2 Kings 4:8-37 ▼

8 Now there came a day when Elisha passed over to Shunem, where there was a prominent woman, and she prevailed upon him to eat food. Now it happened, as often as he passed by, that he turned in there to eat food.

9 And she said to her husband, “Behold now, I know that this is a holy man of God passing by us continually.

10 Please, let us make a little walled upper chamber and let us set a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; and it will be, when he comes to us, that he can turn in there.”

11 Now it happened that one day he came there and turned in to the upper chamber, and there he lay down.

12 Then he said to Gehazi his young man, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her, and she stood before him.

13 And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Behold, you have been careful for us with all this care; what can I do for you? Would you be spoken for to the king or to the commander of the army?’” And she answered, “I live among my own people.”

14 So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi answered, “Truly she has no son, and her husband is old.”

15 And he said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood in the doorway.

16 Then he said, “At this season next year you will embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, O man of God, do not lie to your servant-woman.”

17 Then the woman conceived and bore a son at that season the next year, as Elisha had said to her.

18 Then the child was grown. And the day came that he went out to his father to the reapers.

19 And he said to his father, “My head, my head.” And he said to his young man, “Carry him to his mother.”

20 Then he carried him and brought him to his mother, and he sat on her knees until noon, and then died.

21 Then she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God and 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 will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath.” And she said, “It is well.”

24 Then she saddled a donkey and said to her young man, “Drive and go; do not hold back the pace of the ride for me unless I tell you.”

25 So she went and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel. Now it happened that when the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his young man, “Behold, there is the Shunammite.

26 Please run now to meet her and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’” And she answered, “It is well.”

27 Then she came to the man of God to the hill and took hold of his feet. And Gehazi came near to push her away; but the man of God said, “Let her alone, for her soul is bitter within her; and Yahweh has hidden it from me and has not told me.”

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

29 Then he said to Gehazi, “Gird up your loins and take my staff in your hand, and go; if you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not answer him; and lay my staff on the boy’s face.”

30 But the mother of the boy said, “As Yahweh lives and as your soul lives, I will not forsake you.” And he arose and followed her.

31 Now Gehazi passed on before them and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response. So he returned to meet him and told him, saying, “The boy has not awakened.”

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

33 So he entered and shut the door behind them both and prayed to Yahweh.

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

35 Then he returned and walked in the house once back and forth, and went up and stretched himself on him; and the boy sneezed seven times and the boy opened his eyes.

36 Then he called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. Then she came in to him, and he said, “Take up your son.”

37 Then she came in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground, and she took up her son and went out.