2 Kings 4:28

Then she said, “Did I ask you for a son, my lord? Didn’t I say, ‘Do not deceive me?’”

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The Shunammite woman speaks to Elisha upon arriving at the mountain where he is staying. She addresses him as "my lord" while clinging to his feet in a state of deep distress.

The words — The phrase הֲ/שָׁאַ֥לְתִּי בֵ֖ן (ha./sha.'Al.ti ven) literally renders "did I ask for a son," while לֹ֥א אָמַ֔רְתִּי (lo' 'a.Mar.ti) translates to "did I not say."

The thread — This echoes her earlier refusal of Elisha’s prophecy in 2 Kings 4:16 and parallels Rachel’s desperate plea for offspring in Genesis 30:1.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that divine promises operate independently of human requests or skepticism. It requires the reader to trust the speaker’s word over their own capacity to comprehend or control the outcome.

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

וַתֹּ֕אמֶרva./To.merand/ she said הֲשָׁאַ֥לְתִּיha./sha.'Al.ti¿/ did I ask for בֵ֖ןvena son מֵאֵ֣תme./'Etfrom/ with אֲדֹנִ֑י'a.do.N/ilord/ my הֲלֹ֣אha./Lo'¿/ not אָמַ֔רְתִּי'a.Mar.tidid I say לֹ֥אlo'not תַשְׁלֶ֖הtash.Lehyou must deceive אֹתִֽי׃'o.T/i<obj.>/ me

King James Version

Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?

Cross-references

Genesis 30:1 When Rachel saw that she was not bearing any children for Jacob, she envied her sister. “Give me children, or I will die!” she said to Jacob.
2 Kings 4:16 And Elisha declared, “At this time next year, you will hold a son in your arms.” “No, my lord,” she said. “Do not lie to your maidservant, O man of God.”