2 Kings 4:8-37

The Son of a Woman From Shunem Is Brought Back to Life

8 One day Elisha went to the town of Shunem. A rich woman lived there. She begged him to stay and have a meal. So every time he came by, he stopped there to eat.

9 The woman said to her husband, "That man often comes by here. I know that he is a holy man of God.

10 Let's make a small room for him on the roof. We'll put a bed and a table in it. We'll also put a chair and a lamp in it. Then he can stay there when he comes to visit us."

11 One day Elisha came. He went up to his room. He lay down there.

12 He said to his servant Gehazi, "Go and get the Shunammite woman." So he did. She stood in front of Elisha.

13 He said to Gehazi, "Tell her, 'You have gone to a lot of trouble for us. Now what can we do for you? Can we speak to the king for you? Or can we speak to the commander of the army for you?' " She replied, "I live among my own people. I have everything I need here."

14 After she left, Elisha asked Gehazi, "What can we do for her?" Gehazi said, "Well, she doesn't have a son. And her husband is old."

15 Then Elisha said, "Bring her here again." So he did. She stood in the doorway.

16 "You will hold a son in your arms," Elisha said. "It will be about this time next year." "No, my master!" she objected. "You are a man of God. So don't lie to me!"

17 But the woman became pregnant. She had a baby boy. It happened the next year about that same time. That's exactly what Elisha had told her would happen.

18 The child grew. One day he went out to get his father. His father was with those who were gathering the crops.

19 The boy said to his father, "My head hurts! It really hurts!" His father told a servant, "Carry him to his mother."

20 The servant lifted the boy up. He carried him to his mother. The boy sat on her lap until noon. Then he died.

21 She went up to the room on the roof. There she laid him on the bed of the man of God. Then she shut the door and went out.

22 She sent for her husband. She said, "Please send me one of the servants and a donkey. Then I can go quickly to the man of God and return."

23 "Why do you want to go to him today?" he asked. "It isn't the time for the New Moon Feast. It isn't the Sabbath day." "Don't let that bother you," she said.

24 She put a saddle on her donkey. She said to her servant, "Let's go. Don't slow down for me unless I tell you to."

25 So she started out. She came to Mount Carmel. That's where the man of God was. When she was still a long way off, he saw her coming. He said to his servant Gehazi, "Look! There's the woman from Shunem!

26 Run out there to meet her. Ask her, 'Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?' " "Everything is all right," she said.

27 She came to the man of God at the mountain. Then she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away. But the man of God said, "Leave her alone! She is suffering terribly. But the LORD hasn't told me the reason for it. He has hidden it from me."

28 "My master, did I ask you for a son?" she said. "Didn't I tell you, 'Don't get my hopes up'?"

29 Elisha said to Gehazi, "Tuck your coat into your belt. Take my wooden staff and run to Shunem. Don't say hello to anyone you see. If anyone says hello to you, don't answer. Lay my staff on the boy's face."

30 But the child's mother said, "I won't leave you. And that's just as sure as the LORD and you are alive." So Elisha got up and followed her.

31 Gehazi went on ahead. He laid Elisha's wooden staff on the boy's face. But there wasn't any sound. The boy didn't move at all. So Gehazi went back to Elisha. He told him, "The boy hasn't awakened."

32 Elisha arrived at the house. The boy was dead. He was lying on Elisha's bed.

33 Elisha went into the room. He shut the door. He was alone with the boy. He prayed to the Lord.

34 Then he got on the bed. He lay down on the boy. His mouth touched the boy's mouth. His eyes touched the boy's eyes. And his hands touched the boy's hands. As Elisha lay on the boy, the boy's body grew warm.

35 Elisha turned away. He walked back and forth in the room. Then he got on the bed again. He lay down on the boy once more. The boy sneezed seven times. After that, he opened his eyes.

36 Elisha sent for Gehazi. He said to him, "Go and get the Shunammite woman." So he did. When she came, Elisha said, "Take your son."

37 She came in. She fell at Elisha's feet. She bowed down with her face toward the ground. Then she took her son and went out.

2 Kings 4:8-37 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 4

This chapter treats of the miracles of Elisha, of his multiplying a poor widow's pot of oil for the payment of her husband's debts, 2Ki 4:1-7 of obtaining a son for a Shunamitish woman, who had been very hospitable to him, 2Ki 4:8-17, of his raising up her son to life when dead, 2Ki 4:18-37, of his curing the deadly pottage made of wild gourds, 2Ki 4:38-41, and of his feeding one hundred men with twenty barley loaves, 2Ki 4:42-44.