complete verse (2 Kings 4:34)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Kings 4:34:

  • Kupsabiny: “Elisha stretched himself as long as the child was with his mouth touching that of the child. His eyes/face touched those of the child and also his hands touched those of the child. When Elisha had stretched himself over the child like that, the body of the child began to get warm.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “After that, putting his own mouth, eyes and hands on the child’s mouth, eyes and hands, he stretched out his own body on top of the child’s body. When he stretched his body out like that on the body of the child, the child’s body became warm.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Then he lay-upon the child, his mouth upon the mouth of the child, his eyes upon the eyes of the child, and his hand upon the hand of the child. As he was laying-upon the child, the body of the child grew-warm little-by-little.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then he lay down on the boy’s body, and put his mouth on the boy’s mouth, and put his eyes on the boy’s eyes, and put his hands on the boy’s hands. Then the boy’s body started to become warm!” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Kings 4:34

Elijah performed a similar miracle when he restored life to the dead son of the widow in Zarephath (1 Kgs 17.21).

He went up: The verb went up almost certainly refers to Elisha’s getting up on the bed, which must have been elevated somewhat from the floor. Contemporary English Version says “he got on the bed.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “he mounted [the bed].”

Lay upon the child: The Hebrew verb here may be better translated “prostrated himself.”

Putting his mouth upon his mouth … his hands upon his hands: Here the position of Elisha relative to the dead boy is described in more detail. By putting the various parts of his body into contact with the same parts on the boy’s body, it was probably thought that there might be some sort of transfer of functions or life. But in contrast with the conduct of Gehazi, Elisha’s action was preceded by prayer to Yahweh.

The flesh of the child: The Hebrew word for flesh is often best translated “body” in the Old Testament, and that is certainly true here.

Became warm: Since the child’s body had previously been warm, some languages will have to add the word “again” to this description by saying “became warm again” or “warmed up again.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 2 Kings 4:34

4:34a Then Elisha got on the bed and lay on the boy,

Then he went/stepped up onto the bed and lay down on top of the boy.

-or-

He placed himself on the bed over/upon the child’s body.

4:34b mouth to mouth, eye to eye, and hand to hand.

⌊He placed/put⌋ his mouth to the boy’s mouth, his eyes on the boy’s eyes, and his hands on the boy’s hands.

-or-

His mouth was on the mouth of the child, his eyes were on the child’s eyes, and his hands were on the child’s hands.

4:34c As he stretched himself out over him,

As he was bending over the boy,

-or-

Elisha lay over the boy like this,

4:34d the boy’s body became warm.

the boy’s body became warm.

-or-

and the boy’s body started to warm.

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