列王纪下 4
Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified)
以利沙为嫠妇行奇事
4 有一个先知门徒的妻哀求以利沙说：“你仆人我丈夫死了，他敬畏耶和华是你所知道的。现在有债主来，要取我两个儿子做奴仆。” 2 以利沙问她说：“我可以为你做什么呢？你告诉我，你家里有什么？”她说：“婢女家中除了一瓶油之外，没有什么。” 3 以利沙说：“你去，向你众邻舍借空器皿，不要少借。 4 回到家里，关上门，你和你儿子在里面将油倒在所有的器皿里，倒满了的放在一边。” 5 于是妇人离开以利沙去了，关上门，自己和儿子在里面，儿子把器皿拿来，她就倒油。 6 器皿都满了，她对儿子说：“再给我拿器皿来。”儿子说：“再没有器皿了。”油就止住了。 7 妇人去告诉神人，神人说：“你去卖油还债，所剩的，你和你儿子可以靠着度日。”
书念妇接待以利沙
8 一日，以利沙走到书念，在那里有一个大户的妇人强留他吃饭。此后以利沙每从那里经过，就进去吃饭。 9 妇人对丈夫说：“我看出那常从我们这里经过的是圣洁的神人。 10 我们可以为他在墙上盖一间小楼，在其中安放床榻、桌子、椅子、灯台，他来到我们这里，就可以住在其间。” 11 一日以利沙来到那里，就进了那楼躺卧。 12 以利沙吩咐仆人基哈西说：“你叫这书念妇人来。”他就把妇人叫了来，妇人站在以利沙面前。 13 以利沙吩咐仆人说：“你对她说：‘你既为我们费了许多心思，可以为你做什么呢？你向王或元帅有所求的没有？’”她回答说：“我在我本乡安居无事。” 14 以利沙对仆人说：“究竟当为她做什么呢？”基哈西说：“她没有儿子，她丈夫也老了。” 15 以利沙说：“再叫她来。”于是叫了她来，她就站在门口。 16 以利沙说：“明年到这时候，你必抱一个儿子。”她说：“神人，我主啊，不要那样欺哄婢女！”
书念妇生子
17 妇人果然怀孕，到了那时候，生了一个儿子，正如以利沙所说的。
子死以利沙苏之
18 孩子渐渐长大，一日到他父亲和收割的人那里。 19 他对父亲说：“我的头啊！我的头啊！”他父亲对仆人说：“把他抱到他母亲那里。” 20 仆人抱去，交给他母亲，孩子坐在母亲的膝上，到晌午就死了。 21 他母亲抱他上了楼，将他放在神人的床上，关上门出来， 22 呼叫她丈夫说：“你叫一个仆人，给我牵一匹驴来，我要快快地去见神人，就回来。” 23 丈夫说：“今日不是月朔，也不是安息日，你为何要去见他呢？”妇人说：“平安无事。” 24 于是备上驴，对仆人说：“你快快赶着走，我若不吩咐你，就不要迟慢。” 25 妇人就往迦密山去见神人。
神人远远地看见她，对仆人基哈西说：“看哪，书念的妇人来了。 26 你跑去迎接她，问她说：‘你平安吗？你丈夫平安吗？孩子平安吗？’”她说：“平安。” 27 妇人上了山，到神人那里，就抱住神人的脚。基哈西前来要推开她，神人说：“由她吧！因为她心里愁苦。耶和华向我隐瞒，没有指示我。” 28 妇人说：“我何尝向我主求过儿子呢？我岂没有说过，不要欺哄我吗？” 29 以利沙吩咐基哈西说：“你束上腰，手拿我的杖前去。若遇见人，不要向他问安，人若向你问安，也不要回答。要把我的杖放在孩子脸上。” 30 孩子的母亲说：“我指着永生的耶和华，又敢在你面前起誓：我必不离开你！”于是以利沙起身，随着她去了。 31 基哈西先去，把杖放在孩子脸上，却没有声音，也没有动静。基哈西就迎着以利沙回来，告诉他说：“孩子还没有醒过来。”
32 以利沙来到，进了屋子，看见孩子死了，放在自己的床上。 33 他就关上门，只有自己和孩子在里面，他便祈祷耶和华。 34 上床伏在孩子身上，口对口，眼对眼，手对手。既伏在孩子身上，孩子的身体就渐渐温和了。 35 然后他下来，在屋里来往走了一趟，又上去伏在孩子身上。孩子打了七个喷嚏，就睁开眼睛了。 36 以利沙叫基哈西说：“你叫这书念妇人来。”于是叫了她来。以利沙说：“将你儿子抱起来。” 37 妇人就进来，在以利沙脚前俯伏于地，抱起她儿子出去了。
先知徒中毒以利沙解之
38 以利沙又来到吉甲，那地正有饥荒。先知门徒坐在他面前，他吩咐仆人说：“你将大锅放在火上，给先知门徒熬汤。” 39 有一个人去到田野掐菜，遇见一棵野瓜藤，就摘了一兜野瓜回来，切了搁在熬汤的锅中，因为他们不知道是什么东西。 40 倒出来给众人吃，吃的时候，都喊叫说：“神人哪，锅中有致死的毒物！”所以众人不能吃了。 41 以利沙说：“拿点面来。”就把面撒在锅中，说：“倒出来给众人吃吧。”锅中就没有毒了。
以二十饼饱百人
42 有一个人从巴力沙利沙来，带着初熟大麦做的饼二十个并新穗子，装在口袋里送给神人。神人说：“把这些给众人吃。” 43 仆人说：“这一点岂可摆给一百人吃呢？”以利沙说：“你只管给众人吃吧，因为耶和华如此说：‘众人必吃了，还剩下。’” 44 仆人就摆在众人面前。他们吃了，果然还剩下，正如耶和华所说的。
2 Kings 4
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 4
The Widow’s Oil.[a] 1 Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant lived in fear of the Lord. His creditor is coming to take away his two sons to be his slaves.” 2 Elisha said, “What can I do for you? Tell me, what do you have at home?” She answered, “Your servant has nothing at home except for a flask of oil.” 3 He said, “Go around and borrow jars from all of your neighbors. Empty jars, and not too few of them. 4 Then go inside, and shut the door behind you and your sons. Fill all of those jars, and when a jar is full, set it to the side.”
5 So she left him, and she shut the door behind her and her sons who had brought her jars, and she kept pouring. 6 When all of the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another jar.” He said, “There are no more jars,” and then the oil stopped flowing.
7 She went and recounted it to the man of God, and he said, “Go and sell the oil and pay your debt. You and your children can live on what is left over.”
Elisha and the Shunammite.[b] 8 One day Elisha traveled to Shunem.[c] There was an important woman there, and she insisted that he stop to eat. Whenever he passed by there, he would stop to eat.
9 She said to her husband, “Behold, this man who often visits us is a holy man of God. 10 We should prepare a small room on the roof, and place a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp in it for him. Then he can stay there when he visits us.”
11 One day he arrived, and he went into the room to lie down. 12 He said to Gehazi, his servant, “Call the Shunammite.” So he called her, and she stood before him. 13 He said to him, “Say to her, ‘You have put yourself through all this trouble for us. What could be done for you? Should we speak to the king or the commander of the army for you?’ ” She answered, “I dwell among my own people.”
14 He said, “Then what can be done for her?” Gehazi answered, “She and her husband are old, and they have no children.” 15 Elisha said, “Summon her.” He called her and she stood in the doorway. 16 He said, “You will embrace a son around this time next year.” She said, “No, my lord, O man of God. Do not lie to your servant.”
17 The woman became pregnant, and she had a son that time the next year, just as Elisha had predicted. 18 The child grew up, and one day he went out to his father who was with the reapers. 19 He said to his father, “My head! My head!” He said to a young man, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 He picked him up and brought him to his mother. He sat on her lap until noon when he died.
21 She went up and laid him on the bed belonging to the man of God. She closed him in the room and went out. 22 She called to her husband and said, “Please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys so that I can hurry to the man of God and return.” 23 He said, “Why would you go today? It is not a new moon or the Sabbath.” But she said, “It is all right.”[d]
24 She saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Lead on, and do not slow down for me unless I tell you.” 25 So she departed and came to the man of God on Mount Carmel.
When the man of God saw her from a distance, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, it is the Shunammite. 26 Run to her and say to her, ‘Is everything all right? Is your husband well? Is your child well?’ ” She answered, “It is all right.”
27 When she reached the man of God on the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi approached to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone. Her spirit is in despair, but the Lord had hidden it from me and did not tell me.”
28 She said, “Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, ‘Do not lie to me.’ ”
29 Elisha said to Gehazi, “Gird up your loins, and take my staff in your hands, and go! If you meet anyone, do not greet him. And if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff upon the child’s face.”[e] 30 But the boy’s mother said, “As the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her.
31 Gehazi went on before them, and he laid the staff upon the child’s face, but there was no sound or response. He went out to meet him, and he said to him, “The child did not wake up.”
32 When Elisha arrived at the house, the child was lying dead upon his bed. 33 He went in, and he shut the door on the two of them, and then he prayed to the Lord. 34 He got up and lay upon the child, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, and hands to hands. He stretched himself out upon the child, and the child’s flesh grew warm. 35 He turned and walked back and forth in the room, and then he went and stretched himself out again. The boy sneezed seven times, and then the boy opened his eyes.
36 Elisha called for Gehazi, and he said, “Call this Shunammite.” He called her, and she came, and he said to her, “Take your son.” 37 She came in and bowed down, falling to the ground at Elisha’s feet. She then took her son and left.
38 Poisoned Stew. Elisha returned to Gilgal, and there was a famine in the land. The sons of the prophets were sitting in front of him, and he said to his servant, “Set up the large pot and cook some soup for the sons of the prophets.”
39 One of them went out into the field to gather some herbs and he found a wild vine. He picked the wild gourds, filling his cloak. He cut them up into the pot of soup, although no one knew what they were.
40 When they poured out the soup for the men to eat, and they began to eat the soup, they cried out, “O man of God, there is death in the pot.” And they could not eat it.
41 He said, “Bring some flour.” He threw it into the pot and said, “Pour it out for the people to eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.
42 Multiplication of Loaves. A man came from Baal-shalishah, and he brought the man of God twenty loaves of barley bread from the firstfruits along with some heads of grain. He said, “Give it to the people so that they might eat.” 43 His servant said, “What? Should I place this before one hundred men?” But he said again, “Give it to the people to eat, for thus says the Lord: They will eat, and there will be some left over.”
44 He set it before them, and they ate, and there was some left over, just as the Lord had predicted.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 4:1 This chapter recounts God’s mercy and power in providing for the needs of the faithful. God uses Elisha to help the widow in debt, to restore life to the dead boy, to purify food, and to feed one hundred men.
- 2 Kings 4:8 The story is very like the one told of Elijah (1 Ki 17:17-24).
- 2 Kings 4:8 Shunem: at the foot of Little Hermon in northern Israel.
- 2 Kings 4:23 It was customary to approach the prophets on festival days (see 1 Sam 20:5).
- 2 Kings 4:29 The sign of an urgent mission (see Lk 10:4). Easterners are, even today, very formal, and even the simplest greeting takes time.
2 Kings 4
New Life Version
Elisha and the Jar of Oil
4 Now the wife of the son of one of the men who tell what will happen in the future cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead. You know that your servant honored the Lord with fear. But the man to whom he owed money has come to take my two children to make them serve him.” 2 Elisha said to her, “What can I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your woman servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” 3 Then he said, “Go around and get jars from all your neighbors. Get empty jars, many of them. 4 Then go in and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour the oil into all these jars, and set aside each one that is full.” 5 So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They took the jars to her, and she poured. 6 When the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another jar.” And he said to her, “There is not one jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing. 7 She came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go and sell the oil and pay what you owe. You and your sons can live on the rest.”
Elisha and the Shunammite’s Son
8 One day Elisha went to Shunem. An important woman was there, who talked him into eating some food. So every time he passed by, he would turn in there to eat food. 9 She said to her husband, “Now I see that this is a holy man of God who is always passing by. 10 Let us make a little room on the second floor. And let us put a bed there for him, and a table and a chair and a lamp. Then when he comes to us, he can go in there.”
11 One day Elisha came there and went into the room on the second floor, and rested. 12 He said to Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” When he had called her, she came and stood in front of him. 13 Elisha said to Gehazi, “Now tell her, ‘See, you have done much for us. What can I do for you? Should I speak to the king or to the captain of the army for you?’” And she answered, “I live among my own people.” 14 So Elisha said, “What then is to be done for her?” Gehazi answered, “She has no son, and her husband is old.” 15 Elisha said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood at the door. 16 Then he said, “At this time next year you will hold a son in your arms.” And she said, “No, my lord, O man of God. Do not lie to your woman servant.” 17 Later she was going to have a child and she gave birth to a son at that time the next year, as Elisha had told her.
18 When the child was grown, he went out one day to his father who was with those gathering grain. 19 He said to his father, “O, my head, my head!” The father said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 When he was brought to his mother, he sat on her knees until noon. Then he died. 21 She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God. She shut the door behind him, and went out. 22 Then she called to her husband and said, “Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and return.” 23 Her husband said, “Why will you go to him today? It is not the time of the new moon or the Day of Rest.” She said, “It will be all right.” 24 Then she put a seat on a donkey and said to her servant, “Drive on. Do not slow down for me unless I tell you.” 25 So she went and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel. When the man of God saw her far away, he said to Gehazi his servant, “See, there is the Shunammite. 26 Run now to meet her. Say to 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 When she came to the mountain to the man of God, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came near to push her away, but the man of God said, “Let her alone. For her soul is troubled within her. The Lord has hidden it from me. He has not told me.” 28 Then she said, “Did I ask you for a son? Did I not say, ‘Do not lie to me’?”
29 Elisha said to Gehazi, “Get ready to travel. Take my walking stick and go. If you meet any man, do not greet him. If anyone greets you, do not answer him. Then lay my stick on the boy’s face.” 30 The mother of the boy said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So Elisha got up and followed her. 31 Gehazi went on before them and laid the stick on the boy’s face. But there was no sound or anything to show that the boy was alive. So Gehazi returned to meet Elisha, and told him, “The boy is not awake.” 32 When Elisha came into the house, he saw the boy lying dead on his bed. 33 So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the Lord. 34 He went up and lay on the child. He put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. He spread himself out on him, and the child’s flesh became warm. 35 Then Elisha got up again. He walked from one end of the house to the other. Then he went up and spread himself on the child again. The boy sneezed seven times, and opened his eyes. 36 Elisha called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. When she came to him, he said, “Take up your son.” 37 She came and fell at his feet and put her face to the ground. Then she took up her son and went out.
Elisha and the Pot of Food
38 When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was no food in the land. The sons of the men who tell what will happen in the future were sitting in front of him. Elisha said to his servant, “Put the large pot over the fire and make food ready for the sons of the men who tell what will happen in the future.” 39 One of them went out into the field to gather plants. He found a wild vine, and gathered wild gourds from it. He came and cut them up in the pot of food, not knowing what they were. 40 Then they poured it out for the men to eat. As they were eating the food, they cried out, “O man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they could not eat it. 41 But he said, “Get some grain.” And he threw it into the pot, and said, “Pour it out for the people to eat.” Then there was no danger in the pot.
Elisha Feeds One Hundred Men
42 A man came from Baal-shalishah. He brought the man of God a gift of the first-fruits. There were twenty loaves of barley bread and new-grown grain in his bag. Elisha said, “Give them to the people, that they may eat.” 43 But his servant said, “What? Should I put this in front of 100 men?” But Elisha said, “Give them to the people to eat. For the Lord says, ‘They will eat and have some left.’” 44 So he put it in front of them. And they ate and had some left, as the word of the Lord had said.
2 Kings 4
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Elisha and the Widow’s Oil
4 Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Eli′sha, “Your servant my husband is dead; and you know that your servant feared the Lord, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” 2 And Eli′sha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house, except a jar of oil.” 3 Then he said, “Go outside, borrow vessels of all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. 4 Then go in, and shut the door upon yourself and your sons, and pour into all these vessels; and when one is full, set it aside.” 5 So she went from him and shut the door upon herself and her sons; and as she poured they brought the vessels to her. 6 When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another.” Then the oil stopped flowing. 7 She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest.”
Elisha Raises the Shunammite’s Son
8 One day Eli′sha went on to Shunem, where a wealthy woman lived, who urged him to eat some food. So whenever he passed that way, he would turn in there to eat food. 9 And she said to her husband, “Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God, who is continually passing our way. 10 Let us make a small roof chamber with walls, and put there for him a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp, so that whenever he comes to us, he can go in there.”
11 One day he came there, and he turned into the chamber and rested there. 12 And he said to Geha′zi his servant, “Call this Shu′nammite.” When he had called her, she stood before him. 13 And he said to him, “Say now to her, See, you have taken all this trouble for us; what is to be done for you? Would you have a word spoken on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?” She answered, “I dwell among my own people.” 14 And he said, “What then is to be done for her?” Geha′zi answered, “Well, she has no son, and her husband is old.” 15 He said, “Call her.” And when he had called her, she stood in the doorway. 16 And he said, “At this season, when the time comes round, you shall embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, O man of God; do not lie to your maidservant.” 17 But the woman conceived, and she bore a son about that time the following spring, as Eli′sha had said to her.
18 When the child had grown, he went out one day to his father among the reapers. 19 And he said to his father, “Oh, my head, my head!” The father said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 And when he had lifted him, and brought him to his mother, the child sat on her lap till noon, and then he died. 21 And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out. 22 Then she called to her husband, and said, “Send me one of the servants and one of the asses, that I may quickly go to the man of God, and come back again.” 23 And he said, “Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath.” She said, “It will be well.” 24 Then she saddled the ass, and she said to her servant, “Urge the beast on; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.” 25 So she set out, and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel.
When the man of God saw her coming, he said to Geha′zi his servant, “Look, yonder is the Shu′nammite; 26 run at once to meet her, and say to 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 when she came to the mountain to the man of God, she caught hold of his feet. And Geha′zi came to thrust her away. But the man of God said, “Let her alone, for she is in bitter distress; and the Lord has hidden it from me, and has not told me.” 28 Then she said, “Did I ask my lord for a son? Did I not say, Do not deceive me?” 29 He said to Geha′zi, “Gird up your loins, and take my staff in your hand, and go. If you meet any one, do not salute him; and if any one salutes you, do not reply; and lay my staff upon the face of the child.” 30 Then the mother of the child said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So he arose and followed her. 31 Geha′zi went on ahead and laid the staff upon the face of the child, but there was no sound or sign of life. Therefore he returned to meet him, and told him, “The child has not awaked.”
32 When Eli′sha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. 33 So he went in and shut the door upon the two of them, and prayed to the Lord. 34 Then he went up and lay upon the child, putting his mouth upon his mouth, his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands; and as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. 35 Then he got up again, and walked once to and fro in the house, and went up, and stretched himself upon him; the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. 36 Then he summoned Geha′zi and said, “Call this Shu′nammite.” So he called her. And when she came to him, he said, “Take up your son.” 37 She came and fell at his feet, bowing to the ground; then she took up her son and went out.
Elisha Purifies the Pot of Stew
38 And Eli′sha came again to Gilgal when there was a famine in the land. And as the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, he said to his servant, “Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of the prophets.” 39 One of them went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds, and came and cut them up into the pot of pottage, not knowing what they were. 40 And they poured out for the men to eat. But while they were eating of the pottage, they cried out, “O man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they could not eat it. 41 He said, “Then bring meal.” And he threw it into the pot, and said, “Pour out for the men, that they may eat.” And there was no harm in the pot.
Elisha Feeds One Hundred Men
42 A man came from Ba′al-shal′ishah, bringing the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Eli′sha said, “Give to the men, that they may eat.” 43 But his servant said, “How am I to set this before a hundred men?” So he repeated, “Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’” 44 So he set it before them. And they ate, and had some left, according to the word of the Lord.
Copyright © 2011 by Global Bible Initiative
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.