The Meaning of 2 Kings 4:31 Explained

2 Kings 4:31

KJV: And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.

YLT: And Gehazi hath passed on before them, and layeth the staff on the face of the youth, and there is no voice, and there is no attention, and he turneth back to meet him, and declareth to him, saying, 'The youth hath not awaked.'

Darby: And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the lad; but there was neither voice, nor sign of attention. And he returned to meet him, and told him saying, The lad is not awaked.

ASV: And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he returned to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Gehazi  passed on  before  them, and laid  the staff  upon the face  of the child;  but [there was] neither voice,  nor hearing.  Wherefore he went again  to meet  him, and told  him, saying,  The child  is not awaked. 

What does 2 Kings 4:31 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 4:25-37 - The Dead Boy Restored To Life
There is fine illustration in this chapter of a noble reverence for goodness, of a good man's gratitude, and of the large reward that never fails those who deal kindly with God's children.
It is not enough to put the staff, even though it be the prophet's, on the cold, sweet face of a child. Our doctrine and precept may be quite good and straight, but something more is needed. There must be not a staff, not a servant, not an intermediary, but ourselves, our heart against the heart that is still, our lips against the dear, cold lips. It is as we give ourselves to the children, imparting our tenderest, strongest sympathy, that new life will come to them.
Walk to and fro in your house! Shut the door on yourself and the child! Pray to the Lord! Give yourself to the great work of saving the soul from death! Let the mother be praying in the room downstairs! Call to the little soul to awake and live. Your faith and prayer cannot fail of an answer. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 4:31 mean?

And Gehazi went on ahead of them and laid - the staff on the face of the child but [there was] no voice and no hearing Therefore he went back to meet him and told him saying not has awakened the child
וְגֵחֲזִ֞י עָבַ֣ר לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם וַיָּ֤שֶׂם אֶת־ הַמִּשְׁעֶ֙נֶת֙ עַל־ פְּנֵ֣י הַנַּ֔עַר וְאֵ֥ין ק֖וֹל וְאֵ֣ין קָ֑שֶׁב וַיָּ֤שָׁב לִקְרָאתוֹ֙ וַיַּגֶּד־ ל֣וֹ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹ֥א הֵקִ֖יץ הַנָּֽעַר

וְגֵחֲזִ֞י  And  Gehazi 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֵּיחֲזִי  
Sense: the servant of Elisha.
עָבַ֣ר  went  on 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם  ahead  of  them 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
וַיָּ֤שֶׂם  and  laid 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַמִּשְׁעֶ֙נֶת֙  the  staff 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַשְׁעֵנָה 
Sense: support (of every kind), staff.
פְּנֵ֣י  the  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הַנַּ֔עַר  of  the  child 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַעַר  
Sense: a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer.
וְאֵ֥ין  but  [there  was]  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
ק֖וֹל  voice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
וְאֵ֣ין  and  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
קָ֑שֶׁב  hearing 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֶשֶׁב  
Sense: attentiveness, attention.
וַיָּ֤שָׁב  Therefore  he  went  back 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
לִקְרָאתוֹ֙  to  meet  him 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to encounter, befall, meet.
וַיַּגֶּד־  and  told 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הֵקִ֖יץ  has  awakened 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קוּץ 
Sense: to awake, wake up.
הַנָּֽעַר  the  child 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַעַר  
Sense: a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer.