2 Kings 4:9-40

9She said to her husband, “Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy 1man of God passing by us continually. 10Please, let us 2make 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 shall be, when he comes to us, that he can turn in there.”

113One day he came there and turned in to the upper chamber and 4rested. 12Then he said to 5Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” And when he had called her, she stood before him. 13He said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Behold, you have been 6careful for us with all this 7care; what can I do for you? Would you be spoken for to the king or to the captain of the army?’” And she 8answered, “I live among my own people.” 14So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi 9answered, “Truly she has no son and her husband is old.” 15He said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway. 16Then he said, “10At this season 11next year you will embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, O man of God, 12do not lie to your maidservant.”

17The woman conceived and bore a son at that season 13the next year, as Elisha had said to her.

18When the child was grown, the day came that he went out to his father to the reapers. 19He said to his father, “My head, my head.” And he said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her 14lap until noon, and then died. 21She went up and 15laid him on the bed of 16the man of God, and shut the door behind him and went out. 22Then she called to her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and return.” 23He said, “Why will you go to him today? It is neither 17new moon nor sabbath.” And she said, “It will be well.” 24Then she saddled a donkey and said to her servant, “Drive and go forward; do not slow down 18the pace for me unless I tell you.” 25So she went and came to the man of God to 19Mount Carmel.

When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, 20there is the Shunammite. 26Please 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 21answered, “It is well.” 27When she came to the man of God 22to the hill, she caught 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 23troubled within her; and the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me.” 28Then she said, “Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, ‘24Do not deceive me’?”

29Then he said to Gehazi, “25Gird up your loins and 26take my staff in your hand, and go your way; if you meet any man, do not 27salute him, and if anyone salutes you, do not answer him; and 28lay my staff on the lad’s face.” 30The mother of the lad said, “29As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” And he arose and followed her. 31Then Gehazi passed on before them and laid the staff on the lad’s face, but there was no sound or 30response. So he returned to meet him and told 31him, “The lad 32has not awakened.”

32When Elisha came into the house, behold the lad was dead and laid on his bed. 33So he entered and 33shut the door behind them both and prayed to the Lord. 34And 34he 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. 35Then he returned and walked in the house once back and forth, and went up and 35stretched himself on him; and the lad sneezed seven times and the lad opened his eyes. 36He called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came in to him, he said, “Take up your son.” 37Then she went in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground, and 36she took up her son and went out.

38When Elisha returned to 37Gilgal, there was 38a famine in the land. 39As 40the sons of the prophets 41were sitting before him, he said to his servant, “42Put on the large pot and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.” 39Then one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds, and came and sliced them into the pot of stew, for they did not know what they were. 40So they poured it out for the men to eat. And as they were eating of the stew, they cried out and said, “O man of God, there is 43death in the pot.” And they were unable to eat.