2 Kings 4
1 One day the widow of one of [Yahweh’s] prophets came to Elisha and cried out to him, “My husband, who worked with you, is dead. You know that he revered Yahweh [very much]. But now a man to whom he owed a lot of money has come to me. [And because I cannot pay back the money, he is threatening] to take away my two sons to be his slaves [as payment for what I owe him]!”
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 Elisha replied, “What can I do to help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” She replied, “We have only a container of [olive] oil; we have nothing else.”
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 Elisha said, “Go to your neighbors and borrow from them as many empty jars as you can.
And he said—Go, ask thee vessels, from without, of all thy neighbours, —empty vessels, let them not be few.
4 Then take the jars into your house with your sons. Shut the door. Then pour olive oil from your container into the other jars. When each jar is full, set it aside [and fill another jar. Keep doing that until all the jars are full].”
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 did what Elisha told her to do]. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she kept filling them.
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 Soon all the jars were full. So she said to one of her sons, “Bring me another jar!” But he replied, “There are no more jars!” And then the olive oil stopped flowing.
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 When she told Elijah [what had happened], he said to her, “Now sell the jars of oil. And [with the money you get, ] pay what you owe, and there will be enough extra money to keep buying food for yourself and your sons.” [So she did that].
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 One day Elisha went to Shunem [town]. There was a wealthy woman who lived there [with her husband]. One day she invited Elisha to her house for a meal. [Elisha went there and] from then on, every time Elisha was in Shunem, he went to their house to eat a meal.
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 One day the woman said to her husband, “I am sure that this man who often comes here is a prophet [who brings messages] from God.
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 think we should make a small room for him on our [flat] roof, and put a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp in it. If we do that, whenever he comes here, he will have a place to stay.” [So they did that].
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 One day Elisha returned to Shunem, and he went up to that room to rest.
And it came to pass, on a day, that he came thither, —so he turned aside into the upper chamber, and slept there.
12 He said to his servant Gehazi, “Tell the woman that I want to speak to her.” [So the servant went and told her]. When she came [to the doorway of Elisha’s room],
Then said he unto Gehazi, his young man, Call this Shunammitess. And he called her, and she stood before him.
13 Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tell her that we both appreciate all the kind things that she has done for us. Then ask her what we can do for her. Ask, ‘Do you want [me to go to] the king or the army commander, to request something for you?’” [Gehazi told her, ] and she replied, “No, [he does not need to do that, because] my family/relatives are able to give me what I need.”
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 [Later, ] Elisha asked Gehazi, “What do you think that we can do for that woman?” He replied, “She does not have a son, and her husband is an old man. [So maybe we should ask Yahweh to enable her to have a son].”
So he said, What then can be done for thee? And Gehazi said, Verily, she hath no, son, and, her husband, is, old.
15 Elisha told Gehazi, “Call her back again.” [So Gehazi went and called her]. And when the woman returned, as she stood in the doorway,
And he said—Call her. So he called her, and she stood in the doorway.
16 Elisha said to her, “About this time next year you will be holding your [infant] son in your arms.” But she protested, “O, sir, you are a prophet [who brings messages] from God, so please do not deceive/lie to me by saying things like that!”
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 But a few months later, the woman became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son at that time the following year, just like Elisha had predicted.
And the woman conceived, and bare a son, at this season, about the time of spring, when Elisha, had spoken unto her.
18 When the child was older, one day he went out to the fields to see his father, who was [working] with the men who were harvesting [grain].
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 [Suddenly] the boy exclaimed, “My head [hurts]! My head [hurts a lot]!” His father said to one of the servants, “Carry him home to his mother!”
and he said unto his father—My head! my head! So he said unto the young man, Carry him to his mother.
20 So the servant carried him home, and his mother held him on her lap. But at noontime the boy died.
And, when he had carried him, and brought him in unto his mother, he sat on her knees until noon, and then died.
21 She carried him up [the steps] to the prophet’s room and laid him on the bed. She left him there and went out and shut the door.
And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, —and shut him in, and then went out.
22 She then called out to her husband, saying, “Send to me one of the servants and a donkey, so that I can ride [on it] quickly to the prophet, and then come back!” [But she did not tell her husband that their son had died].
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 Her husband [called out to her and] said, “Why [do you want to go] today? This is not the day when we celebrate the Festival of the New Moon, and it is not a Sabbath day!” But she only replied, “[Just do what I requested and] everything will be all right.”
And he said—Wherefore art thou going unto him, to-day, neither new moon nor sabbath? And she said—Peace!
24 So she [told the servant to] put saddles on [two] donkeys, and as they left, she said, “Hurry! Do not slow down unless t tell you to do that!”
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 As they approached Carmel Mountain, where Elisha was, Elisha saw her in the distance. He said to Gehazi, “Look, the woman from Shunem is coming!
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 Run to her, and ask her if everything is all right with her and her husband and with her child!” [So Gehazi ran to her and asked her, but she did not tell Gehazi anything.] She only said, “Yes, everything is fine.”
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 to where Elisha was, she [prostrated herself on the ground in front of Elisha and] took hold of his feet. Gehazi started to push her away, but Elisha said, “(Do not push her away/Leave her alone)! Something is troubling her very much, but Yahweh has not told me what it is.”
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 she said to Elisha, “O, sir, I did not ask you to enable me to give birth to a son [RHQ]. And I told you not to lie to me about that!” [RHQ]
Then said she, Did I ask a son, of my lord? Said I not, Thou must not mislead me?
29 Then Elisha [realized that something must have happened to her son. So he] said to Gehazi, “Get ready [to leave immediately]. Take my staff/walking stick and go [to her home]. Do not [stop to] talk to anyone on the way. Go quickly [to where her son is] and lay the staff on the child’s face. [If you do that, perhaps Yahweh will enable him to be well].”
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 boy’s mother said, “Just [as certain] as Yahweh lives and you live, I will not go home if you do not go with me.” So Elisha returned with her [to her home].
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 Gehazi hurried quickly, and [when he got to the woman’s home, ] he laid the staff/walking stick on the child’s face, but the child did not move or say anything. So Gehazi returned to meet Elisha [along the road], and told him, “The child is still dead.”
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 When Elisha reached the house, he saw that the boy was lying dead on his bed.
And, when Elisha had come into the house, lo! the boy, was dead, laid upon his bed.
33 Elisha went into the room by himself and shut the door and prayed to Yahweh.
So he went in, and shut the door upon them two, —and prayed unto Yahweh.
34 Then he lay down on the boy’s body, and put his mouth on the boy’s mouth, and put his eyes on the boy’s eyes, and put his hands on the boy’s hands. Then the boy’s body started to become warm!
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 Elisha got up and walked back and forth in the room [several times]. Then he stretched his body on the boy’s body again. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes!
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 Elisha summoned Gehazi. He said, “Call the boy’s mother!” [So Gehazi went and called her, ] and when she came in, Elisha said, “Here, take your son!”
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 She [gratefully] prostrated herself at Elisha’s feet. Then she picked up her son and carried him downstairs.
So she came in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, —and took up her son, and went forth.
38 Then Elisha returned to Gilgal. But at that time there was (a famine/very little food) in that area. One day as the group of prophets was sitting in front of Elisha [listening to what he was teaching], he said to his servant, “Put a large pot on [the stove] and make some stew for these men.”
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 One of the prophets went out to the fields to gather some vegetables. But he gathered [only] some wild gourds and put them in his cloak and brought them back. He shredded them and put them in the pot, but he did not know that the gourds were poisonous.
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 He served the stew to the prophets, but after the men had eaten only a couple bites, they cried out, “Elisha, there is something in the pot that will kill us!” So they would not eat it.
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 Elisha said, “Bring me some flour.” [They brought him some, and] he threw it in the pot and he said, “It is all right now. You can eat it.” And they ate it, and it did not harm them.
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 One day a man from Baal-Shalishah [town] brought to Elisha a sack of freshly cut grain and 20 loaves of barley bread, made from the first grain that they harvested [that year]. Elisha said [to his servant], “Give it to the group of prophets, so that they can eat it.”
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 servant exclaimed, “Do you think that we can feed 100 of us prophets with only that much?” [RHQ] But Elisha replied, “Give it to the prophets so that they can eat it, because Yahweh says that there will be plenty for all of them, and there will be some left over!”
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 After his servant gave it to the prophets, they ate [all that they wanted], and there was food left over, just as Yahweh had promised.
So he set before them, and they did eat and left remaining, according to the word of Yahweh.
