nsb - 2Kings:4:8-37

nsb@2Kings:4:8 @ Elisha went to Shunem, where a rich woman lived. She invited him to a meal. From that time on every time he went to Shunem he would have his meals at her house.

nsb@2Kings:4:9 @ She said to her husband: »I know that this man who comes here often is a holy man.

nsb@2Kings:4:10 @ »Let us build a small room on the roof, and put a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp in it. He can stay there when he visits us.«

nsb@2Kings:4:11 @ One day Elisha returned to Shunem and went to his room to rest.

nsb@2Kings:4:12 @ He told his servant Gehazi to call the woman. When she came,

nsb@2Kings:4:13 @ he said to Gehazi: »Ask her what I can do for her in return for all the trouble she has had in providing for our needs. Maybe she would like me to go to the king or the army commander and put in a good word for her.« »I have all I need here among my own people,« she answered.

nsb@2Kings:4:14 @ Elisha asked Gehazi: »What can I do for her?« He answered: »She has no son, and her husband is an old man.«

nsb@2Kings:4:15 @ »Tell her to come here,« Elisha ordered. She came and stood in the doorway.

nsb@2Kings:4:16 @ Elisha said to her: »By this time next year you will hold a son in your arms.« »Please do not lie to me. You are a man of God!« She said.

nsb@2Kings:4:17 @ Just as Elisha said, about that time the following year she gave birth to a son.

nsb@2Kings:4:18 @ Years later at harvest time, the boy went out one morning to join his father, who was in the field with the harvest workers.

nsb@2Kings:4:19 @ Suddenly he cried out to his father: »My head hurts! My head hurts!« »Carry the boy to his mother,« the father said to a servant.

nsb@2Kings:4:20 @ The servant carried the boy back to his mother. She held him in her lap until noon. Then the boy died.

nsb@2Kings:4:21 @ She carried him up to Elisha's room and put him on the bed. She closed the door behind her and left.

nsb@2Kings:4:22 @ She called her husband and said to him: »Send a servant here with a donkey. I need to go to the prophet Elisha. I will be back as soon as I can.«

nsb@2Kings:4:23 @ »Why must you go today?« Her husband asked. »It is neither a Sabbath nor a New Moon Festival.« She replied: »Never mind.«

nsb@2Kings:4:24 @ She had the donkey saddled, and ordered the servant: »Make the donkey go as fast as it can. Do not slow down unless I tell you.«

nsb@2Kings:4:25 @ She left for Mount Carmel, where Elisha was. Elisha saw her coming while she was still far off. He said to his servant Gehazi: »Look, there comes the woman from Shunem!

nsb@2Kings:4:26 @ »Hurry to her and find out if everything is all right with her and her family.« She told Gehazi that everything was all right,

nsb@2Kings:4:27 @ but when she came to Elisha, she bowed down before him and took hold of his feet. Gehazi was about to push her away. Elisha said: »Do not bother her. You can see she is deeply distressed. Jehovah has not told me a thing about it.«

nsb@2Kings:4:28 @ The woman said to him: »Did I ask you for a son? Did I not tell you not to get my hopes up?«

nsb@2Kings:4:29 @ Elisha told Gehazi:« Hurry! Take my walking stick. Do not stop to talk to anyone. If anyone speaks to you do not respond. Go straight to the house and hold my stick over the boy.«

nsb@2Kings:4:30 @ The woman said to Elisha:« I swear by my loyalty to the living God Jehovah and to you that I will not leave you! So the two of them started back together. »

nsb@2Kings:4:31 @ Gehazi went ahead and held Elisha's stick over the child. There was no sound or any other sign of life. He returned to meet Elisha and said: »The boy did not wake up.«

nsb@2Kings:4:32 @ When Elisha arrived he went alone into the room. He saw the boy lying dead on the bed.

nsb@2Kings:4:33 @ He closed the door and prayed to Jehovah.

nsb@2Kings:4:34 @ Then he lay down on the boy, placing his mouth, eyes, and hands on the boy's mouth, eyes, and hands. As he lay stretched out over the boy, the boy's body started to get warm.

nsb@2Kings:4:35 @ Elisha got up and walked around the room. He returned and again stretched himself over the boy. The boy sneezed seven times and then opened his eyes.

nsb@2Kings:4:36 @ Elisha called Gehazi and told him to call the boy's mother. When she came in, he said to her: »Take your son!«

nsb@2Kings:4:37 @ She fell at Elisha's feet with her face on the ground. Then she took her son and left.