2 Kings 4

1 Now, a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets, made outcry unto Elisha, saying—Thy servant, my husband, is dead, and, thou, knowest that, thy servant, was one who revered Yahweh, —now, the creditor, hath come to take my two boys to himself as bondmen.

2 And Elisha said unto her—What shall I do for thee? tell me what thou, hast, in the house. And she said—Thy maid-servant hath, nothing at all, in the house, save a flask of oil.

3 And he said—Go, ask thee vessels, from without, of all thy neighbours, —empty vessels, let them not be few.

4 And, when thou hast come in, then shalt thou shut the door behind thee and behind thy sons, and shalt pour out into all these vessels, —and, that which is full, shalt thou set aside.

5 So she went out from his presence, and shut the door behind her, and behind her sons, —they bringing near to her, and she pouring out.

6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son—Bring me a vessel more. And he said unto her—There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.

7 Then came she in, and told the man of God, and he said—Go, sell the oil, and pay thy creditor, —and, thou and thy sons, shall live of the rest.

8 And so it was, on a day, that Elisha passed over unto Shunem, where was a woman of position, and she constrained him to eat bread, —and so it came about, whensoever he passed that way, that he turned aside thither, to eat bread.

9 Then said she unto her husband, Lo! I pray thee—I perceive that, a holy man of God, he is, —passing our way continually.

10 I pray thee, let us make a little upper chamber on the wall and set for him there—a bed, and a table, and a seat, and a lampstand, —so shall it be, when he cometh to us, that he can turn in thither.

11 And it came to pass, on a day, that he came thither, —so he turned aside into the upper chamber, and slept there.

12 Then said he unto Gehazi, his young man, Call this Shunammitess. And he called her, and she stood before him.

13 And he said to him—I pray thee, say unto her—Lo! thou hast cared for us with all this anxious care, what can be done for thee? Is it, that we should speak for thee, unto the king, or unto the general of the army? But she said, In the midst of mine own people, do, I, dwell.

14 So he said, What then can be done for thee? And Gehazi said, Verily, she hath no, son, and, her husband, is, old.

15 And he said—Call her. So he called her, and she stood in the doorway.

16 Then said he—At this season, about the time of spring, thou, shalt be embracing a son. And she said—Nay! my lord, thou man of God, do not delude thy maid-servant.

17 And the woman conceived, and bare a son, at this season, about the time of spring, when Elisha, had spoken unto her.

18 And, when the child was grown, it came to pass, on a certain day, that he went out unto his father, unto the reapers;

19 and he said unto his father—My head! my head! So he said unto the young man, Carry him to his mother.

20 And, when he had carried him, and brought him in unto his mother, he sat on her knees until noon, and then died.

21 And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, —and shut him in, and then went out.

22 And she called unto her husband, and said—Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, —that I may run unto the man of God, and return!

23 And he said—Wherefore art thou going unto him, to-day, neither new moon nor sabbath? And she said—Peace!

24 Then saddled she the ass, and said unto her young man—Lead on, and go forward, —do not slacken, for my sake, the riding, except I have bidden thee.

25 So she went her way, and came unto the man of God, unto Mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her, opposite, that he said unto Gehazi young man, Lo! this Shunammitess!

26 Now, run, I pray thee, to meet her, and say to her—Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she said, Well!

27 But, when she came unto the man of God, on the mount, she caught hold of his feet, —and Gehazi drew near to thrust her away, when the man of God said—Let her alone! for, her life, is embittered to her, howbeit, Yahweh, hath hidden it from me, and hath not told me.

28 Then said she, Did I ask a son, of my lord? Said I not, Thou must not mislead me?

29 And he said to Gehazi—Gird thy loins, and take my staff in thy hand, and go thy way, if thou meet with any man, thou must not bless him, and, if any man bless thee, thou must not respond to him, —then shalt thou lay my staff upon the face of the boy.

30 But the mother of the boy said, By the life of Yahweh and by the life of thine own soul, I will not leave thee. So he arose and followed her.

31 Now, Gehazi, had passed on before them, and laid the staff on the face of the boy, but there was neither voice, nor attention, —so he returned to meet him, and told him, saying—The boy hath not awaked.

32 And, when Elisha had come into the house, lo! the boy, was dead, laid upon his bed.

33 So he went in, and shut the door upon them two, —and prayed unto Yahweh.

34 Then gat he up, and lay upon the child, and put his own mouth upon his mouth, and his own eyes upon his eyes, and his own hands upon his hands, and bowed himself upon him, —and the flesh of the child, waxed warm.

35 Then retraced he, and walked in the house—once to and fro, and then went up and bowed himself upon him, —and the boy sneezed as many as seven times, and the boy opened his eyes.

36 Then called he Gehazi, and said—Call this Shunammitess. So he called her, and, when she was come in unto him, he said—Take up thy son.

37 So she came in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, —and took up her son, and went forth.

38 Now, Elisha, returned to Gilgal, and there was, a famine, in the land, and, the sons of the prophets, being seated before him, he said to his young man—Put on the large pot, and boil a mess of food, for the sons of the prophets.

39 And one went out into the field, to gather herbs, and found a vine in the field, and gathered thereof wild gourds, his lap full, and came in, and sliced them into the pot; for they knew them not.

40 So they poured out for the men to eat, —and it came so pass, as they were eating of the mess, that, they, made outcry and said—Death in the pot, O man of God! And they could not eat.

41 And he said—Then fetch meal. And he cast it into the pot, —and then said—Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot.

42 And, a man, came in from Baal-Shalisha, and brought for the man of God firstfruit bread, twenty barley loaves, and garden grain in the husk thereof. And he said—Give to the people, that they may eat.

43 But his attendant said—How can I set this before a hundred men? And he said—Give to the people, that they may eat, for, Thus, saith Yahweh, They are about to eat and to leave remaining.

44 So he set before them, and they did eat and left remaining, according to the word of Yahweh.