2 Kings 4:22

And the woman called her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may go quickly to the man of God and return.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Shunammite woman addresses her husband immediately after leaving her dead son on Elisha’s bed, requesting immediate transport to reach the prophet. She speaks at a moment of urgent, unexplained action following a closed-door vigil.

The words — The Hebrew verb וַ/תִּקְרָא (va./tik.Ra') translates literally as “and she called,” marking a decisive summons rather than a casual inquiry. The imperative שִלְחָ֨/ה (shil.Cha/h) means “send!” and underscores the urgency of her request.

The thread — This urgent summons to a prophet parallels her later command to her servant in 2 Kings 4:24 and the sisters’ immediate message to Jesus in John 11:3. The pattern of direct, time-sensitive communication to a spiritual leader appears across both accounts.

Why it lands — The text records her dismissal of ritual calendars when she replies “Everything is all right” to her husband’s question about the New Moon or Sabbath in 2 Kings 4:23. It requires a reader to acknowledge that urgent spiritual need overrides ordinary religious schedules and demands immediate, unhesitating action.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַתִּקְרָא֮va./tik.Ra'and/ she called אֶל־'el-to אִישָׁהּ֒'i.Sha/hhusband/ her וַתֹּ֗אמֶרva./To.merand/ she said שִׁלְחָ֨הshil.Cha/hsend/ !נָ֥אna'pleaseלִי֙l/ito/ meאֶחָ֣ד'e.Chadone מִן־min-of הַנְּעָרִ֔יםha./ne.'a.Rimthe/ servants וְאַחַ֖תve./'a.Chatand/ one of הָאֲתֹנ֑וֹתha./'a.to.Notthe/ donkeys וְאָר֛וּצָהve./'a.Ru.tzahso/ I may run עַד־'ad-to אִ֥ישׁ'ish[the] man of הָאֱלֹהִ֖יםha./'E.lo.Him<the>/ God וְאָשֽׁוּבָה׃ve./'a.Shu.vahso/ I may return

King James Version

And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again.

Cross-references

2 Kings 4:24 Then she saddled the donkey and told her servant, “Drive onward; do not slow the pace for me unless I tell you.”
2 Kings 4:26 Please run out now to meet her and ask, ‘Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?’” And she answered, “Everything is all right.”
John 11:3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one You love is sick.”
Acts 9:38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to urge him, “Come to us without delay.”