2 Kings 4:8-37

Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition

⁸ And there was a day when Eliseus passed by Sunam: now there was a great woman there, who detained him to eat bread; and as he passed often that way, he turned into her house to eat bread.

⁹ And she said to her husband: I perceive that this is a holy man of God, who often passeth by us.

¹⁰ Let us therefore make him a little chamber, and put a little bed in it for him, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick, that when he cometh to us, he may abide there.

¹¹ Now there was a certain day when he came and turned in to the chamber, and rested there.

¹² And he said to Giezi his servant Call this Sunamitess. And when he had called her, and she stood before him,

¹³ He said to his servant: Say to her Behold thou hast diligently served us in all things, what wilt thou have me to do for thee? hast thou any business, and wilt thou that I speak to the king, or to the general of the army? And she answered: I dwell in the midst of my own people.

¹⁴ And he said: What will she then that I do for her? And Giezi said: Do not ask, for she hath no son, and her husband is old.

¹⁵ Then he bid him call her: And when she was called, and stood before the door.

¹⁶ He said to her: At this time, and this same hour, if life accompany, thou shalt have a son in thy womb. But she answered: Do not, I beseech thee, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie to thy handmaid.

¹⁷ And the woman conceived, and brought forth a son in the time, and at the same hour, that Eliseus had said.

¹⁸ And the child grew. And on a certain day, when he went out to his father to the reapers,

¹⁹ He said to his father: My head acheth, my head acheth. But he said to his servant: Take him, and carry him to his mother.

²⁰ And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, she set him on her knees until noon, and then he died.

²¹ And she went up and laid him upon the bed of the man of God, and shut the door: and going out,

²² She called her husband, and said: Send with me, I beseech thee, one of thy servants, and an ass that I may run to the man of God, and come again.

²³ And he said to her: Why dost thou go to him? to day is neither new moon nor sabbath. She answered: I will go.

²⁴ And she saddled an ass, and commanded her servant: Drive, and make haste, make no stay in going. And do that which I bid thee.

²⁵ So she went forward, and came to the man of God to mount Carmel: and when the man of God saw her coming towards, he said to Giezi his servant: Behold that Sunamitess.

²⁶ Go therefore to meet her, and say to her: Is all well with thee, and with thy husband, and with thy son? and she answered: Well.

²⁷ And when she came to the man of God to the mount, she caught hold on his feet: and Giezi came to remove her. And the man of God said: Let her alone for her soul is in anguish, and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.

²⁸ And she said to him: Did I ask a son of my lord? did I not say to thee: Do not deceive me?

²⁹ Then he said to Giezi: Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thy hand, and go. If any man meet thee, salute him not: and if any man salute thee, answer him not: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.

³⁰ But the mother of the child said: As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. He arose, therefore, and followed her.

³¹ But Giezi was gone before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child, and there was no voice nor sense: and he returned to meet him, and told him, saying: The child is not risen.

³² Eliseus therefore went into the house, and behold the child lay dead on his bed.

³³ And going in he shut the door upon him, and upon the child, and prayed to the Lord.

³⁴ And he went up, and lay upon the child: and he put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he bowed himself upon him, and the child's flesh grew warm.

³⁵ Then he returned and walked in the house, once to and fro: and he went up, and lay upon him: and the child gaped seven times, and opened his eyes.

³⁶ And he called Giezi, and said to him: Call this Sunamitess. And she being called, went in to him: and he said: Take up thy son.

³⁷ She came and fell at his feet, and worshipped upon the ground: and took up her son, and went out.