God’s promises can be trusted, even when circumstances seem unbearable.
In this passage, the Shunammite woman approaches the prophet Elisha, pouring out her distress with the words: “Then she said, ‘Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me’?” (2 Kings 4:28). She reminds Elisha that she did not initially request the blessing of motherhood but had reluctantly received Elisha’s promise of a child, which had been given through divine intervention. Elisha, an important prophet in Israel during the ninth century BC (circa 852-796 BC), traveled throughout the northern kingdom, performing miracles and guiding the people back to devotion to the LORD. The Shunammite woman’s heartfelt question arises from her anguish over the sudden loss of the very child she feared to hope for.
“Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me’?” (2 Kings 4:28) also reveals how shattered the woman was by the apparent end to her miracle. She came from Shunem, a village located in the fertile Jezreel Valley in northern Israel, east of Mount Carmel. By confronting Elisha, she expresses both her faith and frustration, trusting that God had granted her a child but also feeling betrayed by the bitter tragedy that followed. Her response resonates with other biblical examples of lament, such as Hannah pouring out her soul before the LORD (1 Samuel 1:9-18), reminding us that God’s people often express grief and confusion when circumstances seem to contradict His promises.
When she cries out, “Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me’?” (2 Kings 4:28), she underscores her deep pain and her conviction that God’s word through His prophet should remain true. This verse foreshadows the redemptive miracle that would come next, where Elisha, relying on divine guidance, would raise her son to life (2 Kings 4:32-37). Ultimately, this account not only testifies to God’s control over life and death, but also points ahead to future miracles of resurrection seen in the ministry of Jesus Christ (Luke 7:14-15).
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2 Kings 4:28 meaning
In this passage, the Shunammite woman approaches the prophet Elisha, pouring out her distress with the words: “Then she said, ‘Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me’?” (2 Kings 4:28). She reminds Elisha that she did not initially request the blessing of motherhood but had reluctantly received Elisha’s promise of a child, which had been given through divine intervention. Elisha, an important prophet in Israel during the ninth century BC (circa 852-796 BC), traveled throughout the northern kingdom, performing miracles and guiding the people back to devotion to the LORD. The Shunammite woman’s heartfelt question arises from her anguish over the sudden loss of the very child she feared to hope for.
“Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me’?” (2 Kings 4:28) also reveals how shattered the woman was by the apparent end to her miracle. She came from Shunem, a village located in the fertile Jezreel Valley in northern Israel, east of Mount Carmel. By confronting Elisha, she expresses both her faith and frustration, trusting that God had granted her a child but also feeling betrayed by the bitter tragedy that followed. Her response resonates with other biblical examples of lament, such as Hannah pouring out her soul before the LORD (1 Samuel 1:9-18), reminding us that God’s people often express grief and confusion when circumstances seem to contradict His promises.
When she cries out, “Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me’?” (2 Kings 4:28), she underscores her deep pain and her conviction that God’s word through His prophet should remain true. This verse foreshadows the redemptive miracle that would come next, where Elisha, relying on divine guidance, would raise her son to life (2 Kings 4:32-37). Ultimately, this account not only testifies to God’s control over life and death, but also points ahead to future miracles of resurrection seen in the ministry of Jesus Christ (Luke 7:14-15).