2 Kings 4:28

Contextual Overview

¹⁸The child grew and one day went out to his father and the harvesters. ¹⁸ When the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. ¹⁸ And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. ¹⁸ When the child had grown, he went out one day to his father among the reapers. ¹⁸ The boy grew up and one day went out to his father, who was with the grain harvesters. ¹⁸ The boy grew and one day he went out to see his father who was with the harvest workers. ¹⁸When the child was grown, the day came that he went out to his father, to the reapers. ¹⁸ When the child was grown, the day came that he went out to his father, to the reapers. ¹⁸ And when the childe was growen, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father, and to the reapers. ¹⁸Then the child was grown. And the day came that he went out to his father to the reapers.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Did I desire: Genesis 30:1

Do not: 2 Kings 4:16

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 8:12 - my Lord Job 7:11 - the anguish Acts 9:38 - desiring

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then she said, did I desire a son of my lord?.... It was not at her request she had one, at least the first motion was not from her; the prophet first told her, and assured her she should have one, without her asking for it; she might be pleased with it, and desire the promise might be fulfilled; but it was not an inordinate, importunate, desire of one, in which she had exceeded, that so the taking it away from her might be a correction of her for it:

did I not say, do not deceive me; by giving hopes of a child, and yet have none; and now it was equally the same, or worse, to have one, and then to have it taken away again as soon as had almost; so the Targum,

"did I not say unto thee, if a child is given me, let it live, if not, do not trouble or grieve me;''

and then, no doubt, she told him plainly the child was dead, and where she had laid it, though not recorded.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Great grief shrinks from putting itself into words. The Shunammite cannot bring herself to say, “My son is dead;” but by reproaching the prophet with having “deceived” her, she sufficiently indicates her loss.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 28. Did I desire a son of my lord? — I expressed no such wish to thee; I was contented and happy; and when thou didst promise me a son, did I not say, Do not deceive me? Do not mock me with a child which shall grow up to be attractive and engaging, but of whom I shall soon be deprived by death.