2 Kings 4:1-32
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 4
1Now a woman of the wives of 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 the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.' 2So 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 a jar of oil.' 3Then he said, 'Go, borrow containers elsewhere for yourself, empty containers from all your neighbors—do not get too few. 4Then 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.' 5So she left him and shut the door behind her and her sons; they began bringing the containers to her, and she poured the oil. 6When the containers were full, she said to her son, 'Bring me another container.' But he said to her, 'There are no more containers.' Then the oil stopped. 7So she came and told 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.'
8Now a day came when Elisha went over to Shunem, where there was a prominent woman, and she urged him to eat food. And so it was, as often as he passed by, that he turned in there to eat food.
9And she said to her husband, 'Behold now, I am aware that this is a holy man of God passing by us repeatedly.
10Please, let’s 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.'
11Now one day he came there, and turned in to the upper room and rested.
12Then he said to his servant Gehazi, 'Call this Shunammite.' And when he had called her, she stood before him.
13And he said to him, 'Say now to her, ‘Behold, you have taken trouble for us with all this care; what can I do for you? Would you like me to speak for you to the king or to the commander of the army?’?' But she answered, 'I live among my own people.'
14So he said, 'What then is to be done for her?' And Gehazi answered, 'It is a fact that she has no son, and her husband is old.'
15He then said, 'Call her.' When he had called her, she stood in the doorway.
16Then he said, 'At this season next year, you are going to embrace a son.' And she said, 'No, my lord, you man of God, do not lie to your servant.'
18When the child was grown, the day came that he went out to his father, to the reapers.
19And he said to his father, 'My head, my head!' And his father said to his servant, 'Carry him to his mother.'
20When he had carried him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her lap until 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 left.
22Then 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.'
23But he said, 'Why are you going to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath.' So she just said, 'It will be fine.'
24Then she saddled the donkey and said to her servant, 'Drive the donkey and go on; do not slow down the pace for me unless I tell you.'
25So she went on and came to the man of God at 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.
26Please 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 answered, 'It is going well.'
27But she came to the man of God 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 troubled within her; and the Lord has concealed it from me and has not informed me.'
28Then she said, 'Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, ‘Do not give me false hope’?'
29Then he said to Gehazi, 'Get ready 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 to him. And lay my staff on the boy’s face.'
30The mother of the boy said, 'As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will not leave you.' So he got up and followed her.
31Then Gehazi went on ahead of them and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response. So he returned to meet him and informed him, saying, 'The boy has not awakened.'
King James Version
Chapter 4
1Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. 2And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil. 3Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbors, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. 4And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full. 5So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out. 6And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. 7Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest. 8And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. 9And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. 10Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.
11And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there.
12And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.
13And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.
14And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.
15And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.
16And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.
17And the woman conceived, and bore a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.
18And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.
19And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.
20And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.
21And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.
22And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again.
23And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him today? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.
24Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.
25So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite:
26Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well.
27And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.
28Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?
29Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.
30And the mother of the child said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.
31And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.
32And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.
Christian Standard Bible
3Then he said, "Go out and borrow empty containers from all your neighbors. Do not get just a few.
4Then go in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour oil into all these containers. Set the full ones to one side."
8One day Elisha went to Shunem. A prominent woman who lived there persuaded him to eat some food. So whenever he passed by, he stopped there to eat.
9Then she said to her husband, "I know that the one who often passes by here is a holy man of God,
10so let’s make a small, walled-in upper room and put a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp there for him. Whenever he comes, he can stay there."
11One day he came there and stopped at the upstairs room to lie down.
12He ordered his attendant Gehazi, "Call this Shunammite woman." So he called her and she stood before him.
New Living Translation
3And Elisha said, 'Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors.
4Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.'
9She said to her husband, 'I am sure this man who stops in from time to time is a holy man of God.
10Let’s build a small room for him on the roof and furnish it with a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp. Then he will have a place to stay whenever he comes by.'
11One day Elisha returned to Shunem, and he went up to this upper room to rest.
12He said to his servant Gehazi, 'Tell the woman from Shunem I want to speak to her.' When she appeared,
20So the servant took him home, and his mother held him on her lap. But around noontime he died.
21She carried him up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, then shut the door and left him there.
22She sent a message to her husband: 'Send one of the servants and a donkey so that I can hurry to the man of God and come right back.'
English Standard Version
Chapter 4
1Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves." 2And 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." 3Then he said, "Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. 4Then 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." 5So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her. 6When 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. 7She came and told the man of God, and he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest."
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."
30Then the mother of the child said, "As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So he arose and followed her.
31Gehazi 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 has not awakened."
New International Version
3Elisha said, "Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few.
4Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side."
8One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat.
9She said to her husband, "I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God.
10Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us."
11One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there.
12He said to his servant Gehazi, "Call the Shunammite." So he called her, and she stood before him.
19He said to his father, "My head! My head!" His father told a servant, "Carry him to his mother."
20After the servant had lifted him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died.
21She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, then shut the door and went out.
New King James Version
3Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few.
4And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.”
6Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “ There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased.
7Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”
8Now it happened one day that Elisha went to Shunem, where there was a notable woman, and she persuaded him to eat some food. So it was, as often as he passed by, he would turn in there to eat some food.
9And she said to her husband, “Look now, I know that this is a holy man of God, who passes by us regularly.
10Please, let us make a small upper room on the wall; and let us put a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; so it will be, whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there.”
11And it happened one day that he came there, and he turned in to the upper room and lay down there.
12Then he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite woman.” When he had called her, she stood before him.
19And he said to his father, “My head, my head!” So he said to a servant, “Carry him to his mother.”
20When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.
21And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door upon him, and went out.
22Then 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 come back.”
23So he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath.” And she said, “ It is well.”
24Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, “Drive, and go forward; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.”
26Please 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 answered, “ It is well.”
27Now when she came to the man of God at the hill, she caught him by the feet, but Gehazi came near to push her away. But the man of God said, “Let her alone; for her soul is in deep distress, and the Lord has hidden it from me, and has not told me.”
30And the mother of the child said, “ As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So he arose and followed her.
31Now Gehazi went on ahead of them, and laid the staff on the face of the child; but there was neither voice nor hearing. Therefore he went back to meet him, and told him, saying, “The child has not awakened.”