1 Kings 17:17, 21-22

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BibleOld Testament1 Kings

KJV

17 And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath[1] left in him.
. . . 
21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul[2] come into him again.
22 And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul[2] of the child came into him again, and he revived.


RSV

17 After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill; and his illness was so severe that there was no breath[1] left in him. 18 And she said to Eli'jah, "What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to cause the death of my son!" 19 And he said to her, "Give me your son." And he took him from her bosom, and carried him up into the upper chamber, where he lodged, and laid him upon his own bed. 20 And he cried to the LORD, "O LORD my God, hast thou brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?" 21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried to the LORD, "O LORD my God, let this child's soul[2] come into him again." 22 And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Eli'jah; and the soul[2] of the child came into him again, and he revived.


NRSV

17 After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill; his illness was so severe that there was no breath[1] left in him.
. . . 
21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried out to the Lord, ‘O Lord my God, let this child’s life[2] come into him again.’22 The Lord listened to the voice of Elijah; the life [2] of the child came into him again, and he revived.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

When there was no neshamah left in the child, Elijah prayed for his nephesh to come back: he stopped breathing; Elijah prayed for his life to come back.

See Nephesh, Neshamah and Ruach.


  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 נְשָׁמָֽה neshamah
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 נֶֽפֶשׁ nefesh