Elisha And The Great Woman Of Shunem  2 Kings 4:8

God is very careful with His adjectives
This must have been an unusual woman

What Made The Shunimite Woman Great?

What qualities of character made her unusual?
What can mothers learn from her?

We´ll Look At 3 Things Today

Her Compassion For The Prophet Of God

read 2 Kings 4:9-10

Elisha evidently often traveled to Shunem

He was acquainted with this family
When he came to shunem be stopped there to eat

This great woman saw Elisha´s need for lodging

She also recognized him as a man of God
She urged her husband to add a room for Elisha

She cared enough to get involved

She designed and furnished a room for Elisha
She extended a standing invitation to him

Great mothers are people of compassion

Her Commitment With The Provision Of God

read 2 Kings 4:12-17

Elisha wanted to do something to repay this woman

What is to be done for thee?
Elisha offered to speak to influential people for her

This great woman turned down the prophet´s offer

I dwell with mine own people
She is content with what she has   1 Timothy 6:6

Elisha promised her a son

He concluded this was her desire
He promised a child within a year
The child was born as promised

God honored her contentment

She didn´t complain
God gave her the desire of her heart

Her Confidence In The Power Of God

read 2 Kings 4:18-37

The child became ill and died

He had joined his father among the reapers
A severe headache sent him to his mother
The child died in his mother´s lap

The great woman´s confidence in a crisis

She sends for Elisha and trusts in the Lord
It shall be well  2 Kings 4:23
It is well  2 Kings 4:26

She knew that God would care for the child

Even death did not destroy her faith
Elisha´s hurried trip to Shunem to heal her son

The child lives by the power of God  2 Kings 4:32-37

Conclusion

A Mother´s Faith Rewarded

God answered this mother´s prayers
He has answered the prayers of many mothers

Are You Praying For Your Family And Children?

Bible Studies Home

2 Kings 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.
⁹ And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.
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.
¹² And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunimite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.
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.
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.
¹⁵ And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.
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.
¹⁷ And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.
¹⁸ And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.
¹⁹ And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.
²⁰ And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Shunimite:
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.
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.
²⁸ Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?
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.
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.
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.
³² And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.
³³ He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.
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 he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
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.
³⁶ And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunimite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son.
³⁷ Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.
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2 Kings 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.
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2 Kings 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.
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.
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2 Kings 4:12 And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunimite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.
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.
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.
¹⁵ And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.
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.
¹⁷ And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.
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2 Kings 4:18-37 18 And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.
¹⁹ And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.
²⁰ And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Shunimite:
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.
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.
²⁸ Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?
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.
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.
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.
³² And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.
³³ He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.
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 he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
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.
³⁶ And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunimite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son.
³⁷ Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.
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1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
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2 Kings 4:32 And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.
³³ He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.
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 he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
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.
³⁶ And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunimite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son.
³⁷ Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.
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2 Kings 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.
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2 Kings 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.
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Last updated on September 17, 2005