2 Kings 4:17The woman conceived, and bore a son at that season, when the time came around, as Elisha had said to her.
The setting
One year later, same house in Shunem. The woman who feared false hope now holds her promised son. Ancient Hebrew culture celebrated male births with week-long festivals.
The emotion here: amazed at recording God's perfect faithfulness to His word
The original word
hārāh (הָרָה) — to conceive, become pregnant, carrying new life
Why it matters
In ancient Israel, the phrase 'when the time comes around' meant exactly one year, showing God's precision in timing
Read with care
What most readers miss in 2 Kings 4:17
The text emphasizes 'as Elisha had said' — God's word through His prophet proved completely reliable
Common misconceptionPeople see this as just a nice miracle story, but it's actually about God's character — He doesn't give false hope or break promises, even when we're afraid to believe.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 2 Kings 4:17
Bible Genome reading
2 Kings 4:17 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
2 Kings 4:17 comes from the book of 2 Kings, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is joyful, with a comfort power of 70% and a tone that is celebratory. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include fulfilled prophecy, divine faithfulness. Notable phrases: as Elisha had said; when the time came around.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same joyful
“For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, …”
— Isaiah 9:6
“For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:22
“"Death, where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory?"”
— 1 Corinthians 15:55
“Rejoice always.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:16
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17
Your reflection
What does 2 Kings 4:17 mean to you, today?
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