2 Kings 4
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Elisha and the Widow’s Oil
4 Now the wife of a member of the company of prophets[a] cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead; and you know that your servant feared the Lord, but a creditor has come to take my two children as slaves.” 2 Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She answered, “Your servant has nothing in the house, except a jar of oil.” 3 He said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not just a few. 4 Then go in, and shut the door behind you and your children, and start pouring into all these vessels; when each is full, set it aside.” 5 So she left him and shut the door behind her and her children; they kept bringing vessels to her, and she kept pouring. 6 When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” But he said to her, “There are no more.” 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 children can live on the rest.”
Elisha Raises the Shunammite’s Son
8 One day Elisha was passing through Shunem, where a wealthy woman lived, who urged him to have a meal. So whenever he passed that way, he would stop there for a meal. 9 She said to her husband, “Look, I am sure that this man who regularly passes our way is a holy man of God. 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 he can stay there whenever he comes to us.”
11 One day when he came there, he went up to the chamber and lay down there. 12 He said to his servant Gehazi, “Call the Shunammite woman.” When he had called her, she stood before him. 13 He said to him, “Say to her, Since you have taken all this trouble for us, what may 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 live among my own people.” 14 He said, “What then may be done for her?” Gehazi answered, “Well, she has no son, and her husband is old.” 15 He said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood at the door. 16 He said, “At this season, in due time, you shall embrace a son.” She replied, “No, my lord, O man of God; do not deceive your servant.”
17 The woman conceived and bore a son at that season, in due time, as Elisha had declared to her.
18 When the child was older, he went out one day to his father among the reapers. 19 He complained to his father, “Oh, my head, my head!” The father said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 He carried him and brought him to his mother; the child sat on her lap until noon, and he died. 21 She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, closed the door on him, and left. 22 Then she called to her husband, and said, “Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, so that I may quickly go to the man of God and come back again.” 23 He said, “Why go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath.” She said, “It will be all right.” 24 Then she saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Urge the animal on; do not hold back 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 Gehazi his servant, “Look, there is the Shunammite woman; 26 run at once to meet her, and say to her, Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is the child all right?” She answered, “It is all right.” 27 When she came to the man of God at the mountain, she caught hold of his feet. Gehazi approached to push her away. But the man of God said, “Let her alone, for she is in bitter distress; 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 mislead me?” 29 He said to Gehazi, “Gird up your loins, and take my staff in your hand, and go. If you meet anyone, give no greeting, and if anyone greets you, do not answer; and lay my staff on 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 without you.” So he rose up 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. He came back to meet him and told him, “The child 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 closed the door on the two of them, and prayed to the Lord. 34 Then he got up on the bed[b] and lay upon the child, putting his mouth upon his mouth, his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands; and while he lay bent over him, the flesh of the child became warm. 35 He got down, walked once to and fro in the room, then got up again and bent over him; the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. 36 Elisha[c] summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite woman.” So he called her. When she came to him, he said, “Take your son.” 37 She came and fell at his feet, bowing to the ground; then she took her son and left.
Elisha Purifies the Pot of Stew
38 When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. As the company of prophets was[d] sitting before him, he said to his servant, “Put the large pot on, and make some stew for the company of prophets.”[e] 39 One of them went out into the field to gather herbs; he found a wild vine and gathered from it a lapful of wild gourds, and came and cut them up into the pot of stew, not knowing what they were. 40 They served some for the men to eat. But while they were eating the stew, they cried out, “O man of God, there is death in the pot!” They could not eat it. 41 He said, “Then bring some flour.” He threw it into the pot, and said, “Serve the people and let them eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.
Elisha Feeds One Hundred Men
42 A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing food from the first fruits to the man of God: twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. Elisha said, “Give it to the people and let them eat.” 43 But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred people?” So he repeated, “Give it to the people and let them eat, for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’” 44 He set it before them, they ate, and had some left, according to the word of the Lord.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 4:1 Heb the sons of the prophets
- 2 Kings 4:34 Heb lacks on the bed
- 2 Kings 4:36 Heb he
- 2 Kings 4:38 Heb sons of the prophets were
- 2 Kings 4:38 Heb sons of the prophets
2 Kings 4
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.
2 Kings 4
New American Standard Bible
The Widow’s Oil
4 Now a woman of the wives of (A)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 (B)the creditor has come to take my two children 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 servant has nothing in the house except (C)a jar of oil.” 3 Then he said, “Go, [a]borrow containers [b]elsewhere for yourself, empty containers from all your neighbors—do not get too few. 4 Then you shall come in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour into all these containers; and you shall set aside what is full.” 5 So she left him and shut the door behind her and her sons; they began bringing the containers to her, and she poured the oil. 6 When (D)the containers were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another container.” But he said to her, “There [c]are no more containers.” Then the oil stopped. 7 So she came and told (E)the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt, and you and your sons can live on the rest.”
The Shunammite Woman
8 Now a day came when Elisha went over to (F)Shunem, where there was a [d]prominent woman, and she urged him to eat [e]food. And so it was, as often as he passed by, that he turned in there to eat [f]food. 9 And she said to her husband, “Behold now, I am aware that this is a holy (G)man of God passing by us repeatedly. 10 Please, let’s (H)make a little walled upper room, and let’s set up a bed for him there, and a table, a chair, and a lampstand; then it shall be, when he comes to us, that he can turn in there.”
11 Now [g]one day he came there, and turned in to the upper room and [h]rested. 12 Then he said to his servant (I)Gehazi, “Call this Shunammite.” And when he had called her, she stood before him. 13 And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Behold, you have taken trouble for us with all this [i]care; what can I do for you? [j]Would you like me to speak for you to the king or to the commander of the army?’” But she [k]answered, “I live among my own people.” 14 So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi [l]answered, “It is a fact that she has no son, and her husband is old.” 15 He then said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway. 16 Then he said, “(J)At this season [m]next year, you are going to embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, you man of God, (K)do not lie to your servant.”
17 Now the woman conceived and gave birth to a son at that season [n]the next year, as Elisha had told her.
The Shunammite’s Son
18 When the child was grown, the day came that he went out to his father, to the reapers. 19 And he said to his father, “My head, my head!” And his father said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 When he had carried him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her [o]lap until noon, and then he died. 21 And she went up and (L)laid him on the bed of (M)the man of God, and shut the door behind him and left. 22 Then she called to her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, so that I may run to the man of God and return.” 23 But he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither (N)new moon nor Sabbath.” So she just said, “It will be fine.” 24 Then she saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Drive the donkey and go on; do not slow down [p]the pace for me unless I tell you.” 25 So she went on and came to the man of God at (O)Mount Carmel.
When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, that person there is the Shunammite. 26 Please run now to meet her and say to her, ‘Is it going well for you? Is it going well for your husband? Is it going well for the child?’” Then she [q]answered, “It is going well.” 27 But she came to the man of God (P)at the hill and took hold of his feet. And Gehazi came up to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for her soul is [r]troubled within her; and the Lord has concealed it from me and has not informed me.” 28 Then she said, “Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, ‘(Q)Do not give me false hope’?”
29 Then he said to Gehazi, “[s](R)Get ready and (S)take my staff in your hand, and go; if you meet anyone, do not [t](T)greet him, and if anyone [u]greets you, do not reply to him. And (U)lay my staff on the boy’s face.” 30 The mother of the boy said, “(V)As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her. 31 Then Gehazi went on ahead of them and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or [v]response. So he returned to meet him and informed him, saying, “The boy (W)has not awakened.”
32 When Elisha entered the house, behold the boy was dead, laid on his bed. 33 So he entered and (X)shut the door behind them both, and he prayed to the Lord. 34 Then (Y)he got up on the bed and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, his hands on his hands, and he bent down on him; and the flesh of the child became warm. 35 Then he returned and walked in the house back and forth once, and went up and (Z)bent down on him; and the boy sneezed seven times, then the boy opened his eyes. 36 And he called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” 37 Then she came in and fell at his feet and bowed down to the ground, and (AA)she picked up her son and left.
The Poisonous Stew
38 When Elisha returned to (AB)Gilgal, there was (AC)a famine in the land. [w]As (AD)the sons of the prophets (AE)were sitting in front of him, he said to his servant, “(AF)Put on the large pot and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.” 39 Then one went out into the field to gather mallow, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds; and he came and sliced them into the pot of stew, because they did not know what they were. 40 So they poured it out for the men to eat. But as they were eating the stew, they cried out and said, “You man of God, there is (AG)death in the pot!” And they were unable to eat. 41 Then he said, “Bring flour.” (AH)And he threw it into the pot, and said, “Pour it out for the people that they may eat.” Then there was nothing harmful in the pot.
42 Now a man came from Baal-shalishah, and brought the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh grain in his sack. And Elisha said, “(AI)Give them to the people that they may eat.” 43 But his attendant said, “How (AJ)am I to serve this to a hundred men?” Nevertheless he said, “Give them to the people that they may eat, for this is what the Lord says: ‘They shall eat and have some left over.’” 44 So he served it to them, and they ate and (AK)had some left over, in accordance with the word of the Lord.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 4:3 Lit request
- 2 Kings 4:3 Lit from outside
- 2 Kings 4:6 Lit is...container
- 2 Kings 4:8 Lit great
- 2 Kings 4:8 Lit bread
- 2 Kings 4:8 Lit bread
- 2 Kings 4:11 Lit the day came that
- 2 Kings 4:11 Lit lay there
- 2 Kings 4:13 Lit fear
- 2 Kings 4:13 Lit Is it to speak
- 2 Kings 4:13 Lit said
- 2 Kings 4:14 Lit said
- 2 Kings 4:16 Lit when the time revives
- 2 Kings 4:17 Lit when the time revived
- 2 Kings 4:20 Lit knees
- 2 Kings 4:24 Lit riding
- 2 Kings 4:26 Lit said
- 2 Kings 4:27 Lit bitter
- 2 Kings 4:29 Lit Belt up your waist
- 2 Kings 4:29 Lit bless
- 2 Kings 4:29 Lit blesses
- 2 Kings 4:31 Lit attentiveness
- 2 Kings 4:38 Lit And
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
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
4 Now a certain woman of the wives of the prophets cried to Eliseus, saying: Thy servant my husband is dead, and thou knowest that thy servant was one that feared God, and behold the creditor is come to take away my two sons to serve him.
2 And Eliseus said to her: What wilt thou have me to do for thee? Tell me, what hast thou in thy house? And she answered: I thy handmaid have nothing in my house but a little oil, to anoint me.
3 And he said to her: Go, borrow of all thy neighbours empty vessels not a few.
4 And go in, and shut thy door, when thou art within, and thy sons: and pour out thereof into all those vessels: and when they are full take them away.
5 So the woman went, and shut the door upon her, and upon her sons: they brought her the vessels, and she poured in.
6 And when the vessels were full, she said to her son: Bring me yet a vessel. And he answered: I have no more. And the oil stood.
7 And she came, and told the man of God. And he said: Go, sell the oil, and pay thy creditor: and thou and thy sons live of the rest.
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.
38 And Eliseus returned to Galgal, and there was a famine in the land, and the sons of the prophets dwelt before him. And he said to one of his servants: Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of the prophets.
39 And one went out into the field to gather wild herbs: and he found something like a wild vine, and gathered of it wild gourds of the field, and filled his mantle, and coming back he shred them into the pot of pottage, for he knew not what it was.
40 And they poured it out for their companions to eat: and when they had tasted of the pottage, they cried out, saying: Death is in the pot, O man of God. And they could not eat thereof.
41 But he said: Bring some meal. And when they had brought it, he cast it into the pot, and said: Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was now no bitterness in the pot.
42 And a certain man came from Baalsalisa bringing to the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty leaves of barley, and new corn in his scrip. And he said: Give to the people, that they may eat.
43 And his servant answered him: How much is this, that I should set it before a hundred men? He said again: Give to the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the Lord: They shall eat, and there shall be left.
44 So he set it before them: and they ate, and there was left according to the word of the Lord.
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 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.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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