2 Kings 4

1 Now a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead. You know that your servant feared the LORD. Now the creditor has come to take for himself my two children to be slaves.”

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 said to her, “What should I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She said, “Your servant has nothing in the house, except a pot of oil.”

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 Then he said, “Go, borrow empty containers from all your neighbors. Don’t borrow just a few containers.

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

4 Go in and shut the door on you and on your sons, and pour oil into all those containers; and set aside those which 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 went from him, and shut the door on herself and on her sons. They brought the containers to her, and she poured oil.

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 When the containers were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another container.” He said to her, “There isn’t another container.” Then the 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 Then she came and told the man of God. He said, “Go, sell the oil, and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”

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, where there was a prominent woman; and she persuaded him to eat bread. So it was, that as often as he passed by, he turned in there to eat bread.

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 She said to her husband, “See now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God who passes by us continually.

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 Please, let’s make a little room on the roof. Let’s set a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp stand for him there. When he comes to us, he can stay there.”

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 he came there, and he went to the room and lay there.

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 Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” When he had called her, she stood before him.

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

13 He said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Behold, you have cared for us with all this care. What is to be done for you? Would you like to be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the army?’” She answered, “I dwell among my own people.”

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 He said, “What then is to be done for her?” Gehazi answered, “Most certainly she has no son, and her husband is old.”

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

15 He said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the door.

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

16 He said, “At this season next year, you will embrace a son.” She said, “No, my lord, you man of God, do not lie to your servant.”

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 The woman conceived, and bore a son at that season when the time came around, as Elisha had said to her.

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 grown, one day he went out to his father to the reapers.

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 He said to his father, “My head! My head!” He said to his servant, “Carry him 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 When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees until noon, and then 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 went up and laid him on the man of God’s bed, and shut the door on him, and went out.

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 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 come again.”

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 He said, “Why would you want to go to him today? It is not a new moon or a Sabbath.” She said, “It’s all right.”

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

24 Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, “Drive, and go forward! Don’t slow down for me, unless I ask you to.”

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, and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel. When the man of God saw her afar off, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, there is the Shunammite.

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 Please run now to meet her, and ask her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with your child?’” She answered, “It is well.”

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 When she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold of his feet. Gehazi came near to thrust her away; but the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for her soul is troubled within her; and the LORD has hidden it from me, and has not told me.”

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, “Did I ask you for a son, my lord? Didn’t I say, ‘Do not deceive me’?”

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

29 Then he said to Gehazi, “Tuck your cloak into your belt, take my staff in your hand, and go your way. If you meet any man, don’t greet him; and if anyone greets you, don’t answer him again. Then lay my staff on the child’s face.”

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 The child’s mother said, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So he arose, and followed her.

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 went ahead of them, and laid the staff on the child’s face; but there was no voice and no hearing. Therefore he returned to meet him, and told him, “The child has not awakened.”

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 had come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and lying on his bed.

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

33 He went in therefore, and shut the door on them both, and prayed to the LORD.

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

34 He 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. He stretched himself on him; and the child’s flesh grew 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 Then he returned, and walked in the house once back and forth, then went up and stretched himself out on him. Then the child sneezed seven times, and the child 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 He called Gehazi, and said, “Call this Shunammite!” So he called her. When she had come in to him, he said, “Take up 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 Then she went in, fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground; then she picked up her son, and went out.

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

38 Elisha came again to Gilgal. There was a famine in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him; and he said to his servant, “Get the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.”

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 went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered a lap full of wild gourds from it, and came and cut them up into the pot of stew; for they didn’t recognize them.

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. As they were eating some of the stew, they cried out and said, “Man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they could 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 But he said, “Then bring meal.” He threw it into the pot; and he said, “Serve it to the people, that they may eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.

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 A man from Baal Shalishah came, and brought the man of God some bread of the first fruits: twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. Elisha said, “Give to the people, that they may eat.”

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 His servant said, “What, should I set this before a hundred men?” But he said, “Give it to the people, that they may eat; for the LORD says, ‘They will eat, and will have 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 So he set it before them and they ate and had some left over, according to the LORD’s word.

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