Gehazi

8One day Elisha went to a town called Shunem. An important woman there asked him to stay and eat. After that, he ate at her house every time he passed by.

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.

NoteShunem was a small town in Israel. Calling the woman "important" means her family was rich and well known.

9She said to her husband, "I am sure now. The man who keeps coming here is a holy man of God."

And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.

NoteHoly means set apart to belong to God. She was saying Elisha was God's own man.

10"Let us build him a little room on our roof. We can put in a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp. Then he can stay there when he visits."

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.

NoteHouses then had flat roofs, and people used them like an extra room. The lamp was a small clay bowl of oil with a burning string in it.

11One day Elisha came to visit. He went up to his room and lay down.

And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there.

12He said to Gehazi, his helper, "Call the woman from Shunem." Gehazi called her, and she came and stood in front of Elisha.

And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.

13Elisha told Gehazi, "Say this to her. You have gone to a lot of trouble for us. What can we do for you? Shall we speak to the king for you? Or to the leader of the army?" She said, "I have a home here among my own people."

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.

NoteElisha was offering to speak up for her to powerful people. A word from a prophet could help a family a lot.

14Elisha asked, "Then what can we do for her?" Gehazi said, "She has no son, and her husband is old."

And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.

NoteIn those days a son took care of his parents when they got old. A family with no son had no one to look after them later.

15Elisha said, "Call her." So Gehazi called her, and she stood in the doorway.

And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.

16Elisha said, "About this time next year, you will hold your own son." She said, "No, my lord. Please do not lie to me, man of God."

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.

17But the woman did have a baby. She gave birth to a son the next year, just as Elisha had said.

And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.

18The child grew older. One day he went out to his father, who was working with the harvest workers.

And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.

NoteHarvest is when grain is cut down and gathered. Whole families worked in the fields at that time.

19He said to his father, "My head! My head hurts!" His father told a servant, "Carry him to his mother."

And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.

20The servant picked him up and brought him to his mother. The boy sat on her lap until noon. Then he died.

And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.

21She carried him up and laid him on the bed in the man of God's room. Then she shut the door and went out.

And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.

22She called her husband and said, "Please send me a servant and a donkey. I must go to the man of God and come right back."

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.

23He said, "Why go today? It is not a New Moon day or a Sabbath." She said, "It will be all right."

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.

NoteThe Sabbath was the one day each week when people rested and worshiped God. A New Moon day was the start of a new month, another special day. People often visited a prophet on those days, so the husband wonders why she is going now.

24She saddled the donkey and told her servant, "Go fast. Do not slow down unless I tell you to."

Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.

25So she rode to Mount Carmel, where the man of God was. He saw her far away and said to Gehazi, "Look, there is the woman from Shunem."

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:

NoteMount Carmel is a tall hill near the sea. It was many hours away from her town, even riding fast.

26"Please run and meet her. Ask if she is all right. Ask about her husband and her child." She answered, "Everything is all right."

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.

27When she reached Elisha on the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came to push her away. But Elisha said, "Leave her alone. She is hurting deep inside. The LORD has hidden this from me and has not told me why."

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.

NoteHolding on to someone's feet was a way of begging for help. It showed you needed that person very much.

28Then she said, "My lord, did I ask you for a son? Didn't I say, 'Do not fool me'?"

Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?

29Elisha said to Gehazi, "Tuck your robe into your belt so you can run. Take my walking stick and go. Do not stop to greet anyone. If anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my stick on the boy's face."

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.

NoteGreetings then were long. People stopped and talked for a while, so Elisha said not to greet anyone. Sending his own walking stick was like sending himself along with Gehazi.

30The boy's mother said, "As surely as the LORD lives and you live, I will not leave you." So Elisha got up and went with her.

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.

Note"As surely as the LORD lives" was the strongest promise a person could make. She meant she truly would not go without him.

31Gehazi ran ahead and laid the stick on the boy's face. But there was no sound and no answer. So he went back to Elisha and said, "The boy has not woken up."

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.

32Elisha came to the house. The boy was lying dead on his bed.

And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.

33Elisha went in alone with the boy and shut the door. Then he prayed to the LORD.

He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.

34He got up on the bed and lay on the boy. He put his mouth on the boy's mouth. He put his eyes on the boy's eyes. He put his hands on the boy's hands. As he stretched out over him, the boy's body grew warm.

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 he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.

35Elisha got up and walked back and forth in the room. Then he lay on the boy again. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.

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.

36Elisha called Gehazi and said, "Call the woman from Shunem." Gehazi called her, and she came in. Elisha said, "Pick up your son."

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.

37She came in and fell at his feet. She bowed down to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out.

Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.

NoteBowing all the way to the ground was how people said a big thank you. It showed great respect.

20Gehazi was the servant of Elisha, the man of God. He thought, "My master let this Syrian go without taking a thing. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something."

But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.

21So Gehazi ran after Naaman. Naaman saw him running and climbed down from his chariot to meet him. He asked, "Is everything all right?"

So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?

22Gehazi said, "Everything is fine. My master sent me. Two young men just came to him from the hills of Ephraim. They are training to be prophets. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothes."

And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.

Note"Sons of the prophets" were young men learning from a prophet. They lived together and studied with him. Ephraim was a hilly part of Israel.

23Naaman said, "Please take two talents." He kept asking until Gehazi agreed. He tied the silver in two bags with two sets of clothes. Two of his servants carried them ahead of Gehazi.

And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.

NoteTwo talents of silver was very heavy. That is why two servants had to carry the bags.

24When Gehazi reached the hill, he took the bags from the servants. He put them away inside the house. Then he sent the men away, and they left.

And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.

25Gehazi went in and stood before his master. Elisha asked, "Where have you been, Gehazi?" He said, "Your servant did not go anywhere."

But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.

26Elisha said, "My heart went with you. I saw the man climb down from his chariot to meet you. This is no time to take money and clothes. It is no time to take olive trees, vineyards, sheep, cattle, or servants."

And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?

NoteOlive trees and vineyards were how people got rich. Owning them meant food and money for years.

27"So Naaman's skin disease will stick to you and to your children after you." Gehazi walked out from Elisha with leprosy. His skin was white as snow.

The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

Note"Your children after you" means his family for a long time. Skin turning white as snow was a sign of the disease.

1Elisha had helped a woman before. He had brought her son back to life. Elisha told her, "Take your family and move away. Live wherever you can. The LORD is sending a famine, a time with no food. It will last seven years."

Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the LORD hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.

NoteElisha was a prophet, someone who told people what God said. A famine is a long time when crops will not grow and people go hungry. When the Bible writes LORD in big letters, it means God's own special name.

2The woman did what the man of God said. She took her family to the land of the Philistines. They lived there for seven years.

And the woman arose, and did after the saying of the man of God: and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years.

Note"The man of God" is another way of saying the prophet Elisha. The Philistines were a people who lived by the sea, west of Israel. They were often enemies of Israel, so this was a hard place to go.

3After seven years she came back home. She went to ask the king for help. She wanted her house and her land back.

And it came to pass at the seven years’ end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry unto the king for her house and for her land.

NoteIf you left your land for years, someone else often moved in and took it. The king was the one person who could order it given back. That is why she went straight to him.

4The king was talking with Gehazi, who was Elisha's helper. The king said, "Please tell me all the great things Elisha has done."

And the king talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done.

NoteGehazi worked for Elisha and traveled with him. A helper like this carried things and ran errands for his master.

5Gehazi was telling how Elisha brought a dead boy back to life. Right then the woman came in. She asked the king for her house and land. Gehazi said, "My king, this is that woman! And this is her son."

And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.

6The king asked the woman, and she said it was true. So the king told one of his officers, "Give her back everything that was hers. Give her all the crops from her land too, from the day she left until now."

And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now.

NoteWhile she was away, other people grew crops on her land and sold the food. The king said she should get that money too, not just the land. The crops means all the food that grew on her land while she was away.