2 Kings 4:17 | New International Reader’s Version

New International Reader’s Version

Elisha provides olive oil for a widow

1 The wife of a man from the group of the prophets cried out to Elisha. She said, ‘My husband is dead. You know how much respect he had for the LORD. But he owed money to someone. And now that person is coming to take my two boys away. They will become his slaves.’ 2 Elisha replied to her, ‘How can I help you? Tell me. What do you have in your house?’ ‘I don’t have anything there at all,’ she said. ‘All I have is a small jar of olive oil.’ 3 Elisha said, ‘Go around to all your neighbours. Ask them for empty jars. Get as many as you can. 4 Then go inside your house. Shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars. As each jar is filled, put it over to one side.’ 5 The woman left him. Then she shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her. And she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she spoke to one of her sons. She said, ‘Bring me another jar.’ But he replied, ‘There aren’t any more left.’ Then the oil stopped flowing. 7 She went and told the man of God about it. He said, ‘Go and sell the oil. Pay what you owe. You and your sons can live on what is left.’

The son of a woman from Shunem is brought back to life

8 One day Elisha went to the town of Shunem. A rich woman lived there. She begged him to stay and have a meal. So every time he came by, he stopped there to eat. 9 The woman said to her husband, ‘That man often comes by here. I know that he is a holy man of God. 10 Let’s make a small room for him on the roof. We’ll put a bed and a table in it. We’ll also put a chair and a lamp in it. Then he can stay there when he comes to visit us.’ 11 One day Elisha came. He went up to his room and lay down there. 12 He said to his servant Gehazi, ‘Go and get the woman from Shunem.’ So he did. She stood in front of Elisha. 13 He said to Gehazi, ‘Tell her, “You have gone to a lot of trouble for us. Now what can we do for you? Can we speak to the king for you? Or can we speak to the commander of the army for you?” ’ She replied, ‘I live among my own people. I have everything I need here.’ 14 After she left, Elisha asked Gehazi, ‘What can we do for her?’ Gehazi said, ‘She doesn’t have a son. And her husband is old.’ 15 Then Elisha said, ‘Bring her here again.’ So he did. She stood in the doorway. 16 ‘You will hold a son in your arms,’ Elisha said. ‘It will be about this time next year.’ ‘No, my master!’ she objected. ‘You are a man of God. So please don’t lie to me!’ 17 But the woman became pregnant. She had a baby boy. It happened the next year about that same time. That’s exactly what Elisha had told her would happen. 18 The child grew. One day he went out to get his father. His father was with the people who were gathering the crops. 19 The boy said to his father, ‘My head hurts! It really hurts!’ His father told a servant, ‘Carry him to his mother.’ 20 The servant lifted up the boy. He carried him to his mother. The boy sat on her lap until noon. Then he died. 21 She went up to the room on the roof. There she laid him on the bed of the man of God. Then she shut the door and went out. 22 She sent for her husband. She said, ‘Please send me one of the servants and a donkey. Then I can go quickly to the man of God and return.’ 23 ‘Why do you want to go to him today?’ he asked. ‘It isn’t the time for the New Moon feast. It isn’t the Sabbath day.’ ‘Don’t let that bother you,’ she said. 24 She put a saddle on her donkey. She said to her servant, ‘Let’s go. Don’t slow down for me unless I tell you to.’ 25 So she started out. She came to Mount Carmel. That’s where the man of God was. When she was still a long way off, he saw her coming. He said to his servant Gehazi, ‘Look! There’s the woman from Shunem! 26 Run out there to meet her. Ask her, “Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?” ’ ‘Everything is all right,’ she said. 27 She came to the man of God at the mountain. Then she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away. But the man of God said, ‘Leave her alone! She is suffering terribly. But the LORD hasn’t told me the reason for it. He has hidden it from me.’ 28 ‘My master, did I ask you for a son?’ she said. ‘Didn’t I tell you, “Don’t make me hope for something that won’t happen”?’ 29 Elisha said to Gehazi, ‘Tuck your coat into your belt. Take my walking stick and run to Shunem. Don’t say hello to anyone you see. If anyone says hello to you, don’t answer. Lay my walking stick on the boy’s face.’ 30 But the child’s mother said, ‘I won’t leave you. And that’s just as sure as the LORD and you are alive.’ So Elisha got up and followed her. 31 Gehazi went on ahead. He laid Elisha’s walking stick on the boy’s face. But there wasn’t any sound. The boy didn’t move at all. So Gehazi went back to Elisha. He told him, ‘The boy hasn’t awakened.’ 32 Elisha arrived at the house. The boy was dead. He was lying on Elisha’s bed. 33 Elisha went into the room. He shut the door. He was alone with the boy. He prayed to the LORD. 34 Then Elisha got on the bed. He lay down on the boy. His mouth touched the boy’s mouth. His eyes touched the boy’s eyes. And his hands touched the boy’s hands. As Elisha lay on the boy, the boy’s body grew warm. 35 Elisha turned away. He walked to and fro in the room. Then he got on the bed again. He lay down on the boy once more. The boy sneezed seven times. After that, he opened his eyes. 36 Elisha sent for Gehazi. He said to him, ‘Go and get the woman from Shunem.’ So he did. When she came, Elisha said, ‘Take your son.’ 37 She came in and fell at Elisha’s feet. She bowed down with her face towards the ground. Then she took her son and went out.

Deadly food in a pot

38 Elisha returned to Gilgal. There wasn’t enough food to eat in that area. The group of the prophets was meeting with Elisha. So he said to his servant, ‘Put the large pot over the fire. Cook some stew for these prophets.’ 39 One of them went out into the fields to gather herbs. He found a wild vine and picked some of its gourds. He picked as many as he could fit in his coat. Then he cut them up and put them into the pot of stew. But no one knew what they were. 40 The stew was poured out for the men. They began to eat it. But then they cried out, ‘Man of God, the food in that pot will kill us!’ They couldn’t eat it. 41 Elisha said, ‘Get some flour.’ He put it in the pot. He said, ‘Serve it to the men to eat.’ Then there wasn’t anything in the pot that could harm them.

Elisha feeds 100 people

42 A man came from Baal Shalishah. He brought the man of God 20 loaves of barley bread. They had been baked from the first corn that had ripened. The man also brought some grains of new corn. ‘Give this food to the people to eat,’ Elisha said. 43 ‘How can I put this in front of 100 men?’ his servant asked. But Elisha answered, ‘Give it to the people to eat. Do it because the LORD says, “They will eat and have some left over.” ’ 44 Then the servant put the food in front of them. They ate it and had some left over. It happened just as the LORD had said it would.

English Standard Version

Elisha and the Widow’s Oil

1 Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” (Le 25:39; 1Sa 22:2; 2Ki 2:3; Ne 5:5; Mt 18:25)

Le 25:391Sa 22:22Ki 2:3Ne 5:5Mt 18:25

2 And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” 3 Then he said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. 4 Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside.” 5 So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her. 6 When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another.” Then the oil stopped flowing. 7 She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest.” (De 33:1)

Elisha and the Shunammite Woman

8 One day Elisha went on to Shunem, where a wealthy woman lived, who urged him to eat some food. So whenever he passed that way, he would turn in there to eat food. (Jos 19:18; 1Sa 25:2; 2Sa 19:32) 9 And she said to her husband, “Behold now, I know that this is a holy man of God who is continually passing our way. (2Ki 4:7) 10 Let us make a small room on the roof with walls and put there for him a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp, so that whenever he comes to us, he can go in there.” 11 One day he came there, and he turned into the chamber and rested there. 12 And he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” When he had called her, she stood before him. (2Ki 5:20; 2Ki 5:25; 2Ki 8:4) 13 And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘See, you have taken all this trouble for us; what is to be done for you? Would you have a word spoken on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?’” She answered, “I dwell among my own people.” (2Sa 19:13; 2Ki 5:1) 14 And he 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.” And when he had called her, she stood in the doorway. 16 And he said, “At this season, about this time next year, you shall embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, O man of God; do not lie to your servant.” (Ge 17:21; Ge 18:14; 2Ki 4:7; 2Ki 4:28)

Ge 17:21Ge 18:142Ki 4:72Ki 4:28

17 But the woman conceived, and she bore a son about that time the following spring, as Elisha had said to her. (2Ki 4:16)

Elisha Raises the Shunammite’s Son

18 When the child had grown, he went out one day to his father among the reapers. 19 And he said to his father, “Oh, my head, my head!” The father said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” (Ps 121:6) 20 And when he had lifted him and brought him to his mother, the child sat on her lap till noon, and then he died. 21 And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God and shut the door behind him and went out. (2Ki 4:7; 2Ki 4:32) 22 Then she called to her husband and said, “Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may quickly go to the man of God and come back again.” (2Ki 4:7) 23 And he said, “Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath.” She said, “All is well.” (Nu 28:11) 24 Then she saddled the donkey, and she said to her servant, “Urge the animal on; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.” 25 So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel. When the man of God saw her coming, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Look, there is the Shunammite. (2Ki 2:25) 26 Run at once to meet her and say to her, ‘Is all well with you? Is all well with your husband? Is all well with the child?’” And she answered, “All is well.” 27 And when she came to the mountain to the man of God, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came to push her away. But the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for she is in bitter distress, and the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me.” (2Ki 4:25) 28 Then she said, “Did I ask my lord for a son? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me?’” (2Ki 4:16) 29 He said to Gehazi, “Tie up your garment and take my staff in your hand and go. If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not reply. And lay my staff on the face of the child.” (Ex 7:19; Ex 14:16; 1Ki 18:46; Lu 10:4; Ac 19:12)

Ex 7:19Ex 14:161Ki 18:46Lu 10:4Ac 19:12

30 Then the mother of the child said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So he arose and followed her. (Ru 3:13) 31 Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the face of the child, but there was no sound or sign of life. Therefore he returned to meet him and told him, “The child has not awakened.” (Joh 11:11) 32 When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. 33 So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the Lord. (1Ki 17:20; 2Ki 4:4; Mt 6:6; Mt 9:25; Mr 5:37; Mr 5:40; Lu 8:51)

1Ki 17:202Ki 4:4Mt 6:6Mt 9:25Mr 5:37Mr 5:40Lu 8:51

34 Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. (1Ki 17:21; Ac 20:10) 35 Then he got up again and walked once back and forth in the house, and went up and stretched himself upon him. The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. (2Ki 4:34) 36 Then he summoned 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 to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out. (1Ki 17:23; 2Ki 8:1; 2Ki 8:5; Heb 11:35)

1Ki 17:232Ki 8:12Ki 8:5Heb 11:35

Elisha Purifies the Deadly Stew

38 And Elisha came again to Gilgal when there was a famine in the land. And as the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, he said to his servant, “Set on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.” (De 33:3; 2Ki 2:1; 2Ki 2:3; 2Ki 2:5; 2Ki 8:1; Eze 24:3; Lu 10:39; Ac 22:3)

De 33:32Ki 2:12Ki 2:32Ki 2:52Ki 8:1Eze 24:3Lu 10:39Ac 22:3

39 One of them 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 cut them up into the pot of stew, not knowing what they were. 40 And they poured out some for the men to eat. But while they were eating of the stew, they cried out, “O man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they could not eat it. 41 He said, “Then bring flour.” And he threw it into the pot and said, “Pour some out for the men, that they may eat.” And there was no harm in the pot. (Ex 15:25; 2Ki 2:21) 42 A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, “Give to the men, that they may eat.” (1Sa 9:4; 1Sa 9:7; Mt 14:16; Mt 15:32; Mr 6:37; Mr 8:4; Lu 9:13; Joh 6:5)

1Sa 9:41Sa 9:7Mt 14:16Mt 15:32Mr 6:37Mr 8:4Lu 9:13Joh 6:5

43 But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred men?” So he repeated, “Give them to the men, 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 had some left, according to the word of the Lord.