4:8 And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat
bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.
- (TR)Elisha is now going to the town of Shunem, and when he arrived in Shunem this very wealthy woman met
Elisha. This woman was well respected in the community. She knew that Elisha had been on a journey, and
she pressured him to come in for dinner with her. As time went by, every time he passed by her house, he
went in to eat bread. "Shunem" in the Hebrew, is similar in meaning to " a double rest".
- (TR)Remember when David was on his death bed, they brought in a young Shumemmite girl. According to
the first chapter of First Kings, this virgin was the fairest in the land. She was brought in to lay with David in
his old age and bring life and blood circulation back into his body. She was from the same town of this
wealthy woman only it is one hundred and twenty years later, long after the death of David
- (TR)MY PRAYER that the right person would cross my path.
4:9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us
continually.
- (TR)This woman was open to the Spirit of God, and she could see it in Elisha. If your spiritual eyes are
closed, you would never feel the Spirit of God.
- (TR)MY PRAYER - Open my eyes Lord and let me see and open my ears and let me hear!
4:10 Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a
stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.
- (TR)From the goodness of this woman's heart, she felt the need to help this man of God in any way that she
could. The way that she saw that could be most useful was to provide some of the physical needs of
Elisha's life
- (TR)MY PRAYER - God help me to see the need of others.
4:11 And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there.
- (TR)So this wealthy woman set up this chamber, with the bed, the table, the candlestick, and the stool and
had it all prepared for Elisha and his servant. In a matter of a day or two Elisha was passing by and went in
to eat bread, he took advantage of what this wealthy family had provided for him and laid down and rested.
- (TR)MY PRAYER _ Father help me to surrender everything to you.
4:12 And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.
- (TR)Elisha saw that this was all given freely to the work of the Lord, and he wanted to do something for; to
bless her for her obedience to God
- (TR)MY PRAYER - Father help me to always show thanks for what people do for me. Give me a thankful
heart.
4:13 And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be
done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell
among mine own people.
- (TR)Notice that Elisha is speaking to his servant Gahazi, and this is what Gahazi asked of this wealthy
woman. The indication here is that she not only provided for Elisha, but for his servant Gahazi also. So the
question he asked her is, "What can we do for you?" This was a hot land, and it meant a lot to Elisha to be
taken care of in such a manner. Elisha asked, "Can I put a good word in for you to the king, so that you can
be more blessed, or the captain of the host for your protection?" She let it be know that she was happy just
where she was, living amongst her own family, in her home town. She was not seeking any glory or favors
for the things that she had done
4:14 And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her
husband is old.
- (TR)So why would Elisha, the man of God, not be talking directly to her? She had been so good in providing
this care and she was in awe of standing before this prophet of God. It was difficult for her to speak directly
to him. Maybe she would be more open to tell what her desires were with his servant. However Gehazi
noted that there were no children in the family.
- (TR)MY PRAYER- Father give me a listen ear.
4:15 And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.
- (TR)There is a miracle about to happen here, and there are all sorts of types that can come from this miracle.
It relates in type to Abraham and Sarah and the birth of Isaac, and Zacharias and Elisabeth in the birth of
John the Baptist. Each of these two women were to old to conceive, yet God opened the wombs of these
women, and they each conceived. A conception is going to take place here, when both the man and the
woman are far beyond child bearing years. About a year from this time, this woman will have that child that
Elisha will promise to her.
- (TR)MY PRAYER- Father your Word can be conceived within me at any time or any age
4:16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay,
my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.
- (TR)"Lie" is a little strong for what is said here, she states, "No, my lord, you are a man of God, and don't
deceive or play around with your handmaid." She was not calling Elisha a liar, but it didn't take to much
intelligence to know that at her age, any child bearing would be out of the picture. It was unreasonable;
don't promise something that is not possible. This response lets us know just how badly she wanted a child
but could not have one, for what ever the reason.
- (TR)Sometimes it take another person to see what it is that God is wanting to do in your life.
4:17 And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the
time of life.
- (TR)The birth of this child was a miracle within itself, and the birth came just as Elisha said.
4:18 And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.
- (TR)When the child had grown into a lad, but still a small child, he want out to help his elderly
father in the field. It was harvest time and there was a lot of work to be done.
- (TR)I, myself have experienced DEATH on the working field.
4:19 And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.
- (TR)For what ever the reason, this lad had a severe head ache, for
it could have been a heat stroke. The father had others there
carry the lad home to his mother.
4:20 And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat
on her knees till noon, and then died.
- (TR)God had given this gift to this woman, and now God had allowed
this child to die for what ever the reason. This child was a miracle
birth, and showed the love of God for this woman and her husband
and then to have this gift of a child taken from her seems beyond
reason. Everything has a reason, and when the human mind cannot understand that reason, but God has
His reasons. So what did this woman do about the death of her son?
4:21 And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.
- (TR)She took the child and went up to the extra room that she had prepared for the prophet, and laid the
child on the prophet's bed. She left
- the room and shut the door on her way out.
- (TR)MY PRAYER - God help me to always return to you,
for you are LIFE Help me to shut the door on that
which is dead.
4:22 And she called unto her husband, and said,
Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men,
and one of the asses, that I may run to the
man of God, and come again.
- (TR)She told her husband that she was going
immediately to the Elisha, the man of God,
but she would come back again.
- (TR)MY PRAYER - God you are my stronghold,
you are my strength, you are my help in the time of trouble.
4:23 And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? It is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall
be well.
- (TR)The old father still does not know that his son is dead. This is not the day that you go to a man of God
for worship or for one of the feast days. Her response to her husband, was simply "peace!" [shalom] and
she left. She did not take the time to explain, and she was on her way.
- (TR))MY PRAYER - Father help me to realize it not in my time, but it's in yours.
4:24 Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except
I bid thee.
- (TR)As the young man was running along side the ass, and she told the man, don't slow the animal [ass]
down on my account, run as fast as you can.
- (TR)MY PRAYER - Lord help me to have things ready, for when the time come for me to go.
4:25 So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God
saw her afar off, that he said to
Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite:
- (TR)Mount Carmel was no doubt a very fruitful place, for it was were the prophets of God were. As she was
approaching to where Elisha was, Gehazi recognized her, and told Elisha. Of course they would recognize
this woman for she had made a place of comfort for them when they went to town. She fed them in the dry
summer days, and a place to rest out of the sun.
4:26 Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? Is it well with thy husband? is it well
with the child? And she answered, It is well:
- (TR)Remember in the first meetings Elisha did not speak to the woman, but only through Gehazi, now here, it
is also through Gehazi that the questions are being asked. She is giving her answer to the servant, and
saving the details for the prophet of God. She was not going to have what she was about to say passed
through any servant.
- (TR)MY PRAYER - Father help me to speak the words that need to be spoken.
4:27 And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she
caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her
away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul
is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and
hath not told me.
- (TR)When she came up on the hill, she caught the
man of God and she fell down at his feet, however Gahazi
thought this was not right to approach a man of God in
such a manner. As Gahazi reached for her, Elisha told him
to let her alone. Think about this for a moment. God had
not revealed to Elisha what had happened to the child,
nor the troubled condition of this woman's mind. Elisha was the man of God wearing the mantle of Elijah,
and God took that child and did not reveal the reason why even to him.
So obviously what Elisha does, and says has something to do with God's reason for not telling him. A blessing
was given to this woman, and then taken away for no apparent reason.
- MY PRAYER - Father I know you are the one who gives and the one who takes away, just help me to
understand and always trust you even when thing are not the way I think they are to be.
4:28 Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?
- (TR)She is as blunt as she could be, for she said to Elisha, "Did I want a son and ask you for that son? I told
you not to deceive me." She had wanted a child for so long that she was afraid to even ask for one. And
then Elisha came along and God gave her one. So now that she was blessed with her son, she blamed
Elisha for the fact that this blessing was taken from her. This appeared like somebody was playing games
with her, giving her something very precious, only to take it from her.
4:29 Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any
man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.
- (TR)Elisha is telling Gehazi to take his staff and go directly to the woman's house, and put that staff on the
face of the child. Usually at this time and age, if two people met on the road, they stopped for a meeting
and an exchanging of ideas. Elisha did not want any delays in this matter. So the question would be, was
this enough to revive the child that is dead? Does the servant have the faith to heal when the staff is laid on
the child. God is going to teach us a lesson here; that a stick of wood, which is a staff just will not get the
job done. It is what is the man's heart, his faith and belief to know that our Heavenly Father is real, that
brings the miracle to reality. A stick of wood has no power, outside the hand of the man of God. It takes an
act of obedience to the Father, and through the Son that accomplishes the healing.
4:30 And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he
arose, and followed her.
- (TR)Even this woman knew that a stick of wood just would not bring her child back to life, She would not go
back until Elisha went back with her. You can do what ever you desire with your servant, but you are
coming with me. Elisha got the word, and decided to go with her.
4:31 And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice,
nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.
- To Gehazi however, this was his chance to make a name for himself. He went on ahead, and did exactly as
Elisha had commanded him to do, he place the stick of wood on the face of the dead child, and the child did
not come to life. Gehazi knew that when Elisha did what Elijah told him to do as his servant, the miracles
happened; however not this time. For what ever the reason, the child did not awake when Gehazi said the
words over this child. Gehazi's faith was in the words of Elisha, and the stick, and not in God. Gehazi still
does not realize that only God can do the healing.
- (TR)The woman could see that Gehazi did not have the faith of the prophet of God, and that it would take a
true man of God. Gehazi's faith was not in God, but the prophet of God, and in that stick, and she wanted
God to do the healing. Her confidence was not in Gehazi at all.
4:32 And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.
- (TR)Defeating death is the most beautiful things about Christianity
and our Father. He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living
He is a Living God. As Christians we must realize that even though a
physical body dies, the soul that was within that body has gone
instantly to be with the Father.
- Ecclesiastes 12:6 "Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the
golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain,
or the wheel broken at the cister."
- (TR)The "cistern" is the clay flesh body that our soul lives in. The
cistern is built to hold the water of life that is within the flesh body, but
once a bowl is broken, the water or life leaks out of it, just as water
leaks out of a clay bowl that is cracked and broken. The "silver cord"
is what holds your soul and the spirit together within the flesh body.
We can call it the process of thought, which is the intellect of the mind, or soul. When one is brain dead,
there is no electrical impulse within the brain, and the person is considered dead, even though the physical body
may still be pumping blood. At this time most life support systems are generally discontinued.
- (TR)So when that silver cord parts and the heavenly Father allows it to happen, then this flesh body becomes
biologically dead. The very inner man [the soul] departs from the physical body, and returns to the Father
that sent it in the first place. The body will go through the stages of decay back to the dust of the earth, and
will never be used again for anything. The soul will enters into a new incorruptible body.
- Ecclesiastes 12:7 "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God
Who gave it."
4:33 He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.
- (TR)Do you understand what Elisha did here? It is important, for Elisha knew that he could not bring the child
back to life. Even though Elisha wore the mantle of Elijah, and was a prophet of God, don't ever think so
much of yourself that you consider that you alone can do any healing. It is God that does all healing, even
when you have the gift to be able to touch an cause healing to take place in another person. If you take
any of the credit away from God, then your gift will be stripped from you, until you straighten out your mind
as to where your gift came from. All gifts come from the Father, and you have only those gifts that the
Father has placed within you.
- (TR)You may have many gifts, or only a few, but what ever the gifts that you have; rest assured God is going
to hold you responsible for how you handle them, what you do with them, and just who gets the glory for
what those gifts bring to others. Your gifts are not to bless and honor you, but so that you can bless others
with them and give God the honor and praise for them. Then in turn, you are going to be well rewarded by
God when He gets the glory and honor for your use of them. Elisha knew that God could bring life back to
this child, and he went into the room and shut the door so that there would be no interference with his
praying.
4:34 And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and
his hands upon his hands: and stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
4:35 Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the
child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
- (TR)This was the seventh miracle of Elisha, for remember that Elisha will perform twice the miracles of Elijah.
When Elijah brought back the widow woman's child, Elijah spoke only three times, and here in bringing back
this child, Elisha spoke seven times. We see in Mark 5:40-42 that Jesus also spoke to a dead child of
twelve years old, and brought her back to life. Jesus simply said "Talitha cumi, which is to say unto thee,
arise", and the girl arose and walked. Notice that after Jesus caused the girl to come alive, he charged her
parents strictly that they were to tell no one, but to give the girl food.
- (TR)We can see the power of God in all of these healings. I believe that it was the doubt of the servant
Gehazi that caused Elisha to have to go through the effort that he went through. Doubt is the most
dangerous thing when it comes to prayer. It doesn't make our Father happy or quick to answer prayer when
there are men and women present with doubt.
- (TR)Of course "seven" in biblical numerics stands for spiritual completeness. The lad is now alive, and
breathing.
4:36 And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto
him, he said, Take up thy son.
- (TR)You know that she had faith that God would heal her son, and this had to be a wonderful time for her.
4:37 Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.
- (TR)Though she fell at the feet of Elisah, there can be no doubt that she knew exact where that blessing of
her son's life came. She took her son, and went out of the room. Think of the joy and excitement in her life
that day. She knew also that only Elisha would have the faith to accomplish it.
- (TR)If you are going to take the time to pray and ask God for any favor, than have faith that God will answer
that prayer, in the time and manner that is right to him. You do the praying, and allow God to answer in the
time frame that fits His schedule. This is why we thank God for answering the prayer, even before the event
has taken place. To pray and have doubt is only to be playing games with God, and that is a dangerous
thing. Though God has a sense of humor, he does not play games with serious matters.
- (TR)Remember what the woman said? "Don't deceive me, don't promise me something that you will not fulfill."
Then after the child was born and died, she put it right back on the prophet of God's head, and let it be
know that she had the faith in him only, and his relationship with the Father. If she did not believe that
Elisha could not bring her child back to life, she never would have left in the first place to go to mount
Carmel. Even in her sorrow, she knew that Elisha had the faith to bring this lad back to life.
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