And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.
Parallel translations
- WEB The woman conceived, and bore a son at that season, when the time came around, as Elisha had said to her.
- BSB But the woman did conceive, and at that time the next year she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.
- NKJV But the woman conceived, and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her.
- NASB Now the woman conceived and gave birth to a son at that season the next year, as Elisha had told her.
- NLT But sure enough, the woman soon became pregnant. And at that time the following year she had a son, just as Elisha had said.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
As promised, the woman conceives and bears a son at the appointed time. God's word proves faithful and true.
Overview
The fulfillment comes exactly as Elisha foretold, confirming him as God's prophet. The birth answers a longing she had not even spoken. God's promises are sure and arrive in His timing. This faithful fulfillment points to the God who keeps every word, supremely in the promised Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Gen 21:1And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
- Ps 113:9He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.
- Luke 1:36And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
- Heb 11:11Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
- Luke 1:24–25And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
- 1 Sam 1:19–20And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Amid the long decline toward exile, the promise to David's house refuses to die; the flickering lamp kept burning anticipates the coming King who will not fail or be cut off.
How 2 Kings 4:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.