Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 4
Elisha shut the door so that he would be alone with the boy’s body. Gehazi and the boy’s mother remained outside while they waited for him. Elisha probably considered that he needed to give his full attention to prayer.
So, Elisha began to pray. He was depending completely upon God in this situation. If God did not act in an extremely powerful manner, the boy would certainly remain dead.
After some time in prayer, Elisha turned his attention to the boy. He placed his mouth on the boy’s mouth. It was as if, on God’s behalf, he was breathing the breath of life back into the boy (Genesis 2:7). Then he placed his eyes above the boy’s eyes, as if he was giving the eyes power to open again. Then he placed his hands on the boy’s hands, as if to give them strength. It seems that Elijah did something similar in 1 Kings 17:21.
The boy had died at about noon (4:20). Because of the distance from Carmel to Shumen, it seems likely that Elisha did not arrive until the evening. So, the boy had been dead for several hours. However, after Elisha stretched his body over the boy, the boy’s body started to become warm. This was the first sign that God was answering Elisha’s prayer.
It seems likely that this first evidence of life encouraged Elisha. The boy was clearly not alive yet. However, God was working in this situation. God had begun a great work, and he would complete it.
Next part: The dead boy recovers (2 Kings 4:35-37)
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