But Giezi was gone before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child, and there was no voice nor sense: and he returned to meet him, and told him, saying: The child is not risen.
John Gill
And Gehazi passed on before them,.... The prophet and the Shunammite: and laid the staff upon the face of the child; as he was ordered: but there was neither voice nor hearing: it seems as if he spoke when he laid the staff on the child, but it heard and answered him not, so that there was no sign of life in it: wherefore he went again to meet him; upon the road between Carmel and Shunem: and told him, saying, the child is not awaked; by which he expresses its being dead; or, if he knew nothing of its death, he supposed it fast asleep, which was the reason of its not hearing and answering, though the former seems best.
Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.