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Story 9
Historical setting:
Time:Around 850 B.C.
Place: The little town of Shunam, near Jezreel.
Persons: Elisha, Gahazi, a woman, her husband, and
son.
Scripture: II Kings 4:1-7
The little town of Shunam is situated near Jezreel, where
Elisha's residence was. In it's beautiful setting of evergreen
olive groves, vineyards of purple grapes, and fields of waving
corn, lay the homes of many prosperous farmers. In one of
these wealthy homes lived a kind and generous woman and her
husband. On many occasions, in his journeys from place to
place, Elisha passed this woman's house. Each time he did, she
begged him to stop and refresh himself with a meal, and often
persuaded him to stay overnight.
One day this woman
said to her husband, "We must build a special room for the
'holy man of God' so that he can stop and rest himself from
his many journeys. For he truly is a 'holy man'. He lives what
he preaches."
So a sleeping chamber was built for Elisha. Resting partly
on the wall of the house, the room projected beyond it--like a
balcony--with a latticed window, opening to the street. The
furniture consisted of a bed, a seat, a table, and a
candlestick, all the things to bring comfort to Elisha
whenever he and his servant were passing by the village of
Shunam. It was a sanctuary, also, for the hostess, who became
known not only for her great hospitality, but also for her
great faith.
One day, as Elisha lay resting in his special room, he got
to thinking, "This woman's wonderful hospitality and shining
faith must be rewarded." He called to Gehazi, his servant, who
was one of the 'sons of the prophets'. "Go call our hostess,"
he said. "I wish to speak with her."
When the woman came into the house, Elisha gave Gehazi a
message to take to her: "Tell her how much we appreciate her
hospitality, and that we would like to do something special
for her. Ask her if she would like to be recommended to the
king, or the commander, or some officer? Perhaps there is some
favor she would like of them."
Gahazi returned to Elisha with the answer from the
Shunamite woman: "'No,' she said. 'I have everything I need
materially. I am well looked after by my husband.'"
"Well then, what do you suppose we could do for her?"
Elisha asked Gehazi.
My lord," said Gehazi, "I have noticed one thing during our
many stops here. This house lacks a child. Now, I don't know
any real woman who would not give up even riches in exchange
for a child to hold and call her own, a son, who would carry
on the family name and inherit the estate. However, her
husband is rather old, so I guess that is out of the
question."
"Call her," said Elisha.
The woman stood in the doorway of Elisha's room. This time
he did not use Gehazi as his messenger. "Next year about this
time," he said, "you will have a son to cradle in your arms, a
son of your own."
"Oh my lord," cried the woman. "This is nothing to joke
about. You know that there is nothing on this earth I want
more than a son. Please don't lie to me by promising me that.
You know that my husband is old. How can this be?"
* * *
But Elisha was not joking. In less than a year the woman
held her own dear son to her breast. She couldn't have been
happier. It would be hard to determine who loved the boy more,
his mother or his father. He was the best thing that could
ever have happened to a couple that thought they already
enjoyed perfect happiness.
The child grew, and became a joy to all who came to the
house, including Elisha and Gehazi. He was a happy, pleasant
child and loved to be by the side of either his mother as she
did her daily duties, or with his father when he came in from
the fields at night.
The father could scarcely wait
until the lad was old enough to accompany him to the fields,
to play beside him while he worked. And soon that day came.
One day as the sun was rising, the mother kissed her little
fellow goodbye so that he could spend the day with his father.
It was hard to tell who was more excited, the daddy or the
little boy. It was harvest time. The boy played happily in the
fields, enjoying watching the harvesters cut down the corn.
But after a few hours, with the hot morning sun pouring
down on the child's head, the little lad became quiet, turning
deathly white. "Oh my head, my head!" he cried. "Oh Father, my
head hurts so much."
Immediately the father called one of his servants. "Carry
this child home to his mother. And hurry. The lad is ill."
For the rest of the morning the mother sat rocking her
son. But at noon the little boy died. Panic arose her heart,
but she must not let it show. She must not alert the household
that anything was amiss. Oh, if only Elisha were here right
now! She took the little boy and went to Elisha's chambers,
laying him on the bed and shutting the door.
"Go quickly to my husband," she said to a servant. "Tell
him I need a servant and a donkey. I must visit the man of God
immediately." She must stay calm. She must stay calm. No one
must get word that the boy was dead. She knew what panic that
would cause. She must get to the man of God who performs
miracles. The birth of her child had been a miracle. She must
stay calm.
"It is no special holiday," said the husband. "It is
neither new moon festival nor a Sabbath. What's the urgency?
Why would she want to see the man of God?" Right now getting
the harvest in was uppermost in the husband's mind. Already he
had put from his mind that his son had been sick.
"Tell my husband, 'Everything is all right.'" She could
only imagine what it would do to him if he knew the
truth.
"Lead on, and do not slow up," she said to the
servant when the donkey was saddled. "Make the beast go as
fast as he can. It is important that no time be lost."
When Elisha looked down the road and saw a donkey running
at full speed, with a rider on its back, he recognized
immediately that it was the Shunamite woman who had been so
kind to him. "Gehazi," he said, "run quickly up to the woman
and ask her if everything is all right with her, with her
husband, with the child."
"Yes. Everything is fine," she said impatiently to Gehazi.
She didn't slow the donkey while she talked with him. In her
mind she wanted to say, "Get out of my way. I want to talk to
the man of God."
Reaching Elisha, she jumped down from the donkey and fell
on her face, clutching his feet. Annoyed, partly because she
had ignored him, and partly because it was his duty to protect
Elisha, Gehazi grabbed her to pull her away. But Elisha said,
"Leave her alone. I can see that something is troubling her,
and God has not revealed it to me. Let her speak."
The woman spluttered out her sorrow. "Wasn't it you who
told me I would have a son? Didn't I tell you not to joke with
me about such a thing?" Choked with tears, that is all the
woman could manage to say.
But more words were not necessary. God revealed to Elisha
that the woman's son was dead. He said to Gehazi. "Hurry now,
and get to the woman's house and lay my staff on the dead
child's face."
"Oh no, my lord," shouted the woman through her tears. "As
surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I shall not go
home unless you come with me and see my child."
So Elisha, with the woman by his side, hurried back to the
house where the dead child lay. Gehazi went on ahead and laid
the staff on the child's face as Elisha had instructed. But as
the woman and Elisha were entering the house, Gehazi met them
with the report, "Oh my lord, it did not do any good. The
child is still dead."
Elisha went into his chambers and shut the door behind him,
leaving Gehazi and the mother outside. He poured his heart out
to God; then he stretched himself out on top of the boy,
placing his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes, and
his hands on his hands. He thought that he felt warmth come
into the child's body. He got up and walked around the room a
few times, talking to God all the while. "Remember how, in
Elijah's time, You raised the widow's son? Remember that
Elijah promised me a double portion of his spirit if I should
see him depart from this earth? Remember how You gave this
woman this son to reward her for her great faith? Remember,
Lord?"
Again Elisha stretched out on the boy. This time the boy
began sneezing, and sneezing, and sneezing. Seven times he
sneezed, then opened his eyes and smiled at
Elisha.
"Gehazi," called Elisha, "go get the child's
mother."
The mother stopped her pacing and her hand
wringing, and came running to Elisha. Elisha met her at the
door with the child in his arms. "Here," he said. Take your
son."
But before she did, she fell at Elisha's feet. "Oh my lord,
thank you. Oh, thank you," she cried. Then, taking the boy
from Elisha's arms she held him close to her breast while
carrying him downstairs and out into the fresh air.
I wonder if she ever told her husband about this.
(source of some of the information gleaned
from "The Chosen Word" copyright 1915 The John A. Hertel
Co.)
Please read Story: 10 "Gehazi
Gets Greedy
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