Bible Browser

18 When the child was older, he went out one day to his father among the reapers. ¹⁹He complained to his father, ‘Oh, my head, my head!’ The father said to his servant, ‘Carry him to his mother.’ ²⁰He carried him and brought him to his mother; the child sat on her lap until noon, and he died. ²¹She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, closed the door on him, and left. ²²Then she called to her husband, and said, ‘Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, so that I may quickly go to the man of God and come back again.’ ²³He said, ‘Why go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath.’ She said, ‘It will be all right.’ ²⁴Then she saddled the donkey and said to her servant, ‘Urge the animal on; do not hold back for me unless I tell you.’ ²⁵So 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 woman; ²⁶run at once to meet her, and say to her, Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is the child all right?’ She answered, ‘It is all right.’ ²⁷When she came to the man of God at the mountain, she caught hold of his feet. Gehazi approached to push her away. But the man of God said, ‘Let her alone, for she is in bitter distress; the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me.’ ²⁸Then she said, ‘Did I ask my lord for a son? Did I not say, Do not mislead me?’ ²⁹He said to Gehazi, ‘Gird up your loins, and take my staff in your hand, and go. If you meet anyone, give no greeting, and if anyone greets you, do not answer; and lay my staff on the face of the child.’ ³⁰Then the mother of the child said, ‘As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave without you.’ So he rose up and followed her. ³¹Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the face of the child, but there was no sound or sign of life. He came back to meet him and told him, ‘The child has not awakened.’