2 Kings 4:18-44 ▼

18 And the child grew, and the day came to pass that he went out to his father to the harvesters.

19 And he said to his father, “My head! My head!” And he said to a servant, “Carry him to his mother.”

20 And he lifted him and brought him to his mother, and he sat on her knees until the noon, and he died.

21 And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and she shut the door behind him and went out.

22 And she called to her husband and said, “Please send me one of the young men, and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and return.”

23 And he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is not the New Moon nor the Sabbath.” And she said, “Peace.”

24 And she saddled a donkey and said to her servant, “Drive and go forward. Do not slacken for me the pace, for unless I speak to you.”

25 And she departed and went in to the man of God at Mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, this Shunammitess.

26 Now run, please, to meet her, and say to her, ‘Is it all well for you? Is it well for your husband? Is it well for the child?’” And she answered, “It is well.”

27 And she came to the man of God at the hill, and she caught him by the feet. And Gehazi came near to push her away. And the man of God said, “Let her alone, for her soul is bitter to her, and YHWH has hidden it from me and has not told me.”

28 And she said, “Did I ask a son from my lord? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me’?”

29 And he said to Gehazi, “Gird up your loins, and take my staff in your hand, and be on your way. If you meet anyone, do not greet him. And if anyone greets you, do not answer him. And lay my staff on the face of the boy.”

30 And the mother of the child said, “As YHWH lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” And he arose and followed her.

31 And Gehazi went on ahead of them and laid the staff on the face of the boy. And there was no voice and no hearing. And he turned back to meet him and declared to him, saying, “The child has not awakened.”

32 And Elisha came into the house, and behold, the boy was dead, lying on his bed.

33 And he went in and shut the door behind the two of them, and he prayed to YHWH.

34 And he went up and lay on the child, and he put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And he stretched out himself on him, and the flesh of the child became warm.

35 And he returned and walked in the house once here and once here. And again he went up and stretched out himself on him. And the boy sneezed up to seven times, and the boy opened his eyes.

36 And he called to Gehazi and said, “Call to this Shunammitess.” And he called her, and she came in to him. And he said, “Lift up your son.”

37 And she went in and fell at his feet, and she bowed herself to the earth. And she lifted her son and went out.

38 And Elisha returned to Gilgal, and the famine was in the land. And the sons of the prophets were sitting before his face, and he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.”

39 And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and he found a vine of the field, and he gathered from it gourds of the field—the fullness of his garment—and he came and sliced them into the pot of stew, though they knew not.

40 And they served it to the men to eat, and it came to pass as they were eating the stew, that they cried out and said, “Death is in the pot, O man of God.” And they could not eat it.

41 And he said, “Bring flour.” And he put it into the pot and said, “Serve it to the people, that they may eat.” And there was not a harmful thing in the pot.

42 And a man came from Baal-shalishah, and he brought to the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and ripe grain in his sack. And he said, “Give it to the people, that they may eat.”

43 And his servant said, “How shall I set this before the face of a hundred men?” And He said again, “Give it to the people, that they may eat. For thus says YHWH, ‘They shall eat and have left over.’”

44 And he set it before them, and they ate and had left over, according to the word of YHWH.