< 2 Kings 4 >

1 And a certain woman, of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried unto Elisha', saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou well knowest that thy servant was one who feared the Lord: and now the creditor is come to take my two sons unto himself for servants.
Now a wife from among the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD, but the creditor has come to take for himself my two children to be his slaves."
2 And Elisha' said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thy hand-maid hath nothing in the house, save a pot of oil.
Then Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your servant has nothing in the house, except a small jar of oil."
3 And he said, Go, borrow for thyself vessels from abroad from all thy neighbors, empty vessels, let them not be a few.
Then he said, "Go, ask for containers from outside, from all your neighbors, empty containers.
4 And then go home, and lock the door behind thee and behind thy sons, and then pour out into all those vessels; and that which is full thou shalt set aside.
Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these containers, and you are to set each one aside when it is full."
5 So she went from him, and locked the door behind her and behind her sons, who brought the vessels near to her, and she poured out.
So she left him and shut the door behind herself and her sons; they kept bringing her containers, and she kept pouring.
6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring near to me yet another vessel; and he said unto her, There is not a vessel more: and the oil stayed.
Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, "Bring me another container." But he said to her, "There aren't any more." Then the oil stopped flowing.
7 Then came she and told it to the man of God; and he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and thou with thy children shalt live of the rest.
Then she came and told the man of God, and he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debt, and you and your sons can live on the rest."
8 And it happened one day, that Elisha' passed over to Shunem, and there was a great woman, and she constrained him to eat bread; and it happened, that as oft as he passed by, he used to turn in thither to eat bread.
Now it happened one day that Elisha traveled to Shunem, where there was a prominent woman, who urged him to eat some food. so whenever he passed by, he would stop in there to eat some food.
9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God, who passeth through by us continually.
And she said to her husband, "Look now, I know that this is a holy man of God who often passes by us.
10 Let us then make a little upper chamber, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a chair, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.
Please, let's make a little room on the wall, and let's set up a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp for him there, so that whenever he comes to us, he can stay there."
11 And it happened one day, that he came thither, and he turned into the upper chamber, and lay there.
Now it happened one day he came there, and he turned into the upper room and rested.
12 And he said to Gechazi his servant, Call this Shunammite: and he called her, and she stood before him.
And he said to Gehazi his servant, "Call this Shunammite." So he called for her and she stood before him.
13 And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been at pains to take all this trouble for us: what is to be done for thee? wouldst thou be spoken for to the king, or to the chief of the army? And she said, I dwell in the midst of my own people.
And he said to him, "Say now to her, 'Look, you have gone to all this trouble for us. What can I do for you? Can I put in a good word for you to the king, or to the commander of the army?'" She answered, "I have a home among my own people."
14 And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gechazi said, Verily, she hath no son, and her husband is old.
So he said, "What then can I do for her?" And Gehazi replied, "Actually, she has no son, and her husband is old."
15 And he said, Call her: and he called her, and she stood in the door.
Then he said, "Call her." And when he had called her, she stood in the doorway.
16 And he said, At this season, next year, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, No, my Lord, man of God, do not deceive thy hand-maid.
And he said, "At this season, when the time comes around, you will be holding a son." And she said, "No, my lord, man of God, do not lie to your servant."
17 But the woman conceived, and bore a son at that season in the following year, as Elisha' had spoken unto her.
But the woman conceived, and bore a son at that season, when the time came around, just as Elisha had said to her.
18 And the child grew up; and it happened one day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.
And the child grew and it happened one day that he went out to his father to the harvest workers.
19 And he said unto his father, My head, my head: and he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.
And he said to his father, "My head, my head." And he said to his servant, "Carry him to his mother."
20 And he took him up, and brought him to his mother, and he sat on her knees till noon, when he died.
And when he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her lap until noon, and died.
21 And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and locked the door behind him, and went out.
Then she went up and put him on the bed of the man of God and shut the door behind him and left.
22 And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the she-asses, that I may hasten as far as the man of God, and return.
Then 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 then return."
23 And he said, Wherefore art thou going to him today? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It is well.
But he said, "Why would you want to see him today? It is not the new moon or Sabbath." And she said, "It's alright."
24 Then she saddled the she-ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; do not restrain me in riding, unless I say it to thee.
Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, "Lead on; do not slow down for me unless I tell you."
25 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 Gechazi his servant, Behold, yonder that Shunammite.
So she went and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel. So it happened when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, "Look, there is the Shunammite.
26 Now do run to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with thy child? and she answered, It is well.
Please run now to meet her and ask 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 And she came to the man of God to the mount, and caught hold of his feet; and Gechazi came near to thrust her away; but the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is grieved within her; and the Lord hath hidden it from me, and hath not told it me.
But when she came to the man of God to the mountain, she grabbed hold of his feet. And Gehazi came near to push her away, but the man of God said, "Leave her alone, for she is in severe anguish, and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me."
28 And she said, Did I request a son from my Lord? did I not say, Do not lead me astray?
Then she said, "Did I ask a son from my lord? Did I not say, 'Do not mislead me?'"
29 Then said he to Gechazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thy hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, thou shalt not salute him; and if any salute thee, thou shalt not answer him; and lay my staff upon the face of the lad.
Then he said to Gehazi, "Tuck your cloak into your belt, and take my staff in your hand, and go. If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not reply. And lay my staff on the face of the child."
30 And the mother of the lad said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose and followed her.
But the mother of the child said, "As the LORD lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you." So he arose and followed her.
31 And Gechazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the lad; but there was neither voice, nor perceptible sound; wherefore he went back to meet him, and told him, saying, The lad is not awakened.
Now Gehazi went on ahead of them and placed the staff on the face of the child, but there was no sound or response. Therefore he came back to meet him and told him, saying, "The child did not wake up."
32 And when Elisha' was come into the house, behold, the lad was dead, laid upon his bed.
When Elisha arrived at the house, look, the child was dead, lying on his bed.
33 And he went in and locked the door behind both of them, and prayed unto the Lord.
So he went in and shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the LORD.
34 And he went up, and laid himself upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands; and he stretched himself upon him: and the flesh of the child became warm.
Then he got 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 upon him, and the body of the child grew warm.
35 Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself [again] upon him; and the lad sneezed as many as seven times, and the lad opened his eyes.
Then he returned and walked in the house once back and forth, and went up and stretched himself upon him, and the child sneezed seven times and the child opened his eyes.
36 And he called Gechazi, and said, Call this Shunammite: so he called her, and she came in unto him; and he said, Take up thy son.
Then he called to Gehazi and said, "Call this Shunammite." So he called her. When she had come in to him, he said, "Pick up your son."
37 Then went she in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.
Then she came in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground. Then she picked up her son and left.
38 And Elisha' returned to Gilgal; and there was a famine in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on the large pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets.
Now Elisha came again to Gilgal, while there was a famine in the land. And the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, and he said to his servant, "Put on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets."
39 And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild colocynths his garment full, and came and cut them up into the pot of pottage; for they knew them not.
Then one of them went out into the field to gather herbs and found a wild vine, and gathered as many of its gourds as his garment would hold, and came and cut them up into the pot of stew, for he was unaware what it was.
40 And they poured it out for the men to eat; and it came to pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, Death is in the pot, O man of God. And they could not eat.
So they poured out for the men to eat. Now it happened, as they were eating of the stew, that they cried out, and said, "Man of God, there is death in the pot." And they could not eat it.
41 But he said, Then bring some meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour it out for the people, that they may eat. And there was nothing bad in the pot.
But he said, "Bring some flour." And he threw it into the pot and said, "Pour it out for the people, that they may eat." And there was no harm in the pot.
42 And there came a man from Ba'alshalishah, and brought unto the man of God bread of the first-fruits, twenty loaves of barley bread, and fresh ears of corn in his scrip: and he said, Give it unto the people, that they may eat.
Now a man from Baal Shalishah came and brought the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And he said, "Give to the people, that they may eat."
43 And his servitor said, What, shall I set this before a hundred men? And he said, Give it unto the people, that they may eat; for thus hath said the Lord, They shall eat, and shall leave [thereof].
But his servant said, "What, should I set this before a hundred men?" So he said, "Give them to the people so that they may eat, for thus says the LORD, 'They will eat, and will have some left over.'"
44 So he set it before them, and they ate, and left thereof, according to the word of the Lord.
So he set it before them, and they ate, and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.

< 2 Kings 4 >