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The Widow’s Oil

Now a certain woman of the wives of athe sons of the prophets cried out to 1Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared Yahweh; and bthe creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” 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 aa jar of oil.” Then he said, “Go, ask for vessels for yourself, from those outside, from all your neighbors, even empty vessels; do not get a few. 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.” So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons; they were bringing the vessels to her and she poured. Now it happened that when athe 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. Then she came and told athe 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

Now there came a day when Elisha passed over to aShunem, where there was a 1prominent woman, and she prevailed upon him to eat 2food. Now it happened, as often as he passed by, that he turned in there to eat 3food. And she said to her husband, “Behold now, I know that this is a holy aman of God passing by us continually. 10 Please, let us amake 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 1lay down. 12 Then he said to aGehazi 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 1careful for us with all this 2care; what can I do for you? Would you be spoken for to the king or to the commander of the army?’” And she 3answered, “I live among my own people.” 14 So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi 1answered, “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, “aAt this season 1next year you will embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, O man of God, bdo not lie to your servant-woman.”

17 Then the woman conceived and bore a son at that season 1the 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 1his 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 alaid him on the bed of bthe 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 anew 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 aMount Carmel.

Now it happened that when the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his young man, “Behold, 1there 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 1answered, “It is well.” 27 Then she came to the man of God ato 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, ‘aDo not deceive me’?”

29 Then he said to Gehazi, “aGird up your loins and btake my staff in your hand, and go; if you meet anyone, do not 1cgreet him, and if anyone 2greets you, do not answer him; and dlay my staff on the boy’s face.” 30 But the mother of the boy said, “aAs 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 1response. So he returned to meet him and told him, saying, “The boy ahas 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 ashut the door behind them both and prayed to Yahweh. 34 And ahe 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 astretched 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 ashe took up her son and went out.

The Death in the Stew

38 Now Elisha returned to aGilgal, and there was ba famine in the land. 1As cthe sons of the prophets dwere sitting before him, he said to his young man, “ePut 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 adeath in the pot.” And they were unable to eat. 41 But he said, “Now bring flour.” aHe 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, “aGive them to the people that they may eat.” 43 And his attendant said, “What, awill 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 ahad some left over, according to the word of Yahweh.

The Widow’s Oil

Now a woman of the wives of athe 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 bthe creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” So 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 aa jar of oil.” Then he said, “Go, 1borrow containers 2elsewhere for yourself, empty containers from all your neighbors—do not get too few. Then 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.” So she left him and shut the door behind her and her sons; they began bringing the containers to her, and she poured the oil. When athe containers were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another container.” But he said to her, “There 1are no more containers.” Then the oil stopped. So she came and told athe 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

Now a day came when Elisha went over to aShunem, where there was a 1prominent woman, and she urged him to eat 2food. And so it was, as often as he passed by, that he turned in there to eat 3food. And she said to her husband, “Behold now, I am aware that this is a holy aman of God passing by us repeatedly. 10 Please, let’s amake 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.”

11 Now 1one day he came there, and turned in to the upper room and 2rested. 12 Then he said to his servant aGehazi, “Call this Shunammite.” And when he had called her, she stood before him. 13 And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Behold, you have taken trouble for us with all this 1care; what can I do for you? 2Would you like me to speak for you to the king or to the commander of the army?’” But she 3answered, “I live among my own people.” 14 So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi 1answered, “It is a fact that she has no son, and her husband is old.” 15 He then said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway. 16 Then he said, “aAt this season 1next year, you are going to embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, you man of God, bdo not lie to your servant.”

17 Now the woman conceived and gave birth to a son at that season 1the next year, as Elisha had told her.

The Shunammite’s Son

18 When the child was grown, 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 his father said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 When he had carried him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her 1lap until noon, and then he died. 21 And she went up and alaid him on the bed of bthe man of God, and shut the door behind him and left. 22 Then 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.” 23 But he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither anew moon nor Sabbath.” So she just said, “It will be fine.” 24 Then she saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Drive the donkey and go on; do not slow down 1the pace for me unless I tell you.” 25 So she went on and came to the man of God at aMount Carmel.

When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, that person there is the Shunammite. 26 Please 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 1answered, “It is going well.” 27 But she came to the man of God aat 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 1troubled within her; and the LORD has concealed it from me and has not informed me.” 28 Then she said, “Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, ‘aDo not give me false hope’?”

29 Then he said to Gehazi, “1aGet ready and btake my staff in your hand, and go; if you meet anyone, do not 2cgreet him, and if anyone 3greets you, do not reply to him. And dlay my staff on the boy’s face.” 30 The mother of the boy said, “aAs surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her. 31 Then Gehazi went on ahead of them and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or 1response. So he returned to meet him and informed him, saying, “The boy ahas not awakened.”

32 When Elisha entered the house, behold the boy was dead, laid on his bed. 33 So he entered and ashut the door behind them both, and he prayed to the LORD. 34 Then ahe got up on the bed and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, his hands on his hands, and he bent down on him; and the flesh of the child became warm. 35 Then he returned and walked in the house back and forth once, and went up and abent down on him; and the boy sneezed seven times, then the boy opened his eyes. 36 And he called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” 37 Then she came in and fell at his feet and bowed down to the ground, and ashe picked up her son and left.

The Poisonous Stew

38 When Elisha returned to aGilgal, there was ba famine in the land. 1As cthe sons of the prophets dwere sitting in front of him, he said to his servant, “ePut on the large pot and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.” 39 Then one went out into the field to gather mallow, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds; and he came and sliced them into the pot of stew, because they did not know what they were. 40 So they poured it out for the men to eat. But as they were eating the stew, they cried out and said, “You man of God, there is adeath in the pot!” And they were unable to eat. 41 Then he said, “Bring flour.” aAnd he threw it into the pot, and said, “Pour it out for the people that they may eat.” Then there was nothing harmful 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 grain in his sack. And Elisha said, “aGive them to the people that they may eat.” 43 But his attendant said, “How aam I to serve this to a hundred men?” Nevertheless he said, “Give them to the people that they may eat, for this is what the LORD says: ‘They shall eat and have some left over.’” 44 So he served it to them, and they ate and ahad some left over, in accordance with the word of the LORD.

The Widow’s Oil

Now one of the wives of a man of the 1asons of the prophets cried out to Elisha for help, saying “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant reverently feared the LORD; but bthe creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves in payment for a loan.” Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have of value in the house?” She said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house except aa small jar of olive oil.” Then he said, “Go, borrow containers from all your neighbors, empty containers—and not just a few. Then you shall go in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour out the oil you have into all these containers, and you shall set aside each one when it is full.” So she left him and shut the door behind her and her sons; they were bringing her the containers as she poured the oil. When athe containers were all full, she said to her son, “Bring me another container.” And he said to her, “There is not a one left.” Then the oil stopped multiplying. Then she came and told athe man of God. He said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt, and you and your sons can live on the rest.”

The Shunammite Woman

Now there came a day when Elisha went over to aShunem, where there was a prominent and influential woman, and she persuaded him to eat a meal. Afterward, whenever he passed by, he stopped there for a meal. She said to her husband, “Behold, I sense that this is a holy aman of God who frequently passes our way. 10 Please, let us amake a small, fully-walled upper room on the housetop and put a bed there for him, with a table, a chair, and a lampstand. Then whenever he comes to visit us, he can turn in there.”

11 One day he came there and turned in to the upper room and lay down to rest. 12 And he said to aGehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her and she stood before him. 13 Now he said to Gehazi, “Say to her now, ‘You have gone to all this trouble for us; what can I do for you? Would you like to be mentioned to the king or to the captain of the army?’” She answered, “I live among my own people in peace and security and need no special favors.” 14 Later Elisha said, “What then is to be done for her?” Gehazi answered, “Well, she has no son and her husband is old.” 15 He said, “Call her.” So Gehazi called her, and she came and stood in the doorway. 16 Elisha said, “aAt this season next year, you will embrace a son.” She said, “No, my lord. O man of God, bdo not lie to your maidservant.”

17 But the woman conceived and gave birth to a son at that season the next year, just as Elisha had said to her.

The Shunammite’s Son

18 When the child was grown, the day came that he went out to his father, to the reapers. 19 But he said to his father, “My head, my head.” The man said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 When he had carried and brought him to his mother, he sat on her lap until noon, and then he 1died. 21 She went up and alaid him on the bed of bthe man of God, and shut the door of the small upper room behind him and left. 22 Then 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.” 23 He said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the aNew Moon nor the Sabbath.” And she said, “It will be all right.” 24 Then she saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Drive the animal fast; do not slow down the pace for me unless I tell you.” 25 So she set out and came to the man of God at aMount Carmel.

When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Look, there is the Shunammite woman. 26 Please run now to meet her and ask her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’” And she answered, “It is well.” 27 When she came ato the mountain to the man of God, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi approached to push her away; but the man of God said, “Let her alone, for her soul is desperate and troubled within her; and the LORD has hidden the reason from me and has not told me.” 28 Then she said, “Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, ‘aDo not give me false hope’?”

29 Then he said to Gehazi, “1aGird up your loins (prepare now!) and btake my staff in your hand, and go to the woman’s house; if you meet any man along the way, do not cgreet him and if a man greets you, do not stop to answer him; and dlay my staff on the face of the boy as soon as you reach the house.” 30 The mother of the child said, “aAs the LORD lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So Elisha arose and followed her. 31 Gehazi went on ahead of them and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response from the boy. So he turned back to meet Elisha and told him, “The boy ahas not awakened (revived) .”

32 When Elisha came into the house, the child was dead and lying on his bed. 33 So he went in, ashut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD. 34 aThen he went up and lay on the child and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself out on him and held him, the boy’s skin became warm. 1+@Kin 17:21 35 Then he returned and walked in the house once back and forth, and went up again and astretched himself out on him; and the boy sneezed seven times and he opened his eyes. 36 Then Elisha called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” 37 She came and fell at his feet, bowing herself to the ground in respect and gratitude. Then ashe picked up her son and left.

The Poisonous Stew

38 Elisha came back to aGilgal during ba famine in the land. cThe sons of the prophets dwere sitting before him, and he said to his servant, “ePut on the large pot and cook stew for the sons of the prophets.” 39 Then one of them went into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine and gathered from it a lapful of wild gourds, and came and cut them up into the pot of stew, although they did not know what they were. 40 So they served it for the men to eat. But as they ate the stew, they cried out, “O man of God, there is adeath in the pot.” And they could not eat it. 41 But he said, “Bring 1flour.” And ahe threw it into the pot and said, “Serve it for the people so that they may eat.” Then there was nothing harmful in the pot.

42 Now at another time a man from Baal-shalisha came and brought the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley bread, and fresh ears of grain in the husk in his sack. And Elisha said, “aGive it to the people affected by the famine so that they may eat.” 43 His servant said, “How aam I to set only this before a hundred hungry men?” He said, “Give it to the people so that they may eat, for thus says the LORD, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’” 44 So he set it before them, and they ate and aleft some, in accordance with the word of the LORD.

The Widow’s Oil

Now a certain woman of the wives of athe sons of the prophets cried out to 1Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD; and bthe creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house except aa jar of oil.” Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels at large for yourself from all your neighbors, even empty vessels; do not get a few. 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.” So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons; they were bringing the vessels to her and she poured. When athe 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. Then she came and told athe 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

Now there came a day when Elisha passed over to aShunem, where there was a 1prominent woman, and she persuaded him to eat 2food. And so it was, as often as he passed by, he turned in there to eat 3food. She said to her husband, “Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy aman of God passing by us continually. 10 Please, let us amake 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 shall be, when he comes to us, that he can turn in there.”

11 1One day he came there and turned in to the upper chamber and 2rested. 12 Then he said to aGehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” And when he had called her, she stood before him. 13 He said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Behold, you have been 1careful for us with all this 2care; what can I do for you? Would you be spoken for to the king or to the captain of the army?’” And she 3answered, “I live among my own people.” 14 So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi 1answered, “Truly she has no son and her husband is old.” 15 He said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway. 16 Then he said, “aAt this season 1next year you will embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, O man of God, bdo not lie to your maidservant.”

17 The woman conceived and bore a son at that season 1the next year, as Elisha had said to her.

The Shunammite’s Son

18 When the child was grown, the day came that he went out to his father to the reapers. 19 He said to his father, “My head, my head.” And he said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her 1lap until noon, and then died. 21 She went up and alaid him on the bed of bthe man of God, and shut the door behind him and went out. 22 Then she called to her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and return.” 23 He said, “Why will you go to him today? It is neither anew moon nor sabbath.” And she said, “It will be well.” 24 Then she saddled a donkey and said to her servant, “Drive and go forward; do not slow down 1the pace for me unless I tell you.” 25 So she went and came to the man of God to aMount Carmel.

When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, 1there 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 1answered, “It is well.” 27 When she came to the man of God ato the hill, she caught 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 1troubled within her; and the LORD 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, ‘aDo not deceive me’?”

29 Then he said to Gehazi, “aGird up your loins and btake my staff in your hand, and go your way; if you meet any man, do not csalute him, and if anyone salutes you, do not answer him; and dlay my staff on the lad’s face.” 30 The mother of the lad said, “aAs the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” And he arose and followed her. 31 Then Gehazi passed on before them and laid the staff on the lad’s face, but there was no sound or 1response. So he returned to meet him and told 2him, “The lad ahas not awakened.”

32 When Elisha came into the house, behold the lad was dead and laid on his bed. 33 So he entered and ashut the door behind them both and prayed to the LORD. 34 And ahe 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 astretched himself on him; and the lad sneezed seven times and the lad opened his eyes. 36 He called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came in to him, he said, “Take up your son.” 37 Then she went in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground, and ashe took up her son and went out.

The Poisonous Stew

38 When Elisha returned to aGilgal, there was ba famine in the land. 1As cthe sons of the prophets dwere sitting before him, he said to his servant, “ePut 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 his lap full of wild gourds, 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 as they were eating of the stew, they cried out and said, “O man of God, there is adeath in the pot.” And they were unable to eat. 41 But he said, “Now bring meal.” aHe 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, “aGive them to the people that they may eat.” 43 His attendant said, “What, awill I set this before a hundred men?” But he said, “Give them to the people that they may eat, for thus says the LORD, ‘They shall eat and have some left over.’” 44 So he set it before them, and they ate and ahad some left over, according to the word of the LORD.