite woman's response of bowing to the ground signifies gratitude and worship, reminding us to honor God in all circumstances.(37) Then she went in.--And she came.

Bowed herself to the ground.--In deep veneration for the prophet of Jehovah.

Verse 37. - Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground; in acknowledgment of the boon conferred on her. In the East such prostrations are common, and denote at once gratitude and humility. And took up her son, and went out. (On some later circumstances in the life of the woman, see 2 Kings 8:1-6.)

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
She came in,
וַתָּבֹא֙ (wat·tā·ḇō)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

fell
וַתִּפֹּ֣ל (wat·tip·pōl)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie

at
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

his feet,
רַגְלָ֔יו (raḡ·lāw)
Noun - fdc | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7272: A foot, a step, the pudenda

and bowed
וַתִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ (wat·tiš·ta·ḥū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7812: To depress, prostrate

to the ground.
אָ֑רְצָה (’ā·rə·ṣāh)
Noun - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

Then she picked up
וַתִּשָּׂ֥א (wat·tiś·śā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

her son
בְּנָ֖הּ (bə·nāh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1121: A son

and went out.
וַתֵּצֵֽא׃ (wat·tê·ṣê)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim


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OT History: 2 Kings 4:37 Then she went in and fell at (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 4:36
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