ELISHA RAISES THE SHUNAMMITE BOY
2 Kings 4:18-37
Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite.” And he did. When she came, he said, “Take your son.” (36)
chapter 4
18. The child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the reapers.
19. He said to his father, "My head! My head!" His father told a servant, "Carry him to his mother."
20. After the servant had lifted him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died.
21. She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, then shut the door and went out.
22. She called her husband and said, "Please send me one of the servants and a donkey so I can go to the man of God quickly and return."
23. "Why go to him today?" he asked. "It’s not the New Moon or the Sabbath." "That’s all right," she said.
24. She saddled the donkey and said to her servant, "Lead on; don’t slow down for me unless I tell you."
25. So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel. When he saw her in the distance, the man of God said to his servant Gehazi, "Look! There’s the Shunammite!
26. Run to meet her and ask her, ’Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?’" "Everything is all right," she said.
27. When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, "Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress, but the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me why."
28. "Did I ask you for a son, my lord?" she said. "Didn’t I tell you, ’Don’t raise my hopes’?"
29. Elisha said to Gehazi, "Tuck your cloak into your belt, take my staff in your hand and run. Don’t greet anyone you meet, and if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff on the boy’s face."
30. But the child’s mother said, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So he got up and followed her.
31. Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response. So Gehazi went back to meet Elisha and told him, "The boy has not awakened."
32. When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch.
33. He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the LORD.
34. Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out on him, the boy’s body grew warm.
35. Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out on him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.
36. Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, "Call the Shunammite." And he did. When she came, he said, "Take your son."
37. She came in, fell at his feet and bowed to the ground. Then she took her son and went out.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
1. The son of the Shunammite woman grew and was old enough to visit his father when he was working in the fields. One day he complained about a headache. He sat with his mother on her lap, but tragically he died. The woman did not tell her husband, but she took a donkey and hurried after Elisha. Elisha sent his servant to ask if everything was alright, but the woman told him nothing. She went straight to Elisha. She sought God’s help through Elisha.
2. Elisha gave his servant his staff, with instructions to go on ahead and lay the staff on the boy’s face, but the boy did not awaken. Then Elisha and the woman arrived. Elisha patiently lay on the boy. The boy grew warm, but did not arise. Elisha paced the floor and tried again. This time the boy sneezed and opened his eyes. Elisha restored the boy to the Shunammite woman, and she bowed and demonstrated her thankfulness. She expressed her personal faith in God by persistently clinging to Elisha, and she was blessed.
Prayer: Lord, only you can give life. Teach me to cling to you and your promise with personal faith in your power and mercy.
One Word: Have personal faith in our life-giving God