Elisha and the Shunammite Family

In Shunem, a prominent woman welcomed Elisha and urged him to eat at her house. After that, whenever he passed by, he stopped there for bread. She told her husband that Elisha was a holy man of God, and suggested they make a small room on the roof with a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp stand for him.

Later, Elisha asked through Gehazi what could be done for her in return. He even offered to speak for her to the king or the commander of the army, but she said she lived among her own people. Gehazi pointed out that she had no son and that her husband was old. Elisha then told her that at that season the next year she would hold a son, and it happened just as he said.

When the child was older, he went out to his father among the reapers. He cried out that his head hurt, so a servant carried him to his mother. He sat on her knees until noon, and then he died. She laid him on the man of God’s bed, shut the door, and asked her husband to send a servant and a donkey so she could hurry to the man of God and return.

She went to Mount Carmel. When Elisha saw her coming, he sent Gehazi to ask whether all was well with her, her husband, and her child. She answered, “It is well,” but when she reached Elisha she caught hold of his feet. Gehazi came near to push her away, yet Elisha told him to leave her alone, because her soul was deeply troubled and the Lord had not told him why.

Then she reminded Elisha that she had not asked for a son and had begged him not to mislead her.

Elisha sent Gehazi ahead with his staff and told him to lay it on the child’s face, but nothing happened. The mother would not leave Elisha, so he went with her. When he came to the house, he found the child dead on his bed. Elisha shut the door and prayed to the Lord. He stretched himself over the child, and the child grew warm.

After Elisha rose, walked back and forth, and stretched himself over him again, the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. Then Elisha called the mother in and told her to take up her son. She bowed low, picked him up, and went out.