Bible Strands
2 Kings 4:34
Then Elisha got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eye to eye, and hand to hand. As he stretched himself out over him, the boy’s body became warm.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Elisha acts alone in a closed room after praying to the LORD, positioning himself physically over the dead Shunammite boy. The action occurs immediately following his prayer and precedes the boy’s revival.
The words — The Hebrew וַ/יִּשְׁכַּב (va/i.yish.Kav) translates to "and he lay," while פִּי/ו עַל פִּי/ו (pi/v 'al pi/v) literally renders "mouth to his mouth." These terms record the physical contact Elisha establishes with the child.
The thread — This physical posture echoes Elijah’s intercession in 1 Kings 17:21 and anticipates Paul’s restorative gesture in Acts 20:10. The text links prophetic revival through bodily presence across different covenant eras.
Why it lands — The passage demands attention to the tangible means God uses to restore life, rather than abstract ritual. It requires the reader to recognize that divine action operates through concrete human participation.
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
King James Version
And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
Cross-references
- 1 Kings 17:21 Then he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the LORD, “O LORD my God, please let this boy’s life return to him!”
- Acts 20:10 But Paul went down, threw himself on the young man, and embraced him. “Do not be alarmed!” he said. “He is still alive!”