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2 Kings 4
New English Translation

Elisha Helps a Widow and Her Sons

4 Now a wife of one of the prophets[a] appealed[b] to Elisha for help, saying, “Your servant, my husband is dead. You know that your servant was a loyal follower of the Lord.[c] Now the creditor is coming to take away my two boys to be his servants.” 2 Elisha said to her, “What can I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She answered, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a small jar of olive oil.” 3 He said, “Go and ask all your neighbors for empty containers.[d] Get as many as you can.[e] 4 Go and close the door behind you and your sons. Pour the olive oil into all the containers;[f] set aside each one when you have filled it.” 5 So she left him and closed the door behind her and her sons. As they were bringing the containers to her, she was pouring the olive oil. 6 When the containers were full, she said to one of her sons,[g] “Bring me another container.” But he answered her, “There are no more.” Then the olive oil stopped flowing. 7 She went and told the prophet.[h] He said, “Go, sell the olive oil. Repay your creditor, and then you and your sons can live off the rest of the profit.”

Elisha Gives Life to a Boy

8 One day Elisha traveled to Shunem, where a prominent[i] woman lived. She insisted that he stop for a meal.[j] So whenever he was passing through, he would stop in there for a meal.[k] 9 She said to her husband, “Look, I’m sure[l] that the man who regularly passes through here is a very special prophet.[m] 10 Let’s make a small, private upper room[n] and furnish it with[o] a bed, table, chair, and lamp. When he visits us, he can stay there.”

11 One day Elisha[p] came for a visit; he went[q] into the upper room and rested.[r] 12 He told his servant Gehazi, “Ask the Shunammite woman to come here.”[s] So he did so and she came to him.[t] 13 Elisha said to Gehazi,[u] “Tell her, ‘Look, you have treated us with such great respect.[v] What can I do for you? Can I put in a good word for you with the king or the commander of the army?’” She replied, “I’m quite secure.”[w] 14 So he asked Gehazi,[x] “What can I do for her?” Gehazi replied, “She has no son, and her husband is old.” 15 Elisha told him, “Ask her to come here.”[y] So he did so[z] and she came and stood in the doorway.[aa] 16 He said, “About this time next year[ab] you will be holding a son.” She said, “No, my master! O prophet, do not lie to your servant!” 17 The woman did conceive, and at the specified time the next year she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.

18 The boy grew and one day he went out to see his father who was with the harvest workers.[ac] 19 He said to his father, “My head! My head!” His father[ad] told a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 So he picked him up and took him to his mother. He sat on her lap[ae] until noon and then died. 21 She went up and laid him down on the prophet’s[af] bed. She shut the door behind her and left. 22 She called to her husband, “Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, so I can go see the prophet quickly and then return.” 23 He said, “Why do you want to go see him today? It is not the new moon[ag] or the Sabbath.” She said, “Everything’s fine.”[ah] 24 She saddled the donkey and told her servant, “Lead on.[ai] Do not stop unless I say so.”[aj]

25 So she went to visit[ak] the prophet at Mount Carmel. When he[al] saw her at a distance, he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, it’s the Shunammite woman. 26 Now, run to meet her and ask her, ‘Are you well? Are your husband and the boy well?’” She told Gehazi,[am] “Everything’s fine.” 27 But when she reached the prophet on the mountain, she grabbed hold of his feet. Gehazi came near to push her away, but the prophet said, “Leave her alone, for she is very upset.[an] The Lord has kept the matter hidden from me; he didn’t tell me about it.” 28 She said, “Did I ask my master for a son? Didn’t I say, ‘Don’t mislead me?’” 29 Elisha[ao] told Gehazi, “Tuck your robes into your belt, take my staff,[ap] and go! Don’t stop to exchange greetings with anyone![aq] Place my staff on the child’s face.” 30 The mother of the child said, “As certainly as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So Elisha[ar] got up and followed her back.

31 Now Gehazi went on ahead of them. He placed the staff on the child’s face, but there was no sound or response. When he came back to Elisha[as] he told him, “The child did not wake up.” 32 When Elisha arrived at the house, there was[at] the child lying dead on his bed. 33 He went in by himself and closed the door.[au] Then he prayed to the Lord. 34 He got up on the bed and spread his body out over[av] the boy; he put his mouth on the boy’s[aw] mouth, his eyes over the boy’s eyes, and the palms of his hands against the boy’s palms. As he bent down across him, the boy’s skin[ax] grew warm. 35 Elisha[ay] went back and walked around in the house.[az] Then he got up on the bed again[ba] and bent down over him. The child sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. 36 Elisha[bb] called to Gehazi and said, “Get the Shunammite woman.” So he did so[bc] and she came to him. He said to her, “Take your son.” 37 She came in, fell at his feet, and bowed down. Then she picked up her son and left.

Elisha Makes a Meal Edible

38 Now Elisha went back to Gilgal, while there was a famine in the land. Some of the prophets were visiting him[bd] and he told his servant, “Put the big pot on the fire[be] and boil some stew for the prophets.”[bf] 39 Someone went out to the field to gather some herbs and found a wild vine.[bg] He picked some of its fruit,[bh] enough to fill up the fold of his robe. He came back, cut it up, and threw the slices[bi] into the stew pot, not knowing they were harmful.[bj] 40 The stew was poured out[bk] for the men to eat. When they ate some of the stew, they cried out, “Death is in the pot, O prophet!” They could not eat it. 41 He said, “Get some flour.” Then he threw it into the pot and said, “Now pour some out for the men so they may eat.”[bl] There was no longer anything harmful in the pot.

Elisha Miraculously Feeds a Hundred People

42 Now a man from Baal Shalisha brought some food for the prophet[bm]—twenty loaves of bread made from the firstfruits of the barley harvest, as well as fresh ears of grain.[bn] Elisha[bo] said, “Set it before the people so they may eat.” 43 But his attendant said, “How can I feed a hundred men with this?”[bp] He replied, “Set it before the people so they may eat, for this is what the Lord has said, ‘They will eat and have some left over.’”[bq] 44 So he set it before them; they ate and had some left over, just as in the Lord’s message.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 4:1 tn Heb “a wife from among the wives of the sons of the prophets.”
  2. 2 Kings 4:1 tn Or “cried out.”
  3. 2 Kings 4:1 tn Heb “your servant feared the Lord.” “Fear” refers here to obedience and allegiance, the products of healthy respect for the Lord’s authority.
  4. 2 Kings 4:3 tn Heb “Go, ask for containers from outside, from all your neighbors, empty containers.”
  5. 2 Kings 4:3 tn Heb “Do not borrow just a few.”
  6. 2 Kings 4:4 tn Heb “all these vessels.”
  7. 2 Kings 4:6 tn Heb “to her son.”
  8. 2 Kings 4:7 tn Heb “man of God” (also in vv. 16, 22, 25, 27 [twice]).
  9. 2 Kings 4:8 tn Heb “great,” perhaps “wealthy.”
  10. 2 Kings 4:8 tn Or “she urged him to eat some food.”
  11. 2 Kings 4:8 tn Or “he would turn aside there to eat some food.”
  12. 2 Kings 4:9 tn Heb “I know.”
  13. 2 Kings 4:9 tn Heb “holy man of God.”
  14. 2 Kings 4:10 tn Heb “a small upper room of a wall.” According to HALOT 832 s.v. עֲלִיָּה, this refers to “a fully walled upper room.”
  15. 2 Kings 4:10 tn Heb “and let’s put there for him.”
  16. 2 Kings 4:11 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  17. 2 Kings 4:11 tn Heb “turned aside.”
  18. 2 Kings 4:11 tn Or “slept there.”
  19. 2 Kings 4:12 tn Heb “Call for this Shunammite woman.”
  20. 2 Kings 4:12 tn Heb “and he called for her and she stood before him.”
  21. 2 Kings 4:13 tn Heb “he said to him.”
  22. 2 Kings 4:13 tn Heb “you have turned trembling to us with all this trembling.” The exaggerated language is probably idiomatic. The point seems to be that she has taken great pains or gone out of her way to be kind to them. Her concern was a sign of her respect for the prophetic office.
  23. 2 Kings 4:13 tn Heb “Among my people I am living.” This answer suggests that she has security within the context of her family.
  24. 2 Kings 4:14 tn Heb “and he said.”
  25. 2 Kings 4:15 tn Heb “Call for her.”
  26. 2 Kings 4:15 tn Heb “and he called her.”
  27. 2 Kings 4:15 tn Heb “and he called for her and she stood in the door.”
  28. 2 Kings 4:16 tn Heb “at this appointed time, at the time [when it is] reviving.” For a discussion of the second phrase see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 57.
  29. 2 Kings 4:18 tn Heb “to his father, to the harvesters.”
  30. 2 Kings 4:19 tn Heb “He”; the referent (the boy’s father) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  31. 2 Kings 4:20 tn Heb “knees.”
  32. 2 Kings 4:21 tn Heb “man of God’s.”
  33. 2 Kings 4:23 sn The new moon was a time of sacrifice and special feasts (Num 28:14; 1 Sam 20:5). Apparently it was a convenient time to visit a prophet. See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 57.
  34. 2 Kings 4:23 tn Heb “peace.”
  35. 2 Kings 4:24 tn Heb “lead [the donkey on] and go.”
  36. 2 Kings 4:24 tn Heb “do not restrain for me the riding unless I say to you.”
  37. 2 Kings 4:25 tn Heb “went and came.”
  38. 2 Kings 4:25 tn Heb “the man of God.” The phrase has been replaced by the relative pronoun “he” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  39. 2 Kings 4:26 tn Heb “she said.” The narrator streamlines the story at this point, omitting any reference to Gehazi running to meet her and asking her the questions.
  40. 2 Kings 4:27 tn Heb “her soul [i.e., ‘disposition’] is bitter.”
  41. 2 Kings 4:29 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  42. 2 Kings 4:29 tn Heb “take my staff in your hand.”
  43. 2 Kings 4:29 tn Heb “If you meet a man, do not greet him with a blessing; if a man greets you with a blessing, do not answer.”
  44. 2 Kings 4:30 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The referent must be Elisha here, since the following verse makes it clear that Gehazi had gone on ahead of them.
  45. 2 Kings 4:31 tn Heb “to meet him.”
  46. 2 Kings 4:32 tn Heb “look.”
  47. 2 Kings 4:33 tn Heb “and closed the door behind the two of them.”
  48. 2 Kings 4:34 tn Heb “he went up and lay down over.”
  49. 2 Kings 4:34 tn Heb “his” (also in the next two clauses).
  50. 2 Kings 4:34 tn Or perhaps, “body”; Heb “flesh.”
  51. 2 Kings 4:35 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  52. 2 Kings 4:35 tn Heb “and he returned and went into the house, once here and once there.”
  53. 2 Kings 4:35 tn Heb “and he went up.”
  54. 2 Kings 4:36 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  55. 2 Kings 4:36 tn Heb “and he called for her.”
  56. 2 Kings 4:38 tn Heb “the sons of the prophets were sitting before him.”
  57. 2 Kings 4:38 tn The words “the fire” are added for clarification.
  58. 2 Kings 4:38 tn Heb “sons of the prophets.”
  59. 2 Kings 4:39 tn Heb “a vine of the field.”
  60. 2 Kings 4:39 tn Heb “[some] of the gourds of the field.”
  61. 2 Kings 4:39 tn Heb “he came and cut [them up].”
  62. 2 Kings 4:39 tc The Hebrew text reads, “for they did not know” (יָדָעוּ, yadaʿu) but some emend the final shureq (וּ, indicating a third plural subject) to holem vav (וֹ, a third masculine singular pronominal suffix on a third singular verb) and read “for he did not know it.” Perhaps it is best to omit the final vav as dittographic (note the vav at the beginning of the next verb form) and read simply, “for he did not know.” See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 59.
  63. 2 Kings 4:40 tn Heb “and they poured out [the stew].” The plural subject is probably indefinite.
  64. 2 Kings 4:41 tn Or “and let them eat.”
  65. 2 Kings 4:42 tn Heb “man of God.”
  66. 2 Kings 4:42 tn On the meaning of the word צִקְלוֹן (tsiqlon), “ear of grain,” see HALOT 148 s.v. בָּצֵק and M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 59.
  67. 2 Kings 4:42 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  68. 2 Kings 4:43 tn Heb “How can I set this before a hundred men?”
  69. 2 Kings 4:43 tn The verb forms are infinitives absolute (Heb “eating and leaving over”) and have to be translated in light of the context.
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2 Kings 4
New King James Version

Elisha and the Widow’s Oil(A)

4 A certain woman of the wives of (B)the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming (C)to take my two sons to be his slaves.”

2 So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”

3 Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; (D)do not gather just a few. 4 And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.”

5 So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. 6 Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.”

And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased. 7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”

Elisha Raises the Shunammite’s Son(E)

8 Now it happened one day that Elisha went to (F)Shunem, where there was a [a]notable woman, and she [b]persuaded him to eat some food. So it was, as often as he passed by, he would turn in there to eat some food. 9 And she said to her husband, “Look now, I know that this is a holy man of God, who passes by us regularly. 10 Please, let us make [c]a small upper room on the wall; and let us put a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; so it will be, whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there.”

11 And it happened one day that he came there, and he turned in to the upper room and lay down there. 12 Then he said to (G)Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite woman.” When he had called her, she stood before him. 13 And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Look, you have been concerned for us with all this care. What can I do for you? Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?’ ”

She answered, “I dwell among my own people.”

14 So he said, “What then is to be done for her?”

And Gehazi answered, “Actually, she has no son, and her husband is old.”

15 So he said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway. 16 Then he said, [d]“About this time next year you shall embrace a son.”

And she said, “No, my lord. Man of God, (H)do not lie to your maidservant!”

17 But the woman conceived, and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her.

18 And the child grew. Now it happened one day that he went out to his father, to the reapers. 19 And he said to his father, “My head, my head!”

So he said to a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. 21 And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door upon him, and went out. 22 Then she called to her husband, and said, “Please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and come back.”

23 So he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the (I)New Moon nor the Sabbath.”

And she said, [e]“It is well.” 24 Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, “Drive, and go forward; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.” 25 And so she departed, and went to the man of God (J)at Mount Carmel.

So it was, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, the Shunammite woman! 26 Please run now 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 Now when she came to the man of God at the hill, she caught him by the feet, but Gehazi came near to push her away. But the man of God said, “Let her alone; for her soul is in deep distress, and the Lord has hidden it from me, and has not told me.”

28 So she said, “Did I ask a son of my lord? (K)Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me’?”

29 Then he said to Gehazi, (L)“Get[f] yourself ready, and take my staff in your hand, and be on your way. If you meet anyone, (M)do not greet him; and if anyone greets you, do not answer him; but (N)lay my staff on the face of the child.”

30 And the mother of the child said, (O)“As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not (P)leave you.” So he arose and followed her. 31 Now Gehazi went on ahead of them, and laid the staff on the face of the child; but there was neither voice nor hearing. Therefore he went back to meet him, and told him, saying, “The child has (Q)not awakened.”

32 When Elisha came into the house, there was the child, lying dead on his bed. 33 He (R)went in therefore, shut the door behind the two of them, (S)and prayed to the Lord. 34 And he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands; and (T)he stretched himself out on the child, and the flesh of the child became warm. 35 He returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up (U)and stretched himself out on him; then (V)the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. 36 And he called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite woman.” So he called her. And when she came in to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” 37 So she went in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground; then she (W)picked up her son and went out.

Elisha Purifies the Pot of Stew

38 And Elisha returned to (X)Gilgal, and there was a (Y)famine in the land. Now the sons of the prophets were (Z)sitting before him; and he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.” 39 So one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered from it a lapful of wild gourds, and came and sliced them into the pot of stew, though they did not know what they were. 40 Then they served it to the men to eat. Now it happened, as they were eating the stew, that they cried out and said, “Man of God, there is (AA)death in the pot!” And they could not eat it.

41 So he said, “Then bring some flour.” And (AB)he put it into the pot, and said, “Serve it to the people, that they may eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.

Elisha Feeds One Hundred Men(AC)

42 Then a man came from (AD)Baal Shalisha, (AE)and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley bread, and newly ripened grain in his knapsack. And he said, “Give it to the people, that they may eat.”

43 But his servant said, (AF)“What? Shall I set this before one hundred men?”

He said again, “Give it to the people, that they may eat; for thus says the Lord: (AG)‘They shall eat and have some left over.’ ” 44 So he set it before them; and they ate (AH)and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 4:8 Lit. great
  2. 2 Kings 4:8 Lit. laid hold on him
  3. 2 Kings 4:10 Or a small walled upper chamber
  4. 2 Kings 4:16 Lit. About this season, as the time of life
  5. 2 Kings 4:23 Or It will be well
  6. 2 Kings 4:29 Lit. Gird up your loins. The skirt of the robe was wrapped around the legs and tucked in the belt to gain freedom of movement.
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The Widow’s Olive Oil

4 The wife of a man from the company(A) of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor(B) is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”

2 Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”

“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”(C)

3 Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 4 Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”

5 She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.”

But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing.

7 She went and told the man of God,(D) and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”

The Shunammite’s Son Restored to Life

8 One day Elisha went to Shunem.(E) And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. 9 She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. 10 Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay(F) there whenever he comes to us.”

11 One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. 12 He said to his servant Gehazi, “Call the Shunammite.”(G) So he called her, and she stood before him. 13 Elisha said to him, “Tell her, ‘You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?’”

She replied, “I have a home among my own people.”

14 “What can be done for her?” Elisha asked.

Gehazi said, “She has no son, and her husband is old.”

15 Then Elisha said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. 16 “About this time(H) next year,” Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.”

“No, my lord!” she objected. “Please, man of God, don’t mislead your servant!”

17 But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.

18 The child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the reapers.(I) 19 He said to his father, “My head! My head!”

His father told a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 After the servant had lifted him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died. 21 She went up and laid him on the bed(J) of the man of God, then shut the door and went out.

22 She called her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and a donkey so I can go to the man of God quickly and return.”

23 “Why go to him today?” he asked. “It’s not the New Moon(K) or the Sabbath.”

“That’s all right,” she said.

24 She saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Lead on; don’t slow down for me unless I tell you.” 25 So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel.(L)

When he saw her in the distance, the man of God said to his servant Gehazi, “Look! There’s the Shunammite! 26 Run to meet her and ask her, ‘Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?’”

“Everything is all right,” she said.

27 When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress,(M) but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why.”

28 “Did I ask you for a son, my lord?” she said. “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t raise my hopes’?”

29 Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tuck your cloak into your belt,(N) take my staff(O) in your hand and run. Don’t greet anyone you meet, and if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff on the boy’s face.”

30 But the child’s mother said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her.

31 Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response. So Gehazi went back to meet Elisha and told him, “The boy has not awakened.”

32 When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch.(P) 33 He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed(Q) to the Lord. 34 Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched(R) himself out on him, the boy’s body grew warm. 35 Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out on him once more. The boy sneezed seven times(S) and opened his eyes.(T)

36 Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite.” And he did. When she came, he said, “Take your son.”(U) 37 She came in, fell at his feet and bowed to the ground. Then she took her son and went out.

Death in the Pot

38 Elisha returned to Gilgal(V) and there was a famine(W) in that region. While the company of the prophets was meeting with him, he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot and cook some stew for these prophets.”

39 One of them went out into the fields to gather herbs and found a wild vine and picked as many of its gourds as his garment could hold. When he returned, he cut them up into the pot of stew, though no one knew what they were. 40 The stew was poured out for the men, but as they began to eat it, they cried out, “Man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they could not eat it.

41 Elisha said, “Get some flour.” He put it into the pot and said, “Serve it to the people to eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.(X)

Feeding of a Hundred

42 A man came from Baal Shalishah,(Y) bringing the man of God twenty loaves(Z) of barley bread(AA) baked from the first ripe grain, along with some heads of new grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” Elisha said.

43 “How can I set this before a hundred men?” his servant asked.

But Elisha answered, “Give it to the people to eat.(AB) For this is what the Lord says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.(AC)’” 44 Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord.

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English Standard Version

Elisha and the Widow's Oil

4 Now the wife of one of the (A)sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord, (B)but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” 2 And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” 3 Then he said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. 4 Then go in and shut the door behind 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 behind 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 (C)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 and the Shunammite Woman

8 One day Elisha went on to (D)Shunem, where a (E)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 know that this is a holy (F)man of God who is continually passing our way. 10 Let us make a small room on the roof 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 (G)Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” 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 (H)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?” Gehazi 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, (I)about this time next year, you shall embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, (J)O man of God; (K)do not lie to your servant.” 17 But the woman conceived, and she bore a son about that time (L)the following spring, as Elisha had said to her.

Elisha Raises the Shunammite's Son

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, (M)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 (N)and laid him on the bed of the (O)man of God and 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 quickly go to (P)the man of God and come back again.” 23 And he said, “Why will you go to him today? It is neither (Q)new moon nor Sabbath.” She said, “All is well.” 24 Then she saddled the donkey, and she said to her servant, “Urge the animal on; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.” 25 So she set out and came to the man of God (R)at Mount Carmel.

When the man of God saw her coming, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Look, there is the Shunammite. 26 Run at once to meet her and say to her, ‘Is all well with you? Is all well with your husband? Is all well with the child?’” And she answered, “All is well.” 27 And when she came (S)to the mountain to the man of God, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came to push her away. But the man of God said, “Leave 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? (T)Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me?’” 29 He said to Gehazi, (U)“Tie up your garment and (V)take my staff in your hand and go. If you meet anyone, (W)do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not reply. And (X)lay my staff on the face of the child.” 30 Then the mother of the child said, (Y)“As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So he arose and followed her. 31 Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on 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 (Z)has not awakened.”

32 When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. 33 So he went in and (AA)shut the door behind the two of them (AB)and prayed to the Lord. 34 Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as (AC)he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. 35 Then he got up again and walked once back and forth in the house, and went up (AD)and stretched himself upon him. The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. 36 Then he summoned Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” 37 She came and fell at his feet, bowing to the ground. (AE)Then she picked up her son and went out.

Elisha Purifies the Deadly Stew

38 And Elisha came again to (AF)Gilgal when (AG)there was a famine in the land. And as (AH)the sons of the prophets (AI)were sitting before him, he said to his servant, (AJ)“Set on the large pot, and boil stew 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 stew, not knowing what they were. 40 And they poured out some for the men to eat. But while they were eating of the stew, they cried out, “O man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they could not eat it. 41 He said, “Then bring flour.” (AK)And he threw it into the pot and said, “Pour some out for the men, that they may eat.” And there was no harm in the pot.

42 A man came from (AL)Baal-shalishah, (AM)bringing the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, (AN)“Give to the men, that they may eat.” 43 But his servant said, “How can I 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.

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