What Does 2 Kings 4:13 Mean in the King James?
And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Her care is named with a Hebrew word of trembling attentiveness, yet she answers an offer of royal or military access by naming her place among her own people.
THE MEANING
The care you give is not invisible: the Hebrew repeats a word for being deeply stirred. When asked what could be done, the woman names her place among her people instead of choosing the king’s ear or the captain’s power. The verse holds belonging as a present answer to the question of what would help.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie is that access to power is the only meaningful help; she locates herself among her own people instead.
THE ROOT
חָרַדְתְּ
ḥāradet
GROWS FROM
חרד
charad
To tremble, be alarmed, or be deeply concerned.
“careful / care” in this verse is ḥāradet. English says “careful … with all this care,” while Hebrew repeats חרד (charad), the language of trembling or alarm. Her care is portrayed as concentrated, stirring attention, and the verse makes that attention the thing Elisha sees.
ALSO GROWS
ḥărādāh: Trembling, alarm, or anxious concern.
חֲרָדָה
This noun repeats the root of “you have been careful,” giving the care in this verse an insistent, embodied quality.
ḥārēḏ: One who trembles or is deeply stirred.
חָרֵד
The same root describes someone who “trembleth” at God’s word in Isaiah 66:2, linking attentive care with profound responsiveness.
יֹשָׁבֶת
yōšeḇeṯ
GROWS FROM
ישב
yashav
To sit, settle, remain, or dwell.
“dwell” in this verse is yōšeḇeṯ. The Hebrew verb carries the sense of settled presence, not simply an address. Her answer names a place within her people as the life she already inhabits.
ALSO GROWS
yōšēḇ: An inhabitant; one who sits or dwells.
יֹשֵׁב
This form shares the root of her “I dwell,” keeping her answer grounded in being settled among people.
môšāḇ: A dwelling, seat, or settlement.
מוֹשָׁב
This branch extends the root from sitting to an established place, echoing the rooted belonging she names.
THE PATTERN
Belonging among one’s people can be a real answer to the question of what is needed.
A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!And all that believed were together, and had all things common;THE THREAD
For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.The Hebrew root חרד (charad) appears in both passages: here it names the woman’s attentive care, and there it describes one who trembles at God’s word. Both scenes share the texture of a person deeply stirred and responsive.
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