2 Kings 4:23

The NET Bible®

He said, "Why do you want to go see him today? It is not the new moon or the Sabbath." She said, "Everything's fine."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But he said, “Why go to him today? It’s not a New Moon or a Sabbath.”

Hebrew Names Version
He said, Why will you go to him today? it is neither new moon nor Shabbat. She said, It shall be well.

King James Version
And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.

English Standard Version
And he said, "Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath." She said, "All is well."

New Century Version
The husband said, "Why do you want to go to him today? It isn't the New Moon or the Sabbath day." She said, "It will be all right."

Amplified Bible
He said, "Why are you going to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath." And she said, "It will be all right."

New American Standard Bible
But he said, "Why are you going to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath." So she just said, "It will be fine."

Geneva Bible (1587)
And he sayd, Wherefore wilt thou goe to him to day? it is neither newe moone nor Sabbath day. And she answered, All shalbe well.

Legacy Standard Bible
And he said, "Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath." And she said, "It is well."

Contemporary English Version
"Why do you need to see him today?" her husband asked. "It's not the Sabbath or time for the New Moon Festival." "That's all right," she answered.

Complete Jewish Bible
He asked, "Why are you going to him today? It isn't Rosh-Hodesh and it isn't Shabbat." She said, "It's all right."

Darby Translation
And he said, Why wilt thou go to him to-day? It is neither new moon nor sabbath. And she said, [It is] well.

Easy-to-Read Version
The woman's husband said, "Why would you want to go to the man of God today? It isn't the New Moon or Sabbath day." She said, "Goodbye!"

George Lamsa Translation
And he said to her, Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath. But the Shilomite gave orders;

Good News Translation
"Why do you have to go today?" her husband asked. "It's neither a Sabbath nor a New Moon Festival." "Never mind," she answered.

Lexham English Bible
And he said, "Why are you going to him today? It is neither the new moon nor the Sabbath!" And she said, "Peace."

Literal Translation
And he said, Why are you going to him today; it is neither new moon nor sabbath? And she said, Peace.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He sayde: Why wilt thou go vnto him? To daye is it nether new moone ner Sabbath. She sayde: Well.

American Standard Version
And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to-day? it is neither new moon nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.

Bible in Basic English
And he said, Why are you going to him today? it is not a new moon or a Sabbath. But she said, It is well.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he saide: Wherefore wylt thou go to him? seing that to day is neither newe moone nor sabbath day. And she aunswered: All shalbe well.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he said: Wherefore wilt thou go to him today? it is neither new moon nor sabbath.' And she said: 'It shall be well.'

King James Version (1611)
And he said, Wherefore wilt thou goe to him to day? it is neither newe moone nor Sabbath. And shee said, It shalbe well.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he said, Why art thou going to him to-day? It is neither new moon, nor the Sabbath. And she said, It is well.

English Revised Version
And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him today? it is neither new moon nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.

Berean Standard Bible
"Why would you go to him today?" he replied. "It is not a New Moon or a Sabbath." "Everything is all right," she said.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide to hir, For what cause goist thou to hym? to dai ben not calendis, nether sabat. And she answeride, Y schal go.

Young's Literal Translation
And he saith, `Wherefore art thou going unto him to-day? -- neither new moon nor sabbath!' and she saith, `Peace [to thee]!'

Update Bible Version
And he said, Why will you go to him today? it is neither new moon nor Sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said, Why wilt thou go to him to-day? [it is] neither new-moon, nor sabbath. And she said, [It shall be] well.

World English Bible
He said, Why will you go to him today? it is neither new moon nor Sabbath. She said, It shall be well.

New King James Version
So he said, "Why are you going to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath." And she said, "It is well."

New Living Translation
"Why go today?" he asked. "It is neither a new moon festival nor a Sabbath." But she said, "It will be all right."

New Life Bible
Her husband said, "Why will you go to him today? It is not the time of the new moon or the Day of Rest." She said, "It will be all right."

New Revised Standard
He said, "Why go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath." She said, "It will be all right."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he said - Wherefore art thou going unto him, to-day, neither new moon nor sabbath? And she said - Peace!

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to her: Why dost thou go to him? to day is neither new moon nor sabbath. She answered: I will go.

Revised Standard Version
And he said, "Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath." She said, "It will be well."

THE MESSAGE
"But why today? This isn't a holy day—it's neither New Moon nor Sabbath." She said, "Don't ask questions; I need to go right now. Trust me."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
He said, "Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath." And she said, "It will be well."

Contextual Overview

¹⁸ The boy grew and one day he went out to see his father who was with the harvest workers. ¹⁹ He said to his father, "My head! My head!" His father told a servant, "Carry him to his mother." ²⁰ So he picked him up and took him to his mother. He sat on her lap until noon and then died. ²¹ She went up and laid him down on the prophet's bed. She shut the door behind her and left. ²² She called to her husband, "Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, so I can go see the prophet quickly and then return." ²³ He said, "Why do you want to go see him today? It is not the new moon or the Sabbath." She said, "Everything's fine." ²⁴ She saddled the donkey and told her servant, "Lead on. Do not stop unless I say so." ²⁵ So she went to visit the prophet at Mount Carmel. When he saw her at a distance, he said to his servant Gehazi, "Look, it's the Shunammite woman. ²⁶ Now, run to meet her and ask her, ‘Are you well? Are your husband and the boy well?'" She told Gehazi, "Everything's fine." ²⁷ But when she reached the prophet on the mountain, she grabbed hold of his feet. Gehazi came near to push her away, but the prophet said, "Leave her alone, for she is very upset. The Lord has kept the matter hidden from me; he didn't tell me about it."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

new moon: Numbers 10:10, Numbers 28:11, 1 Chronicles 23:31, Isaiah 1:13-15

well: Heb. peace, 2 Kings 4:26

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 20:5 - the new moon Psalms 74:8 - all the synagogues Psalms 81:3 - new Proverbs 31:11 - General Isaiah 66:23 - that from Amos 8:5 - When Colossians 2:16 - the new

Cross-References

Exodus 20:13
"You shall not murder.

Leviticus 19:18
You must not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the children of your people, but you must love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord .

Numbers 23:18
Balaam uttered his oracle, and said, "Rise up, Balak, and hear; Listen to me, son of Zippor:

Judges 9:7
When Jotham heard the news, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. He spoke loudly to the people below, "Listen to me, leaders of Shechem, so that God may listen to you!

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said, wherefore wilt thou go to him today?.... What reason is there for it? what is the meaning of it?

it is neither new moon nor sabbath; neither the first day of the month, nor the seventh day of the week, times which were religiously observed; so with the Heathens the new moon and the seventh of the week, and so the fourth, were sacred u; which notions they borrowed from the Jews,

:- and when, it seems, it was usual to frequent the house of the prophet, to hear the word of God read and explained, and other religious exercises performed, as praying and singing praise, and receiving some good instructions and advice. Joseph Kimchi gives a different sense of these words:

"there is not a month past, no, not a week, since thou sawest him;''

why therefore shouldest thou be in such haste to go to him? so the words for new moon and sabbath may signify:

and she said, it shall be well; it was right for her to go, and it would be well for him and her, and the family; or, "peace" w, be easy and quiet, farewell: it is much he had no mistrust of the death of the child, or that it was worse, since it went from him ill.

u Hesiod. Opera & Dies, l. 2. w שלום "pax", Pagninus, Montanus, &c.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Her husband did not connect the illness with his wife’s demand, but thought she wished to attend one of the prophet’s devotional services. It is evident that such services were now held with something like regularity on Carmel for the benefit of the faithfull in those parts.

New moon - By the Law the first day of each month was to be kept holy. Offerings were appointed for such occasions Numbers 28:11-15, and they were among the days on which the silver trumpets were to be blown Numbers 10:10; Psalms 81:3. Hence, “new moons” are frequently joined with “sabbaths” (see Isaiah 1:13; Ezekiel 45:17; Hosea 2:11; 1 Chronicles 23:31).

It shall be well - Rather, as in the margin, “Peace.” i. e., “Be quiet - trouble me not with inquiries - only let me do as I wish.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 4:23. Wherefore wilt thou go — She was a very prudent woman; she would not harass the feelings of her husband by informing him of the death of his son till she had tried the power of the prophet. Though the religion of the true God was not the religion of the state, yet there were no doubt multitudes of the people who continued to worship the true God alone, and were in the habit of going, as is here intimated, on new moons and Sabbaths, to consult the prophet.