2 Kings 4:8-29
English Standard Version
Chapter 4
8One day Elisha went on to Shunem, where a wealthy woman lived, who urged him to eat some food. So whenever he passed that way, he would turn in there to eat food. 9And she said to her husband, "Behold now, I know that this is a holy man of God who is continually passing our way. 10Let 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."
11One day he came there, and he turned into the chamber and rested there.
12And he said to Gehazi his servant, "Call this Shunammite." When he had called her, she stood before him.
13And 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 the commander of the army?’" She answered, "I dwell among my own people."
14And he said, "What then is to be done for her?" Gehazi answered, "Well, she has no son, and her husband is old."
15He said, "Call her." And when he had called her, she stood in the doorway.
16And he said, "At this season, about this time next year, you shall embrace a son." And she said, "No, my lord, O man of God; do not lie to your servant."
17But the woman conceived, and she bore a son about that time the following spring, as Elisha had said to her.
18When the child had grown, he went out one day to his father among the reapers.
19And he said to his father, "Oh, my head, my head!" The father said to his servant, "Carry him to his mother."
20And when he had lifted him and brought him to his mother, the child sat on her lap till noon, and then he died.
21And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God and shut the door behind him and went out.
22Then she called to her husband and said, "Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may quickly go to the man of God and come back again."
23And he said, "Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath." She said, "All is well."
24Then 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."
25So 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.
26Run 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."
27And when she came 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."
28Then she said, "Did I ask my lord for a son? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me?’"
29He said to Gehazi, "Tie up your garment and take my staff in your hand and go. If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not reply. And lay my staff on the face of the child."
