2 Kings 4 in the early church

[LXX: 4 Kingdoms; Vulgate: 4 Kings]

75 passages quote, allude to, or echo 2 Kings 4, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.

Verses: 1 · 8 · 10 · 13 · 16 · 17 · 18 · 25 · 26 · 27 · 29 · 32 · 33 · 34 · 35 · 38 · 39 · 40 · 41 · 42 · 44

2 Kings 4:1

Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!”

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 4:1–7Questions and Answers to the Orthodox 82–88 · Anonymousallusion, high confidence5th century (disputed)
2 Kgs 4:1–7Sermon 26 · Peter Chrysologusallusion, high confidenceca. 425-450
2 Kgs 4:1–7In Praise of the Desert 19 · Eucherius of Lyonallusion, high confidenceca. 427-428

2 Kings 4:8

One day Elisha went to Shunem, and a prominent woman who lived there persuaded him to have a meal. So whenever he would pass by, he would stop there to eat.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 4:8Homilies 1.6 · Basil of Caesareaallusion, high confidenceca. 363-378
2 Kgs 4:8–10Against Jovinianus 1.26 · Jeromeallusion, high confidence393
2 Kgs 4:8Letters 26.1 · Paulinus of Nolaallusion, high confidenceca. 394–413
2 Kgs 4:8–37Part 2, chapter 31 · Quodvultdeus of Carthageallusion, high confidenceca. 445-450

2 Kings 4:10

Please let us make a small room upstairs and put in it a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp for him. Then when he comes to us, he can stay there.”

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 4:10PG 12:1155 (Ps 4 LXX) · Origenallusion, high confidenceca. 220-254
2 Kgs 4:10Homilies on Jeremiah 19.13 · Origenallusion, high confidenceca. 240
2 Kgs 4:10Oration 26.16 · Gregory of Nazianzusallusion, high confidenceca. 362–383

2 Kings 4:13

and Elisha said to Gehazi, “Now tell her, ‘Look, you have gone to all this trouble for us. What can we do for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?’” “I have a home among my own people,” she replied.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 4:13Homilies on Numbers 3.2 · Origenquotation, high confidenceca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

2 Kings 4:16

And Elisha declared, “At this time next year, you will hold a son in your arms.” “No, my lord,” she said. “Do not lie to your maidservant, O man of God.”

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 4:16–17Against Celsus 8.46 · Origenallusion, high confidenceca. 248

2 Kings 4:17

But the woman did conceive, and at that time the next year she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 4:17On the Duties of the Clergy 3.1 · Ambroseallusion, high confidenceca. 386–390

2 Kings 4:18

And the child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the harvesters.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 4:18Oration II Against the Arians 51 · Athanasius of Alexandriaallusion, medium confidenceca. 339–346
2 Kgs 4:18–37Sermon 26.11 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 391-430

2 Kings 4:25

So she set out and went to the man of God at Mount Carmel. When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, there is the Shunammite woman.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 4:25Commentary on the Song of Songs, fragment 9 (Song 2:10) · Hippolytus of Romeallusion, low confidenceca. 202-235

2 Kings 4:26

Please run out now to meet her and ask, ‘Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?’” And she answered, “Everything is all right.”

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 4:26Against Marcion 4.24 · Tertullianquotation, high confidence207/208 (third edition, completed later)

2 Kings 4:27

When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she clung to his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for her soul is in deep distress, and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.”

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 4:27Letter 36.15 · Jeromequotation, high confidenceca. 370–419
2 Kgs 4:27Ancoratus 108.4 · Epiphanius of Salamisallusion, medium confidence374
2 Kgs 4:27Exposition of Psalm 118 12.18.3 · Ambrosequotation, high confidenceca. 386-397

2 Kings 4:29

So Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tie up your garment, take my staff in your hand, and go! If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not answer him. Then lay my staff on the boy’s face.”

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 4:29Against Marcion 4.24 · Tertullianquotation, high confidence207/208 (third edition, completed later)
2 Kgs 4:29–31Sermon 136.5 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 391-430
2 Kgs 4:29–35Sermon 136.6 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 391-430
2 Kgs 4:29–35Against Faustus the Manichaean 12.35 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 398–400
2 Kgs 4:29Commentary on Jeremiah 3.61 · Jeromeallusion, high confidenceca. 414-419
2 Kgs 4:29The Institutes 1.8 · John Cassianquotation, high confidenceca. 419–426
2 Kgs 4:29–35Against Two Letters of the Pelagians 4.11 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 420–421

2 Kings 4:32

When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his bed.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 4:32–37Against Marcellus 1.2.14 · Eusebius of Caesareaallusion, high confidenceca. 336–337
2 Kgs 4:32–35Demonstration 4.12 · Aphrahatallusion, high confidence337-345
2 Kgs 4:32–37Sermon 142.7 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, medium confidenceca. 391-430
2 Kgs 4:32–35Questions and Answers to the Orthodox 82–88 · Anonymousallusion, high confidence5th century (disputed)

2 Kings 4:33

So he went in, closed the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 4:33Oration III Against the Arians 2 · Athanasius of Alexandriaallusion, high confidenceca. 339–346

2 Kings 4:34

Then Elisha got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eye to eye, and hand to hand. As he stretched himself out over him, the boy’s body became warm.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 4:34Letter 64.3 · Cyprian of Carthageallusion, high confidence249/250–258
2 Kgs 4:34Tractates on the Psalms 118.3.4 · Hilary of Poitiersallusion, high confidenceca. 360–367
2 Kgs 4:34On the Christian Faith 3.4 · Ambroseallusion, high confidenceca. 378–380
2 Kgs 4:34On the Soul and Its Origin 3.7 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 419–420

2 Kings 4:35

Elisha turned away and paced back and forth across the room. Then he got on the bed and stretched himself out over the boy again, and the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 4:35Commentary on the Song of Songs, fragment 14 (Song 3:7) · Hippolytus of Romeallusion, high confidenceca. 202-235
2 Kgs 4:35Against Marcion 4.12 · Tertullianallusion, high confidence207/208 (third edition, completed later)
2 Kgs 4:35Against Celsus 2.57 · Origenallusion, high confidenceca. 248
2 Kgs 4:35Against Celsus 2.58 · Origenallusion, medium confidenceca. 248
2 Kgs 4:35Res. 3.5 · Methodius of Olympusallusion, high confidencelate 3rd cent. (disputed)
2 Kgs 4:35Apology for Origen 6.1 · Pamphilus of Caesareaallusion, high confidenceca. 308–310 (Rufinus's Latin about 397)
2 Kgs 4:35On the Incarnation 38.5 · Athanasius of Alexandriaallusion, high confidenceca. 318–325
2 Kgs 4:35Catechetical Lecture 14.15 · Cyril of Jerusalemallusion, high confidenceca. 350
2 Kgs 4:35Catechetical Lecture 14.16 · Cyril of Jerusalemallusion, high confidenceca. 350
2 Kgs 4:35Catechetical Lecture 18.16 · Cyril of Jerusalemallusion, high confidenceca. 350
2 Kgs 4:35Oration 41.4 · Gregory of Nazianzusallusion, high confidenceca. 362–383
2 Kgs 4:35Ancoratus 92.4 · Epiphanius of Salamisallusion, high confidence374
2 Kgs 4:35Ancoratus 98.3 · Epiphanius of Salamisallusion, high confidence374
2 Kgs 4:35Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 64.65.1 · Epiphanius of Salamisallusion, high confidence374-377
2 Kgs 4:35Apostolic Constitutions 5.7.8 · Anonymousallusion, high confidenceca. 380
2 Kgs 4:35On the Duties of the Clergy 3.1 · Ambroseallusion, high confidenceca. 386–390
2 Kgs 4:35Letter 137.13 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 386–430
2 Kgs 4:35Explanation of Twelve Psalms 36.58.7 · Ambroseallusion, high confidenceca. 387-397
2 Kgs 4:35Tractates on the Gospel of John 91.2 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 406–420
2 Kgs 4:35In Praise of the Desert 19 · Eucherius of Lyonallusion, high confidenceca. 427-428
2 Kgs 4:35Part 3, chapter 29 · Quodvultdeus of Carthageallusion, medium confidenceca. 445-450

2 Kings 4:38

When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. As the sons of the prophets were sitting at his feet, he said to his attendant, “Put on the large pot and boil some stew for the sons of the prophets.”

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 4:38On Elijah and Fasting 18 · Ambroseallusion, high confidenceca. 387-390
2 Kgs 4:38–41Hexameron (Exameron) 6.5 · Ambroseallusion, high confidenceca. 387-390

2 Kings 4:39

One of them went out to the field to gather herbs, and he found a wild vine from which he gathered as many wild gourds as his garment could hold. Then he came back and cut them up into the pot of stew, though no one knew what they were.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 4:39Hexaemeron 9.1 · Basil of Caesareaallusion, high confidenceca. 370
2 Kgs 4:39Homilies 1.6 · Basil of Caesareaallusion, high confidenceca. 363-378
2 Kgs 4:39On Elijah and Fasting 18 · Ambroseallusion, high confidenceca. 387-390
2 Kgs 4:39On Elijah and Fasting 40 · Ambroseallusion, high confidenceca. 387-390

2 Kings 4:40

And they poured it out for the men to eat, but when they tasted the stew they cried out, “There is death in the pot, O man of God!” And they could not eat it.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 4:40Commentary on John 13.210 · Origenquotation, high confidenceca. 230–248
2 Kgs 4:40Letter 22.9 · Jeromequotation, high confidenceca. 370–419
2 Kgs 4:40On Elijah and Fasting 18 · Ambroseallusion, high confidenceca. 387-390
2 Kgs 4:40Letters 23.7 · Paulinus of Nolaquotation, high confidenceca. 394–413

2 Kings 4:41

Then Elisha said, “Get some flour.” He threw it into the pot and said, “Pour it out for the people to eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 4:41Letter 22.9 · Jeromeallusion, high confidenceca. 370–419
2 Kgs 4:41On the Duties of the Clergy 3.1 · Ambroseallusion, high confidenceca. 386–390
2 Kgs 4:41On Elijah and Fasting 18 · Ambroseallusion, high confidenceca. 387-390
2 Kgs 4:41Letters 23.7 · Paulinus of Nolaallusion, high confidenceca. 394–413

2 Kings 4:42

Now a man from Baal-shalishah came to the man of God with a sack of twenty loaves of barley bread from the first ripe grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 4:42–44Against Marcion 4.21 · Tertullianquotation, high confidence207/208 (third edition, completed later)
2 Kgs 4:42Homilies on Matthew 49.1 · John Chrysostomallusion, low confidenceca. 390
2 Kgs 4:42–44Hexameron (Exameron) 6.6 · Ambrosequotation, high confidenceca. 387-390

2 Kings 4:44

So he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 4:44On the Duties of the Clergy 3.1 · Ambroseallusion, high confidenceca. 386–390