2 Kings 4:18-37

Expanded Bible

¹⁸ The boy grew up and one day went out to his father, who was with the ·grain harvesters [reapers]. ¹⁹ The boy said to his father, “My head! My head!”

The father said to his servant, “·Take [Carry] him to his mother!” ²⁰ The servant ·took [carried] him to his mother, and he lay on his mother’s lap until noon. Then he died. ²¹ So she took him up and laid him on ·Elisha’s bed [^Lthe bed of the man of God]. Then she shut the door and left.

²² She called to her husband, “Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys. Then I can go quickly to the man of God and return.”

²³ The husband said, “Why do you want to go to him today? It isn’t the New Moon or the Sabbath day.”

She said, “It will be all right.”

²⁴ Then she saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Lead on. Don’t slow down for me unless I tell you.” ²⁵ So she went to Elisha, the man of God, at Mount Carmel.

When he saw her coming ·from far away [in the distance], he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, there’s the Shunammite woman! ²⁶ Run to meet her and ask, ‘Are you ·all right [well]? Is your husband ·all right [well]? Is the boy ·all right [well]?’”

She answered, “Everything is ·all right [well].”

²⁷ Then she came to Elisha at the hill and grabbed his feet. Gehazi came near to pull her away, but Elisha said to him, “Leave her alone. She’s ·very upset [^Lin bitter distress in her soul], and the Lord has not told me about it. He has hidden it from me.”

²⁸ She said, “·Master [My lord], did I ask you for a son? Didn’t I tell you not to ·lie to [deceive; mislead] me?”

²⁹ Then Elisha said to Gehazi, “·Get ready [Tuck in your cloak; ^LGird up your loins; ^Cpulling up the back of the cloak between the legs and tucking it in the belt allowed freer movement]. Take my ·walking stick [staff] in your hand and go quickly. If you meet anyone, don’t ·say hello [greet him]. If anyone greets you, don’t ·respond [answer]. Lay my ·walking stick [staff] on the boy’s face.”

³⁰ The boy’s mother said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I won’t leave you [^Cto return home]!” So Elisha got up and followed her.

³¹ Gehazi went on ahead and laid the ·walking stick [staff] on the boy’s face, but the boy did not talk or ·move [respond]. Then Gehazi went back to meet Elisha. “The boy has not awakened,” he said.

³² When Elisha came into the house, the boy was lying dead on ·his [Elisha’s] bed. ³³ Elisha entered the room and shut the door on the two of them. Then he prayed to the Lord. ³⁴ He went to the bed and lay on the boy, putting his mouth on the boy’s mouth, his eyes on the boy’s eyes, and his hands on the boy’s hands. He stretched himself out on top of the boy. Soon the boy’s ·skin [body; ^Lflesh] became warm. ³⁵ Elisha ·turned away [got up] and walked ·around [back and forth once across] the room. Then he went back and ·put himself [stretched out] on the boy again. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.

³⁶ Elisha called Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite!” So he did. When she came, Elisha said, “·Pick up [Take] your son.” ³⁷ She came in and fell at Elisha’s feet, bowing facedown to the floor. Then she ·picked up [took] her son and went out.