◄ 2 Kings 4:30 ►
And the mother of the boy said, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So he got up and followed her.
Study Bible
And the mother of the boy said
This phrase introduces the Shunammite woman, a figure of profound faith and determination. In the Hebrew context, the term "mother" (אֵם, 'em) signifies not just a biological role but a position of nurturing and spiritual influence. Her identity as "the mother of the boy" underscores her deep connection and responsibility towards her son, reflecting the cultural and spiritual importance of motherhood in ancient Israel.

As surely as the LORD lives
This oath invokes the living God, Yahweh, emphasizing His eternal and active presence. The Hebrew phrase "חַי־יְהוָה" (chai-YHWH) is a solemn declaration of faith, often used to affirm truth and sincerity. It reflects the Shunammite woman's unwavering belief in God's power and presence, a cornerstone of her faith that compels her to seek divine intervention through Elisha.

and as you yourself live
By addressing Elisha directly, the woman acknowledges his role as a prophet and a servant of the living God. The phrase "as you yourself live" (וְחֵי נַפְשְׁךָ, ve'chai nafshecha) is a customary expression of respect and recognition of Elisha's spiritual authority and connection to God. It highlights the trust she places in him as God's representative.

I will not leave you
This declaration of loyalty and determination mirrors the commitment seen in other biblical figures, such as Ruth's devotion to Naomi. The Hebrew verb "leave" (עָזַב, 'azav) implies abandonment or forsaking. Her insistence on staying with Elisha demonstrates her resolute faith and determination to see her son restored, reflecting a deep trust in God's power working through His prophet.

So he got up and followed her
Elisha's response to the woman's plea is immediate and decisive. The phrase "got up and followed" (וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ, vayakam vayelech) indicates action and obedience. Elisha's willingness to follow her underscores his compassion and commitment to his prophetic mission. It also illustrates the biblical principle of responding to faith with action, as seen throughout Scripture.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Mother (Shunammite Woman)
A woman of Shunem who showed great faith and persistence. She is notable for her hospitality to Elisha and her unwavering determination to seek help for her son.

2. Elisha
A prophet of God who succeeded Elijah. Known for performing miracles and being a conduit of God's power and compassion.

3. The Boy (Son of the Shunammite Woman)
The child miraculously given to the Shunammite woman by God through Elisha's prophecy. His sudden death and subsequent resurrection are central to this account.

4. Shunem
A town in the territory of Issachar, where the Shunammite woman lived. It is significant as the setting for this miraculous event.

5. Event of Resurrection
The account revolves around the death and miraculous resurrection of the Shunammite woman's son, highlighting themes of faith, persistence, and divine intervention.
Teaching Points
Faith in Action
The Shunammite woman's faith was not passive; it was demonstrated through her actions. She sought out Elisha with determination, showing that faith often requires us to take bold steps.

Persistence in Prayer
Her refusal to leave Elisha's side until her son was revived teaches us the importance of persistence in prayer and seeking God's intervention.

God's Faithfulness
The account underscores God's faithfulness to His promises. Just as He gave the Shunammite woman a son, He also restored him to life, reminding us of God's power and compassion.

Role of Prophets
Elisha's role as a prophet highlights the importance of spiritual leadership and guidance in times of crisis. It encourages us to seek godly counsel and support.

Miracles and Divine Intervention
The account reminds us that God is capable of performing miracles and intervening in our lives in extraordinary ways, encouraging us to trust in His power.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the Shunammite woman's response to her son's death demonstrate her faith and trust in God?

2. In what ways can we show persistence in our own prayer lives, similar to the Shunammite woman's determination to seek Elisha's help?

3. How does the account of the Shunammite woman and her son encourage us to trust in God's promises, even when circumstances seem dire?

4. What role do spiritual leaders play in our lives today, and how can we seek their guidance in times of need, as the Shunammite woman did with Elisha?

5. How can we apply the lessons of faith and divine intervention from this account to our own experiences and challenges?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Kings 17:17-24
The account of Elijah raising the widow's son parallels Elisha's miracle, showing a continuity of God's power through His prophets.

Hebrews 11:35
This verse references women receiving their dead back to life, connecting the faith of the Shunammite woman to the broader account of faith in the Bible.

Ruth 1:16-17
Ruth's declaration to Naomi mirrors the Shunammite woman's determination, emphasizing loyalty and commitment.
Sermons
Great TrialsD. Thomas 2 Kings 4:18-31
A Day in a Mother's LifeWilliam Forsyth, A. M.2 Kings 4:18-37
Concerning Accidents2 Kings 4:18-37
Death and RestorationC.H. Irwin 2 Kings 4:18-37
The Empty HomeF. S. Webster, M. A.2 Kings 4:18-37
The Lady of Shunem: 2. the Son Taken and RestoredJ. Orr 2 Kings 4:18-37
People
Elisha, Gehazi
Places
Baal-shalishah, Edom, Gilgal, Mount Carmel, Shunem
Topics
Child, Followed, Got, Lad, Leave, Riseth, Rose, Soul, Surely, Youth
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Kings 4:25-31

     5178   running

2 Kings 4:29-37

     5333   healing

Library
When the Oil Flows
'And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.'--2 KINGS iv. 6. The series of miracles ascribed to Elisha are very unlike most of the wonderful works of even the Old Testament, and still more unlike those of the New. For about a great many of them there seems to have been no special purpose, either doctrinal or otherwise, but simply the relief of trivial and transient distresses. …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

A Miracle Needing Effort
'So she went, and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite: 26. Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband! is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well. 27. And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Infant Salvation
Now, let every mother and father here present know assuredly that it is well with the child, if God hath taken it away from you in its infant days. You never heard its declaration of faith--it was not capable of such a thing--it was not baptized into the Lord Jesus Christ, not buried with him in baptism; it was not capable of giving that "answer of a good conscience towards God;" nevertheless, you may rest assured that it is well with the child, well in a higher and a better sense than it is well …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 7: 1861

That the Grace of Devotion is Acquired by Humility and Self-Denial
The Voice of the Beloved Thou oughtest to seek earnestly the grace of devotion, to ask it fervently, to wait for it patiently and faithfully, to receive it gratefully, to preserve it humbly, to work with it diligently, and to leave to God the time and manner of heavenly visitation until it come. Chiefly oughtest thou to humble thyself when thou feelest inwardly little or no devotion, yet not to be too much cast down, nor to grieve out of measure. God ofttimes giveth in one short moment what He …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

Extracts No. Ix.
[As the objector here begins to give up his ground, his letters from this place will be given nearly entire. He commences this number as follows, viz.] "Dear sir and brother--Your reply to my seventh number has been received, and hereby duly acknowledged. I have just given it a second reading, with peculiar care and attention; and I must add, generally speaking, with peculiar satisfaction too; for as it has tended in some degree to revive my almost extinguished faith in divine revelation, so it …
Hosea Ballou—A Series of Letters In Defence of Divine Revelation

Abram's Horror of Great Darkness.
"And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him." If we consider the sketch, given us in scripture, of the life of this patriarch, we shall find that few have had equal manifestations of the divine favor. But the light did not at all times shine on him. He had his dark hours while dwelling in this strange land. Here we find an horror of great darkness to have fallen upon him. The language used to describe his state, on this occasion, …
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

The Soul.
Man as we behold him is not all there is of man. He is a wonderful being. He stands in the highest order of God's creation. He Is A Compound. Man was created a physical and spiritual organism. He possesses an animal and a spiritual life. Thus he is connected with two worlds. The physical creation is termed the "outward man," and the spiritual, the "inward man." "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." 2 Cor. 4:16. "For we know …
Charles Ebert Orr—The Gospel Day

Answer to the Jewish Rabby's Letter.
WE Are now come to the letter of Mr. W's Jewish Rabby, whom Mr. W. calls his friend, and says his letter consists of calm and sedate reasoning, p. 55. I on the other hand can see no reason in it. But the reader than not need to rely upon my judgment. Therefore I will transcribe some parts of it, and then make some remarks. The argument of the letter is, that the story of Lazarus's being raised is an imposture; or else the Jews could not have been so wicked, as to be on that account provoked against …
Nathaniel Lardner—A Vindication of Three of Our Blessed Saviour's Miracles

Supplementary Note to Chapter ii. The Year of Christ's Birth.
The Christian era commences on the 1st of January of the year 754 of the city of Rome. That our Lord was born about the time stated in the text may appear from the following considerations-- The visit of the wise men to Bethlehem must have taken place a very few days after the birth of Jesus, and before His presentation in the temple. Bethlehem was not the stated residence of Joseph and Mary, either before or after the birth of the child (Luke i. 26, ii. 4, 39; Matt. ii. 2). They were obliged to …
William Dool Killen—The Ancient Church

Synagogues: their Origin, Structure and Outward Arrangements
It was a beautiful saying of Rabbi Jochanan (Jer. Ber. v. 1), that he who prays in his house surrounds and fortifies it, so to speak, with a wall of iron. Nevertheless, it seems immediately contradicted by what follows. For it is explained that this only holds good where a man is alone, but that where there is a community prayer should be offered in the synagogue. We can readily understand how, after the destruction of the Temple, and the cessation of its symbolical worship, the excessive value attached …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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