2 Kings 4:8-37

8Now a day came when Elisha went over to 1Shunem, where there was a 2prominent woman, and she urged him to eat 3food. And so it was, as often as he passed by, that he turned in there to eat 4food. 9And she said to her husband, “Behold now, I am aware that this is a holy 5man of God passing by us repeatedly. 10Please, let’s 6make a little walled upper room, and let’s set up a bed for him there, and a table, a chair, and a lampstand; then it shall be, when he comes to us, that he can turn in there.”

11Now 7one day he came there, and turned in to the upper room and 8rested. 12Then he said to his servant 9Gehazi, “Call this Shunammite.” And when he had called her, she stood before him. 13And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Behold, you have taken trouble for us with all this 10care; what can I do for you? 11Would you like me to speak for you to the king or to the commander of the army?’” But she 12answered, “I live among my own people.” 14So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi 13answered, “It is a fact that she has no son, and her husband is old.” 15He then said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway. 16Then he said, “14At this season 15next year, you are going to embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, you man of God, 16do not lie to your servant.”

17Now the woman conceived and gave birth to a son at that season 17the next year, as Elisha had told her.

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

When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, that person there is the Shunammite. 26Please run now to meet her and say to her, ‘Is it going well for you? Is it going well for your husband? Is it going well for the child?’” Then she 24answered, “It is going well.” 27But she came to the man of God 25at the hill and took hold of his feet. And Gehazi came up to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for her soul is 26troubled within her; and the Lord has concealed it from me and has not informed me.” 28Then she said, “Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, ‘27Do not give me false hope’?”

29Then he said to Gehazi, “2829Get ready and 30take my staff in your hand, and go; if you meet anyone, do not 3132greet him, and if anyone 33greets you, do not reply to him. And 34lay my staff on the boy’s face.” 30The mother of the boy said, “35As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her. 31Then Gehazi went on ahead of them and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or 36response. So he returned to meet him and informed him, saying, “The boy 37has not awakened.”

32When Elisha entered the house, behold the boy was dead, laid on his bed. 33So he entered and 38shut the door behind them both, and he prayed to the Lord. 34Then 39he got up on the bed and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, his hands on his hands, and he bent down on him; and the flesh of the child became warm. 35Then he returned and walked in the house back and forth once, and went up and 40bent down on him; and the boy sneezed seven times, then the boy opened his eyes. 36And he called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” 37Then she came in and fell at his feet and bowed down to the ground, and 41she picked up her son and left.