2 Kings 4:18-37
International Standard Version
Elisha Raises the Shunammite’s Son(A)
18 After the child had grown up a bit, one day he went out to visit his father, who was with the harvesters. 19 He told his father, “My head! My head!”
So his father ordered his servant, “Carry him over to his mother!” 20 So the servant carried him over to his mother, where he rested on her lap until mid-day,[a] and then he died. 21 The woman went upstairs, laid him on the bed belonging to the man of God, and shut the door, leaving him behind as she left.
22 Then she called to her husband and asked him, “Please send me one of the servants, along with one of the donkeys, so I can ride quickly to see that godly man.[b] I’ll be right back.”
23 He asked her, “What’s the point of visiting him today? It’s not a New Moon, and it isn’t the Sabbath!”
But she kept saying, “Things will go well.”[c]
24 So she saddled a donkey and told her servant, “Forward, driver! Don’t slow down on my account, unless I tell you!” 25 So out she went and eventually she arrived at Mount Carmel to visit the man of God.
When the man of God noticed her from a distance, he told his attendant Gehazi, “Look! There’s the woman from Shunem! 26 Please run out quickly and greet her. Ask her, ‘Are things going well with you? Are things going well with your husband? Are things going well with your child?’”
She answered Gehazi,[d] “Things are going well.”
27 As she came near the man of God on the mountain, she grabbed his feet. When Gehazi intervened to push her away, the man of God said, “Leave her alone! She is deeply troubled! The Lord has concealed the thing from me, and hasn’t informed me.”
28 Then she asked, “Did I ask my lord for a son? Didn’t I beg you, ‘Don’t mislead me?’”
29 At this he told Gehazi, “Get ready to run![e] Take my staff in your hand, and get on the road. Don’t greet anyone you meet. If anyone greets you, don’t respond. Just go lay my staff on the youngster’s face.”
30 At this, the youngster’s mother replied, “As long as you and the Lord live, I’m not leaving you!” So he got up and followed her.
31 Meanwhile, Gehazi went on ahead of them and placed the staff on the youngster’s face, but when there was no sound or reaction, he returned, met Elisha,[f] and told him, “The youngster has shown no sign of awakening.”
32 When Elisha entered the house, there was the youngster, dead and laid out on Elisha’s[g] bed! 33 So he entered, shut the door behind them both, and prayed to the Lord. 34 Then he approached the child and lay down with his mouth near the child’s, with his eyes near those of the child, and taking the child’s hands in his. As Elisha[h] stretched himself on the child, the child’s flesh began to grow warm. 35 Then he went downstairs, walked around back and forth inside the house once, went back up to his upper chamber,[i] and stretched himself over the child again. The young man sneezed seven times and then opened his eyes.
36 He called out to Gehazi, “Go get the Shunammite woman!” So he called her. When she came in to see Elisha,[j] he told her, “Take back your son!” 37 Then she approached him, fell at his feet, bowing low to the ground, took back her son, and went out.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Kings 4:20 Or noon
- 2 Kings 4:22 Or that man of God
- 2 Kings 4:23 Lit. Peace; i.e. a general statement of good will; and so through v. 26
- 2 Kings 4:26 The Heb. lacks Gehazi
- 2 Kings 4:29 Lit. Tie up your garments; i.e. to secure one’s robes with a belt in preparation for running
- 2 Kings 4:31 Lit. him
- 2 Kings 4:32 Lit. his
- 2 Kings 4:34 Lit. he
- 2 Kings 4:35 The Heb. lacks up to his upper chamber
- 2 Kings 4:36 Lit. him
2 Kings 4:18-37
Lexham English Bible
Elisha Restores the Shunammite’s Son
18 The child grew older, and it happened one day that he went out to his father and to the reapers. 19 Then he said to his father, “My head, my head!” So he said to the servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 So they carried him and brought him to his mother; he sat on her lap until noon and then died. 21 She went up, laid him on the bed of the man of God, closed the door, and went out behind it. 22 She called to her husband and said, “Please send one of the servants and one of the female donkeys for me, so that I can go quickly up to the man of God and return.” 23 And he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the new moon nor the Sabbath!” And she said, “Peace.” 24 She saddled the female donkey, and she said to her servant, “Drive along and go; you must not hold me back from riding, unless I tell you.” 25 So she went and came to the man of God by Mount Carmel. It happened when the man of God saw her at a distance,[a] he said to Gehazi his servant, “There is this Shunammite. 26 Now, please run to meet her and ask her, ‘Is it peace for you? Is it peace for your husband? Is it peace for the boy?’” She said, “Peace.” 27 So she came to the man of God at the mountain, and she caught hold of his feet. Then Gehazi came near to push her away, but the man of God said, “Let her alone, for her soul is bitter, and Yahweh has hidden it from me and has not told me.” 28 Then she said, “Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say that you must not mislead me?”
29 Then he said to Gehazi, “Gird up your loins and take my staff in your hand and go. If you meet anyone, you must not greet them; if anyone greets you, you must not answer them. You must put my staff on the face of the boy.” 30 Then the mother of the boy said, “As Yahweh lives[b] and as your soul lives,[c] I will surely not leave you.” So he got up and went after her. 31 Gehazi crossed over before them, and he put the staff on the face of the boy; but there was no sound, and there was no sign of life, so he returned to meet him. He told him, saying, “The boy did not wake up.”
32 When Elisha came to the house, here was the boy dead, lying on his bed. 33 He went and closed the door behind the two of them and prayed to Yahweh. 34 Then he went up and lay upon the child and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his palms on his palms. As he bent down over him, the flesh of the boy became warm. 35 He returned and went to and fro[d] in the house one time, then he went up and bent over him. Then the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. 36 Elisha called to Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her and she came to him; then he said, “Pick up your son.” 37 She came and fell at his feet and bowed down to the ground; then she picked up her son and went out.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Kings 4:25 Literally “from opposite”
- 2 Kings 4:30 Literally “The life of Yahweh”
- 2 Kings 4:30 Literally “life of your soul”
- 2 Kings 4:35 Literally “here first and here”
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