In the Bible, the act of sneezing is mentioned explicitly in the context of a miraculous event. The most notable reference to sneezing is found in the account of the prophet Elisha and the Shunammite woman's son in the Old Testament.

Biblical Reference:

· 2 Kings 4:32-35 : "When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his bed. So he went in, closed the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD. Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out over him, the boy’s body became warm. Elisha turned away and walked back and forth across the room. Then he got on the bed and stretched out over him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes."

In this passage, the act of sneezing is directly associated with the restoration of life. The boy's seven sneezes signify the completion of the miraculous healing process, as the number seven often represents completeness or perfection in biblical symbolism. This event underscores the power of God working through His prophet, Elisha, to perform miracles and restore life.

Symbolism and Interpretation:

The sneeze in this context can be seen as a sign of life and vitality returning to the boy. In ancient cultures, sneezing was sometimes viewed as an omen or a sign of spiritual activity. In the biblical narrative, the sneezes serve as a tangible indication of the boy's revival, marking the transition from death to life.

Cultural and Historical Context:

While the Bible does not provide extensive commentary on sneezing beyond this account, it is worth noting that in various cultures throughout history, sneezing has been associated with superstitions and beliefs about the soul or spirit. In some traditions, sneezing was thought to expel evil spirits or to be a sign of divine favor or protection.

Theological Implications:

From a theological perspective, the miracle of the Shunammite woman's son being brought back to life through Elisha's intercession highlights the sovereignty and compassion of God. It demonstrates God's power over life and death and His willingness to intervene in the lives of His people. The sneezing serves as a physical manifestation of God's miraculous work, reinforcing the belief in His active presence and ability to restore and heal.

In summary, while the Bible does not extensively discuss sneezing, its mention in the account of Elisha and the Shunammite woman's son provides a profound example of God's miraculous power and the restoration of life.1. (v. i.) To emit air, chiefly through the nose, audibly and violently, by a kind of involuntary convulsive force, occasioned by irritation of the inner membrane of the nose.

2. (n.) A sudden and violent ejection of air with an audible sound, chiefly through the nose.

SNEEZE

snez (zorer, Pho`el-form zarar): "The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes" (2 Kings 4:35). "Sneezing," better "snorting," is found in the description of Leviathan (the crocodile): "His sneezings (`atsishah) flash forth light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning" (Job 41:18 (Hebrew 10)).

See NEESING.

2237. zarar -- to sneeze
... zarar. 2238 . to sneeze. Transliteration: zarar Phonetic Spelling: (zaw-rar')
Short Definition: sneezed. ... root Definition to sneeze NASB Word Usage sneezed (1). ...
/hebrew/2237.htm - 6k

5846. atishah -- a sneezing
... sneezes (1). sneezing. From an unused root meaning to sneeze; sneezing --
sneezing. 5845, 5846. atishah. 5847 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/5846.htm - 5k

But if the Soul of Birds is to be Esteemed Divine Because Future ...
... as the birds are possessed of a divine soul, and are capable of perceiving God,
or, as Celsus says, the gods, it is clear that when we men also sneeze, we do ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/origen/origen against celsus/chapter xciv but if the.htm

The Death of Darius.
... The Persian fleet sails southward."Fate of Hippias."Omens."The dream and the
sneeze."Hippias falls in battle."Movements of the Persian fleet."The ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/darius the great/chapter xii the death of.htm

The Superstitious Nature of Human Institutions.
... class, too, belong the following rules: To tread upon the threshold when you go
out in front of the house; to go back to bed if any one should sneeze when you ...
/.../on christian doctrine in four books /chapter 20 the superstitious nature of.htm

To These we May Add Thousands of the Most Frivolous Practices...
... class, too, belong the following rules: To tread upon the threshold when you go
out in front of the house; to go back to bed if any one should sneeze when you ...
/.../augustine/on christian doctrine in four books/chapter 31 to these we.htm

Whether Observances Directed to the Purpose of Fortune-Telling are ...
... between friends walking together; kicking the door-post when anyone passes in front
of one's house; to go back to bed if you happen to sneeze while putting on ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether observances directed to the 2.htm

Letter vii. Tact --Unobtrusiveness.
... or intimacy before people. She will if possible suppress the sudden sneeze,
and use every effort to quiet a cough. She will not ...
/.../letter vii tactunobtrusiveness.htm

The Evolution of Language
... Verbs are formed on the same principle as nouns. In the Tecuna language of Brazil
the verb to sneeze is haitschu, while the Welsh for a sneeze is tis. ...
/.../the lowell lectures on the ascent of man/chapter v the evolution of.htm

The Immaculate Conception
... I was being much comforted, and then all of a sudden I was woken by my sneeze and
someone said to me "You must wake up ", but I did not want to, I was so happy ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/ii the immaculate conception.htm

Ephesians iv. 17
... And so if an ass should bray, or a cock should crow, or a man should sneeze, or
whatever else may happen, like men bound with ten thousand chains, or, as I was ...
/.../homily xii ephesians iv 17.htm

The Sibylline Oracles.
... anxious thought the course of sun and moon, nor the wonders that are found on earth,
nor the depth of ocean's blue-eyed sea, nor the omens of a sneeze and the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the sibylline oracles.htm

Sneeze
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. SNEEZE. snez (zorer, Pho`el-form zarar): "The
child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes" (2 Kings 4:35). ...
/s/sneeze.htm - 7k

Neesing
... the American Standard Revised Version "sneezings"): "Neese" in Elizabethan English
(through two distinct derivations) could mean either "sneeze" or "snort ...
/n/neesing.htm - 7k

Sneers (1 Occurrence)

/s/sneers.htm - 6k

Sneezed (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Sneeze. Multi-Version Concordance
Sneezed (1 Occurrence). 2 Kings 4:35 Then he returned, and ...
/s/sneezed.htm - 6k

Sneezing (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Sneeze. 2. (n.) The act
of violently forcing air out through the nasal passages ...
/s/sneezing.htm - 7k

Why do we say, ʺGod bless you,ʺ when someone sneezes? | GotQuestions.org

Sneeze: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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