2 Kings 4:16
“And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Elisha promises the barren woman a son within a year, but she protests, fearing disappointment.
Context
Elisha is speaking to the Shunammite woman, a wealthy widow who has been hospitable to him. He is offering to return her kindness with a blessing.
What Does 2 Kings 4:16 Mean?
Elisha speaks with the certainty of one who carries God's word. 'About this season' means within a year, and 'according to the time of life' speaks of the natural season of childbearing. But the woman cannot believe it. Her 'Nay, my lord' is not mere courtesy; it is the voice of someone who has been told such things before, perhaps by physicians or others who gave her hope and took it away. 'Do not lie unto thine handmaid' carries both longing and the armor of self-protection.
In this moment we see faith meeting faith, but hers is wrapped in caution. Yet Elisha does not argue or persuade. He simply states what God will do. Sometimes the greatest gift we can offer to someone who has been hurt by false hope is not argument, but steady conviction and the willingness to follow through. Christ himself comes as the one who fulfills every promise, who does not lie, and who restores what we thought was lost forever.
In the Original Language
emunah (אמונה), 'faith' -- the woman's protestation shows the weight of broken hopes
Application
When we have been disappointed by life, we protect ourselves with doubt. Yet God calls us to lay down that shield and trust him despite what we have suffered. What disappointment has made it hard for you to believe a good promise?