Beginning
The Widow’s Oil
4 Now a certain woman of the wives of (A)the sons of the prophets cried out to [a]Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared Yahweh; and (B)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 do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your servant-woman has nothing in the house except (C)a jar of oil.” 3 Then he said, “Go, ask for vessels for yourself, from those outside, from all your neighbors, even empty vessels; do not get a few. 4 And you shall go in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour out into all these vessels, and you shall set aside what is full.” 5 So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons; they were bringing the vessels to her and she poured. 6 Now it happened that when (D)the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not one vessel more.” And the oil stopped. 7 Then 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 Will Bear a Son
8 Now there came a day when Elisha passed over to (F)Shunem, where there was a [b]prominent woman, and she prevailed upon him to eat [c]food. Now it happened, as often as he passed by, that he turned in there to eat [d]food. 9 And she said to her husband, “Behold now, I know that this is a holy (G)man of God passing by us continually. 10 Please, let us (H)make a little walled upper chamber and let us set a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; and it will be, when he comes to us, that he can turn in there.”
11 Now it happened that one day he came there and turned in to the upper chamber, and there he [e]lay down. 12 Then he said to (I)Gehazi his young man, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her, and she stood before him. 13 And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Behold, you have been [f]careful for us with all this [g]care; what can I do for you? Would you be spoken for to the king or to the commander of the army?’” And she [h]answered, “I live among my own people.” 14 So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi [i]answered, “Truly she has no son, and her husband is old.” 15 And he said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. 16 Then he said, “(J)At this season [j]next year you will embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, O man of God, (K)do not lie to your servant-woman.”
17 Then the woman conceived and bore a son at that season [k]the next year, as Elisha had said to her.
A Dead Boy Opens His Eyes
18 Then the child was grown. And 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 he said to [l]his young man, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 Then he carried him and brought him to his mother, and he sat on her knees until noon, and then died. 21 Then she went up and (L)laid him on the bed of (M)the man of God and shut the door behind him and went out. 22 And 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 return.” 23 And he said, “Why will you go to him today? It is neither (N)new moon nor sabbath.” And she said, “It is well.” 24 Then she saddled a donkey and said to her young man, “Drive and go; do not hold back the pace of the ride for me unless I tell you.” 25 So she went and came to the man of God to (O)Mount Carmel.
Now it happened that when the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his young man, “Behold, [m]there is the Shunammite. 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 [n]answered, “It is well.” 27 Then she came to the man of God (P)to the hill and took hold of his feet. And Gehazi came near to push her away; but the man of God said, “Let her alone, for her soul is bitter within her; 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, ‘(Q)Do not deceive me’?”
29 Then he said to Gehazi, “(R)Gird up your loins and (S)take my staff in your hand, and go; if you meet anyone, do not [o](T)greet him, and if anyone [p]greets you, do not answer him; and (U)lay my staff on the boy’s face.” 30 But the mother of the boy said, “(V)As Yahweh lives and as your soul lives, I will not forsake you.” And he arose and followed her. 31 Now Gehazi passed on before them and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or [q]response. So he returned to meet him and told him, saying, “The boy (W)has not awakened.”
32 Then Elisha came into the house, and behold, the boy was dead and laid on his bed. 33 So he entered and (X)shut the door behind them both and prayed to Yahweh. 34 And (Y)he went up and lay on the child and put his mouth on his mouth and his eyes on his eyes and his hands on his hands, and he stretched himself on him; and the flesh of the child became warm. 35 Then he returned and walked in the house once back and forth, and went up and (Z)stretched himself on him; and the boy sneezed seven times and the boy opened his eyes. 36 Then he called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. Then she came in to him, and he said, “Take up your son.” 37 Then she came in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground, and (AA)she took up her son and went out.
The Death in the Stew
38 Now Elisha returned to (AB)Gilgal, and there was (AC)a famine in the land. [r]As (AD)the sons of the prophets (AE)were sitting before him, he said to his young man, “(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 herbs and found a wild vine and gathered from it wild gourds filling his cloak and came and sliced them into the pot of stew, for they did not know what they were. 40 So they poured it out for the men to eat. And it happened that as they were eating of the stew, they cried out and said, “O man of God, there is (AG)death in the pot.” And they were unable to eat. 41 But he said, “Now bring flour.” (AH)He threw it into the pot and said, “Pour it out for the people that they may eat.” Then there was no harm 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 ears of grain in his sack. And he said, “(AI)Give them to the people that they may eat.” 43 And his attendant said, “What, (AJ)will I give this before one hundred men?” But he said, “Give them to the people that they may eat, for thus says Yahweh, ‘They shall eat and have some left over.’” 44 So he gave it before them, and they ate and (AK)had some left over, according to the word of Yahweh.
Naaman Cleaned from Leprosy
5 Now (AL)Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man [s]with his master, and [t]highly respected, because by him Yahweh had given salvation to Aram. The man was also a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 2 Now the Arameans had gone out (AM)in marauding bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she [u]waited on Naaman’s wife. 3 And she said to her mistress, “I wish that my master were before the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy.” 4 Then [v]Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus spoke the girl who is from the land of Israel.” 5 Then the king of Aram said, “Go [w]now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he went and (AN)took in his hand [x]ten talents of silver and [y]six thousand shekels of gold and ten (AO)changes of clothes.
6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying,
“So now as this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy.”
7 Now it happened that when the king of Israel read the letter, (AP)he tore his clothes and said, “(AQ)Am I God, to put to death and to make alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But (AR)know now, and see how he is seeking [z]a quarrel against me.”
8 Now it happened when Elisha (AS)the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Now let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots and stood at the doorway of the house of Elisha. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “(AT)Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.” 11 But Naaman was furious and went away and said, “Behold, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.’ 12 Are not [aa]Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and (AU)went away in wrath. 13 (AV)Then his servants approached and spoke to him and said, “(AW)My father, had the prophet spoken with you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and (AX)his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy and (AY)he was clean.
Gehazi’s Leprosy
15 Then he returned to the man of God [ab]with all his camp, and came and stood before him, and said, “Behold now, (AZ)I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; so now please (BA)take a blessing from your servant.” 16 But he said, “(BB)As Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, (BC)I will take nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused. 17 So Naaman said, “If not, please let your servant at least be given two mules’ load of (BD)earth; for your servant will no longer offer burnt offering nor will he sacrifice to other gods, but to Yahweh. 18 In this matter may Yahweh pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and (BE)he leans on my hand and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, Yahweh pardon your servant in this matter.” 19 And he said to him, “(BF)Go in peace.” So he went from him some distance.
20 Then (BG)Gehazi, the young man of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean, [ac]by not receiving from his hands what he brought. (BH)As Yahweh lives, I will run after him and take something from him.” 21 So Gehazi pursued Naaman. And Naaman saw one running after him, so he came down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is all at peace?” 22 And he said, “(BI)All is at peace. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from (BJ)the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and (BK)two changes of clothes.’” 23 Then Naaman said, “(BL)Be pleased to take two talents.” And he urged him and bound two talents of silver in two bags with two changes of clothes and gave them to two of his young men; and they carried them before him. 24 So he came to the [ad]hill, and he took them from their hand and (BM)deposited them in the house. Then he sent the men away, and they departed. 25 But he came in and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “(BN)Your servant went nowhere.”
26 Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? (BO)Is it a time to receive money and to receive clothes and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and male and female slaves? 27 Thus the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your seed forever.” So he went out from his presence (BP)a leper as white as snow.
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