The Meaning of 2 Kings 8:4 Explained

2 Kings 8:4

KJV: And the king talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done.

YLT: And the king is speaking unto Gehazi, servant of the man of God, saying, 'Recount, I pray thee, to me, the whole of the great things that Elisha hath done.'

Darby: And the king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha has done.

ASV: Now the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the king  talked  with Gehazi  the servant  of the man  of God,  saying,  Tell  me, I pray thee, all the great things  that Elisha  hath done. 

What does 2 Kings 8:4 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 8:1-15 - The Power Behind The Throne
Nothing happens in our life or in the world apart from the divine appointment or permission. Behind every event and incident there is a divine providence. The Shunammite who had done so much for Elisha was remembered and cared for, years afterward. The King has a wonderful memory for those who fed him when he was hungry, and ministered to him when he was in need. "When saw we thee"¦? Inasmuch as"¦," Matthew 25:37. This conversation between the king and Gehazi might have seemed an accident, but it was a providence. If we abide in the will of God, life will be sown with divine coincidences.
Here is another instance: Elisha comes to Damascus, evidently at God's bidding, just when Benhadad is sick. That sickness would not be mortal, but he would die prematurely from another cause. Would that men of God today had more of this gift of weeping over sinners and their destiny! No one resented hearing D.L. Moody talk of hell, because his voice always faltered. The prophet read Hazael's destiny from the Book of God-not from his set face-and how astounding it was! Ah, what depths of wickedness there are of which we are capable! "Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins." [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 8

1  The Shunammite, having left her country seven years, to avoid the famine,
5  for Elisha's miracle's sake has her land restored by the king
7  Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad and succeeds him
16  Jehoram's wicked reign in Judah
20  Edom and Libnah revolt
23  Ahaziah succeeds Jehoram
25  Ahaziah's wicked reign
28  He visits Joram, being wounded, at Jezreel

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 8:4 mean?

And the king talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God saying Tell please me - all the great things that has done Elisha
וְהַמֶּ֗לֶךְ מְדַבֵּר֙ אֶל־ גֵּ֣חֲזִ֔י נַ֥עַר אִישׁ־ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר סַפְּרָה־ נָּ֣א לִ֔י אֵ֥ת כָּל־ הַגְּדֹל֖וֹת אֲשֶׁר־ עָשָׂ֥ה אֱלִישָֽׁע

וְהַמֶּ֗לֶךְ  And  the  king 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
מְדַבֵּר֙  talked 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
גֵּ֣חֲזִ֔י  Gehazi 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֵּיחֲזִי  
Sense: the servant of Elisha.
נַ֥עַר  the  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נַעַר  
Sense: a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer.
אִישׁ־  of  the  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
לֵאמֹ֑ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
סַפְּרָה־  Tell 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: סָפַר 
Sense: to count, recount, relate.
נָּ֣א  please 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
לִ֔י  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
אֵ֥ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַגְּדֹל֖וֹת  the  great  things 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine plural
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
אֲשֶׁר־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עָשָׂ֥ה  has  done 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
אֱלִישָֽׁע  Elisha 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱלִישָׁע  
Sense: the great prophet who succeeded Elijah.