He returned. — From off the bed.
Walked in the house to and fro. — Or, in the chamber. Elisha’s walking to and fro is an index of intense excitement. He was earnestly expecting the fulfilment of his prayer. Cornelius à Lapide thinks the prophet walked “ut ambulando excitaret majorem calorem quem puero communicaret” (!)
The child sneezed. — The verb occurs here only. It denotes a faint rather than a loud sneeze. (Heb., ‘atîshâh; Job 41:10.) It is omitted by the LXX., which has, “and he bowed himself over the boy until seven times.” The repeated sneezing was a sign of restored respiration. (Comp. Luke 7:15.)
Keil supposes that whereas Elijah raised the widow’s son at once, his successor only restored the Shunammite’s son by degrees; and that this betokens an inferiority on the part of Elisha. But the narrative in 1 Kings 17:17 seq. is plainly abridged.