Biblical Prophets - Bible Study Online

As we continue our journey, we now find ourselves at the city called Shunem.

This city was one that was part of the tribe Issachar and was located on a road, that went between Samaria and Carmel.

The Sacred Record when seem to suggest, that this is a road that prophet Elisha had traveled quite often.

On occasion he would stop by at a particular house that was owned by a married elderly couple that were doing quite well.

"Now 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." (2 Kings 4:8)

So the notable woman that lived there (whose name we are not told), would ask Elisha to stop by and have a meal whenever she would see the prophet passing by. Eventually this would end up becoming a regular routine for Elisha and the woman.

Because of this routine, the woman decided that it would be a great idea to make a small room on the roof of her house, so the prophet could be better accommodated. So she went to her husband:

"I know that this man that often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let'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."

After hearing what his wife had to say, he decides that it would be a great idea and he agreed with her. Because of the elderly couple good deed, every time Elisha would stop by their house, he would have a place that would allow him to be completely refreshed in his body, through nourishment and rest.

Elisha was very grateful for what the elderly couple had done for him. The Sacred Record points out, that it's at this time we find that Elisha was laying in his new upper-room, thinking about the continued kindness that this woman had shown towards him. After thinking for awhile, Elisha tells his servant Gehazi: "Call the Shunammite!"

Gehazi did as Elisha had asked and soon after, we find that the Shunammite woman was standing before Elisha. The prophet turned to his servant Gehazi: "Tell her, 'You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?"

After the woman had heard the the question, through Elisha's servant, she replied: "I have a home among my people." Then the woman walked away.

Understand that the kindness that she showed towards the prophet came from a pure heart and uncorrupted mind. She wasn't showing kindness towards Elisha so she could get some type of reward. She made that quite clear, by the way she responded and how she quickly exited the room, before any offer could be made.

But Elisha would be persisted in trying to repay this good hearted woman in some kind of way. So he turned and spoke to his servant Gehazi: "What can be done for her?"

Gehazi responds by saying: "Well she has no son and her husband is old." After hearing this, Elisha said: "Call her!" Gehazi did as he was told and call the Shunammite woman back to the room. The woman would return and while she was standing in the doorway of Elisha's room, the prophet spoke to her: "About this time next year you will hold a son in your arms."

After hearing this, the woman seems to be fearful of being disappointed, so she pleaded with Elisha: "No... my lord, don't mislead your servant, O man of God!"

This would seem to be the end of this episode and the Sacred Record picks back up, with the woman who has now found herself with child. And just like the prophet had foretold, it was that time next year, that she would give birth to a baby boy.

"But the woman conceived, and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her." (2 Kings 4:17)

The Sacred Record points out, that the child had grown past the infancy stage, perhaps he was a little older than a toddler. But we are not told of his exact age. But we do know, that he was old enough to head out into the fields to meet his father on his own.

Now on this particular day we find that the child had went out to the fields to meet with his father. "My head, my head!" the boy would cry out to his father. After the father had heard his son, he quickly told the servant that was in the field with him: "Go carry him to his mother."

So the servant did as he was told and carried the boy back to his mother, where he would later die in the noontime while sitting on her lap. After this had happened the mother carried him up to Elisha's room and laid him on the bed and shut the door and headed out to meet her husband.

Once she met up with her husband in the field, she asked him: "Please send me one of the servants and a donkey so I can go to the man of God quickly and return." After hearing his wife's request, he became confused and curious, so he asked her: "Why go to him today? It's not a new moon or the Sabbath."

After hearing his reply, she answered him: "Everything will be alright." So she saddled up the donkey and told the servant who was accompanying her: "Lead on; don't slow down for me unless I tell you." She ended up heading out to Mount Carmel, hoping to meet with Elisha. Eventually she would come into the range of Elisha and when he saw her at a distance, he told Gehazi:

"Look! There's the Shunammite! Run to meet her and ask her, 'Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?'"

So Gehazi did as he was told and headed out to meet with the Shunammite woman. Gehazi asked her everything that Elisha had instructed him to say. But the woman did not want to speak to Gehazi, she wanted to speak with Elisha personally. So she told Gehazi: "All is well." And she continued towards the prophet.

When the woman made it to the mountain, she approached Elisha and fell to the ground and took hold of his feet. Gehazi would quickly come over to try to remove her, but Elisha told him: "Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress, but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why." The woman was upset and it's at this point that she reminds him of her fears: "Did I ask you for a son, my lord? Didn't I tell you 'Don't raise my hopes?'"

After hearing this, Elisha quickly turns to Gehazi and said: "Tuck your cloak into your belt, take my staff in your hand and run. If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff on the boy's face."

The woman heard what Elisha had just said; and she was afraid that Elisha wasn't coming. So she said to the prophet: "As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you." After hearing what the woman had to said, Elisha stood up and followed her back to her son. Gehazi had already left and did just like the prophet had instructed him to, but the boy did not awake.

Finally when Elisha had reached the house and saw that the boy was lying dead on the couch in his room. He went in and closed the door behind and began to pray to the Lord. Then he got on the bed and laid on top of the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands.

The boy's body began to grow warm and Elisha walked away from the body and began pacing the room. He then went back to the body and stretched out upon the boy once more. Then all of a sudden the boy began to sneeze seven times and open his eyes.

Elisha then called Gehazi to come into the room and told him: "Call the Shunammite." As the woman had entered the room, Elisha told her: "Take your son." The Shunammite woman quickly fell to the floor and started bowing at Elisha's feet. Then she took her son and went out the room.

Once again, the Scriptures never disappoints and this Sacred Record showed how a good harvest was reaped, during a time when the Shunammite woman really needed it. She had sowed good seeds by being kind and caring towards Elisha and in return, she received increase in the form of a child and through tremendous faith her child's life was restored.

Elijah the Fire Prophet

Elisha the Prophet Apprentice

**YOUR CURRENT SERIES WOULD BE HERE**

Family Dynasties Unite

13) Elijah and the Chariot of Fire

14) Elisha the Master Prophet

15) Elisha - She Bears Attacking

16) King Mesha's Rebellion

17) The Blood Water

18) The Widow's Oil Treasure

19) <-CURRENT PAGE->

20) Elisha and the Pot of Death

21) The Leprosy of Naaman

22) The Floating Iron Axhead

23) The Fire Horse Army

24) The Siege of the Dark Famine

25) The Four Starving Lepers

26) The Shunammite's Divine Provision

27) Hazael Anointed Syrian King

28) Family Dynasties United

29) Jehu Is Anointed King of Israel

30) The Demise of Jehoram & Ahaziah

31) The Demise of Jezebel