The Shunnamite

Scene titles are from "Reading the Women of the Bible" by Tikva Frymer-Kensky

Translations are from "Ancient Israel - The Former Prophets" by Robert Alter.

Scene I: A Patron in Shunem

(ח) וַיְהִ֨י הַיּ֜וֹם וַיַּעֲבֹ֧ר אֱלִישָׁ֣ע אֶל־שׁוּנֵ֗ם וְשָׁם֙ אִשָּׁ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֔ה וַתַּחֲזֶק־בּ֖וֹ לֶאֱכָל־לָ֑חֶם וַֽיְהִי֙ מִדֵּ֣י עָבְר֔וֹ יָסֻ֥ר שָׁ֖מָּה לֶאֱכָל־לָֽחֶם׃ (ט) וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־אִישָׁ֔הּ הִנֵּה־נָ֣א יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֛י אִ֥ישׁ אֱלֹהִ֖ים קָד֣וֹשׁ ה֑וּא עֹבֵ֥ר עָלֵ֖ינוּ תָּמִֽיד׃ (י) נַֽעֲשֶׂה־נָּ֤א עֲלִיַּת־קִיר֙ קְטַנָּ֔ה וְנָשִׂ֨ים ל֥וֹ שָׁ֛ם מִטָּ֥ה וְשֻׁלְחָ֖ן וְכִסֵּ֣א וּמְנוֹרָ֑ה וְהָיָ֛ה בְּבֹא֥וֹ אֵלֵ֖ינוּ יָס֥וּר שָֽׁמָּה׃

And one day Elisha was passing through Shunem, and there was a wealthy woman there. And she urged him to break bread, and so, whenever he passed through, he would turn aside there to break bread. And she said to her husband, “Look, pray, I know that he is a holy man of God who always passes by us. Let us make, pray , a little upper chamber and put a bed there for him and a table and chair and lamp, and so when he comes to us, he will turn aside there.”

Scene II: The Patron's Reward

(יא) וַיְהִ֥י הַיּ֖וֹם וַיָּ֣בֹא שָׁ֑מָּה וַיָּ֥סַר אֶל־הָעֲלִיָּ֖ה וַיִּשְׁכַּב־שָֽׁמָּה׃ (יב) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־גֵּחֲזִ֣י נַעֲר֔וֹ קְרָ֖א לַשּׁוּנַמִּ֣ית הַזֹּ֑את וַיִּקְרָא־לָ֔הּ וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֖ד לְפָנָֽיו׃ (יג) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ אֱמָר־נָ֣א אֵלֶיהָ֮ הִנֵּ֣ה חָרַ֣דְתְּ ׀ אֵלֵינוּ֮ אֶת־כָּל־הַחֲרָדָ֣ה הַזֹּאת֒ מֶ֚ה לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת לָ֔ךְ הֲיֵ֤שׁ לְדַבֶּר־לָךְ֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ א֖וֹ אֶל־שַׂ֣ר הַצָּבָ֑א וַתֹּ֕אמֶר בְּת֥וֹךְ עַמִּ֖י אָנֹכִ֥י יֹשָֽׁבֶת׃ (יד) וַיֹּ֕אמֶר וּמֶ֖ה לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת לָ֑הּ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר גֵּיחֲזִ֗י אֲבָ֛ל בֵּ֥ן אֵֽין־לָ֖הּ וְאִישָׁ֥הּ זָקֵֽן׃ (טו) וַיֹּ֖אמֶר קְרָא־לָ֑הּ וַיִּקְרָא־לָ֔הּ וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֖ד בַּפָּֽתַח׃ (טז) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לַמּוֹעֵ֤ד הַזֶּה֙ כָּעֵ֣ת חַיָּ֔ה אתי [אַ֖תְּ] חֹבֶ֣קֶת בֵּ֑ן וַתֹּ֗אמֶר אַל־אֲדֹנִי֙ אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים אַל־תְּכַזֵּ֖ב בְּשִׁפְחָתֶֽךָ׃ (יז) וַתַּ֥הַר הָאִשָּׁ֖ה וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן לַמּוֹעֵ֤ד הַזֶּה֙ כָּעֵ֣ת חַיָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר אֵלֶ֖יהָ אֱלִישָֽׁע׃

And one day he came there, and turned aside to the upper chamber and slept there. And he said to Gehazi his lad, “ Call this Shunammite,” and he called her, and she stood before him. And he said to him, “Say to her, pray: ‘Look, you have gone to all this bother for us. What can be done for you? Shall a word be said for you to the king or to the commander of the army?’ ” And she said, “In the midst of my people I dwell.” And he said, “What can be done for her?” And Gehazi said, “Why, she has no son, and her husband is an old man." And he said, “Call her,” and he called her, and she stood in the doorway. And he said, “At this fixed time, at this very season, you will embrace a son.” And she said, “Don’t, my lord, man of God, don’t mislead your servant.” And the woman conceived and bore a son at that fixed time, at that very season, as Elisha had spoken to her.

Scene III: Mother to the Rescue

(יח) וַיִּגְדַּ֖ל הַיָּ֑לֶד וַיְהִ֣י הַיּ֔וֹם וַיֵּצֵ֥א אֶל־אָבִ֖יו אֶל־הַקֹּצְרִֽים׃ (יט) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֶל־אָבִ֖יו רֹאשִׁ֣י ׀ רֹאשִׁ֑י וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־הַנַּ֔עַר שָׂאֵ֖הוּ אֶל־אִמּֽוֹ׃ (כ) וַיִּשָּׂאֵ֔הוּ וַיְבִיאֵ֖הוּ אֶל־אִמּ֑וֹ וַיֵּ֧שֶׁב עַל־בִּרְכֶּ֛יהָ עַד־הַֽצָּהֳרַ֖יִם וַיָּמֹֽת׃ (כא) וַתַּ֙עַל֙ וַתַּשְׁכִּבֵ֔הוּ עַל־מִטַּ֖ת אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַתִּסְגֹּ֥ר בַּעֲד֖וֹ וַתֵּצֵֽא׃ (כב) וַתִּקְרָא֮ אֶל־אִישָׁהּ֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר שִׁלְחָ֨ה נָ֥א לִי֙ אֶחָ֣ד מִן־הַנְּעָרִ֔ים וְאַחַ֖ת הָאֲתֹנ֑וֹת וְאָר֛וּצָה עַד־אִ֥ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים וְאָשֽׁוּבָה׃ (כג) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מַ֠דּוּעַ אתי [אַ֣תְּ] הלכתי [הֹלֶ֤כֶת] אֵלָיו֙ הַיּ֔וֹם לֹֽא־חֹ֖דֶשׁ וְלֹ֣א שַׁבָּ֑ת וַתֹּ֖אמֶר שָׁלֽוֹם׃

And the child grew, and one day he went out to his father, to the reapers . And he said to his father, “My head, my head!” And he said concerning the lad, “Carry him to his mother.” And he was carried and brought to his mother, and he stayed on her knees till noon, and he died . And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and closed the door on him and went out. And she called to her husband and said, “Send me, pray, one of the lads and one of the donkeys, that I may hurry to the man of God and come back. And he said, “Why are you going to him? Today is neither new moon nor Sabbath.” And she said, “Farewell.”

Scene IV: Confronting the Prophet

(כד) וַֽתַּחֲבֹשׁ֙ הָֽאָת֔וֹן וַתֹּ֥אמֶר אֶֽל־נַעֲרָ֖הּ נְהַ֣ג וָלֵ֑ךְ אַל־תַּעֲצָר־לִ֣י לִרְכֹּ֔ב כִּ֖י אִם־אָמַ֥רְתִּי לָֽךְ׃ (כה) וַתֵּ֗לֶךְ וַתָּב֛וֹא אֶל־אִ֥ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־הַ֣ר הַכַּרְמֶ֑ל וַ֠יְהִי כִּרְא֨וֹת אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֤ים אֹתָהּ֙ מִנֶּ֔גֶד וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־גֵּיחֲזִ֣י נַעֲר֔וֹ הִנֵּ֖ה הַשּׁוּנַמִּ֥ית הַלָּֽז׃ (כו) עַתָּה֮ רֽוּץ־נָ֣א לִקְרָאתָהּ֒ וֶאֱמָר־לָ֗הּ הֲשָׁל֥וֹם לָ֛ךְ הֲשָׁל֥וֹם לְאִישֵׁ֖ךְ הֲשָׁל֣וֹם לַיָּ֑לֶד וַתֹּ֖אמֶר שָׁלֽוֹם׃ (כז) וַתָּבֹ֞א אֶל־אִ֤ישׁ הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־הָהָ֔ר וַֽתַּחֲזֵ֖ק בְּרַגְלָ֑יו וַיִּגַּ֨שׁ גֵּֽיחֲזִ֜י לְהָדְפָ֗הּ וַיֹּאמֶר֩ אִ֨ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֤ים הַרְפֵּֽה־לָהּ֙ כִּֽי־נַפְשָׁ֣הּ מָֽרָה־לָ֔הּ וַֽה' הֶעְלִ֣ים מִמֶּ֔נִּי וְלֹ֥א הִגִּ֖יד לִֽי׃ (כח) וַתֹּ֕אמֶר הֲשָׁאַ֥לְתִּי בֵ֖ן מֵאֵ֣ת אֲדֹנִ֑י הֲלֹ֣א אָמַ֔רְתִּי לֹ֥א תַשְׁלֶ֖ה אֹתִֽי׃ (כט) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לְגֵיחֲזִ֜י חֲגֹ֣ר מָתְנֶ֗יךָ וְקַ֨ח מִשְׁעַנְתִּ֣י בְיָדְךָ֮ וָלֵךְ֒ כִּֽי־תִמְצָ֥א אִישׁ֙ לֹ֣א תְבָרְכֶ֔נּוּ וְכִֽי־יְבָרֶכְךָ֥ אִ֖ישׁ לֹ֣א תַעֲנֶנּ֑וּ וְשַׂמְתָּ֥ מִשְׁעַנְתִּ֖י עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַנָּֽעַר׃ (ל) וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֵ֣ם הַנַּ֔עַר חַי־ה' וְחֵֽי־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ אִם־אֶעֶזְבֶ֑ךָּ וַיָּ֖קָם וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ אַחֲרֶֽיהָ׃

And she saddled the donkey and said to her lad, “Drive it and go. Do not hold me back in riding unless I say to you.” And she went and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel, and it happened, when the man of God saw her from a distance, that he said to Gehazi, “Here is that Shunammite. Now hurry to meet her, pray, and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband ? Is it well with the child?’ ” And she said, “It is well.” And she came to the man of God on the mountain and clung to his legs. And Gehazi approached to push her back, and the man of God said, “Let her be, for she is deeply embittered, and the LORD has hidden it from me and not told me.” And she said, “Did I ask of my lord for a son? Did I not say, ‘You should not deceive me’?” And he said to Gehazi, “Gird your loins and take my staff in your hand and go. Should you meet a man, do not greet him, and should a man greet you, do not answer him. And you shall put my staff on the lad’s face .” And the lad’s mother said, “As the LORD lives and as you live, I will not forsake you.” And he rose and went after her.

Scene V: A Miracle for the Mother

(לא) וְגֵחֲזִ֞י עָבַ֣ר לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם וַיָּ֤שֶׂם אֶת־הַמִּשְׁעֶ֙נֶת֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַנַּ֔עַר וְאֵ֥ין ק֖וֹל וְאֵ֣ין קָ֑שֶׁב וַיָּ֤שָׁב לִקְרָאתוֹ֙ וַיַּגֶּד־ל֣וֹ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹ֥א הֵקִ֖יץ הַנָּֽעַר׃ (לב) וַיָּבֹ֥א אֱלִישָׁ֖ע הַבָּ֑יְתָה וְהִנֵּ֤ה הַנַּ֙עַר֙ מֵ֔ת מֻשְׁכָּ֖ב עַל־מִטָּתֽוֹ׃ (לג) וַיָּבֹ֕א וַיִּסְגֹּ֥ר הַדֶּ֖לֶת בְּעַ֣ד שְׁנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֖ל אֶל־ה' (לד) וַיַּ֜עַל וַיִּשְׁכַּ֣ב עַל־הַיֶּ֗לֶד וַיָּשֶׂם֩ פִּ֨יו עַל־פִּ֜יו וְעֵינָ֤יו עַל־עֵינָיו֙ וְכַפָּ֣יו עַל־כפו [כַּפָּ֔יו] וַיִּגְהַ֖ר עָלָ֑יו וַיָּ֖חָם בְּשַׂ֥ר הַיָּֽלֶד׃ (לה) וַיָּ֜שָׁב וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ בַּבַּ֗יִת אַחַ֥ת הֵ֙נָּה֙ וְאַחַ֣ת הֵ֔נָּה וַיַּ֖עַל וַיִּגְהַ֣ר עָלָ֑יו וַיְזוֹרֵ֤ר הַנַּ֙עַר֙ עַד־שֶׁ֣בַע פְּעָמִ֔ים וַיִּפְקַ֥ח הַנַּ֖עַר אֶת־עֵינָֽיו׃ (לו) וַיִּקְרָ֣א אֶל־גֵּיחֲזִ֗י וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ קְרָא֙ אֶל־הַשֻּׁנַמִּ֣ית הַזֹּ֔את וַיִּקְרָאֶ֖הָ וַתָּב֣וֹא אֵלָ֑יו וַיֹּ֖אמֶר שְׂאִ֥י בְנֵֽךְ׃ (לז) וַתָּבֹא֙ וַתִּפֹּ֣ל עַל־רַגְלָ֔יו וַתִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ אָ֑רְצָה וַתִּשָּׂ֥א אֶת־בְּנָ֖הּ וַתֵּצֵֽא׃ (פ)

And Gehazi had gone before them and put the staff on the lad’s face, but there was no voice and no sound, and he turned back to meet him, and he told him, saying, “The lad has not awakened.” And Elisha came into the house, and, look, the lad was dead, laid out on his bed. And he came in and closed the door behind the two of them and prayed to the LORD. And he climbed up and lay over the child and put his mouth over his mouth and his eyes over his eyes and his palms over his palms and stretched out over him, and the child’s body grew warm. And he went back and walked in the house this way and that, and he climbed up and stretched out over him, and the lad sneezed a full seven times, and the lad opened his eyes. And he called to Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite,” and he called her, and she came to him, and he said, “Carry away your son.” And she came and fell at his feet and bowed to the ground, and she carried away her son and went out.

Scene VI: The Woman, Her Household and the Lane

(א) וֶאֱלִישָׁ֡ע דִּבֶּ֣ר אֶל־הָאִשָּׁה֩ אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱיָ֨ה אֶת־בְּנָ֜הּ לֵאמֹ֗ר ק֤וּמִי וּלְכִי֙ אתי [אַ֣תְּ] וּבֵיתֵ֔ךְ וְג֖וּרִי בַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר תָּג֑וּרִי כִּֽי־קָרָ֤א ה' לָֽרָעָ֔ב וְגַם־בָּ֥א אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִֽים׃ (ב) וַתָּ֙קָם֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה וַתַּ֕עַשׂ כִּדְבַ֖ר אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַתֵּ֤לֶךְ הִיא֙ וּבֵיתָ֔הּ וַתָּ֥גָר בְּאֶֽרֶץ־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִֽים׃ (ג) וַיְהִ֗י מִקְצֵה֙ שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֔ים וַתָּ֥שָׁב הָאִשָּׁ֖ה מֵאֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַתֵּצֵא֙ לִצְעֹ֣ק אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֶל־בֵּיתָ֖הּ וְאֶל־שָׂדָֽהּ׃

And Elisha had spoken to the woman whose son he revived, saying, “Arise and go, you and your household, and sojourn wherever you would sojourn, for the LORD has called forth famine and it actually has come to the land for seven years.” And the woman arose and did according to the man of God’s word, and she went, she and her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. And it happened at the end of seven years that the woman came back from the land of the Philistines, and she went out and cried to the king for her house and for her field.

Scene VII: Mistress of Her House

(ג) וַיְהִ֗י מִקְצֵה֙ שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֔ים וַתָּ֥שָׁב הָאִשָּׁ֖ה מֵאֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַתֵּצֵא֙ לִצְעֹ֣ק אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֶל־בֵּיתָ֖הּ וְאֶל־שָׂדָֽהּ׃ (ד) וְהַמֶּ֗לֶךְ מְדַבֵּר֙ אֶל־גֵּ֣חֲזִ֔י נַ֥עַר אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר סַפְּרָה־נָּ֣א לִ֔י אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַגְּדֹל֖וֹת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה אֱלִישָֽׁע׃ (ה) וַ֠יְהִי ה֥וּא מְסַפֵּ֣ר לַמֶּלֶךְ֮ אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱיָ֣ה אֶת־הַמֵּת֒ וְהִנֵּ֨ה הָאִשָּׁ֜ה אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱיָ֤ה אֶת־בְּנָהּ֙ צֹעֶ֣קֶת אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ עַל־בֵּיתָ֖הּ וְעַל־שָׂדָ֑הּ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר גֵּֽחֲזִי֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ זֹ֚את הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה וְזֶה־בְּנָ֖הּ אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱיָ֥ה אֱלִישָֽׁע׃ (ו) וַיִּשְׁאַ֥ל הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ לָאִשָּׁ֖ה וַתְּסַפֶּר־ל֑וֹ וַיִּתֶּן־לָ֣הּ הַמֶּלֶךְ֩ סָרִ֨יס אֶחָ֜ד לֵאמֹ֗ר הָשֵׁ֤יב אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לָהּ֙ וְאֵת֙ כָּל־תְּבוּאֹ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה מִיּ֛וֹם עָזְבָ֥ה אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְעַד־עָֽתָּה׃ (פ)

And the king was speaking to Gehazi , the man of God’s lad, saying, “Recount to me, pray, all the great things that Elisha did.” And it happened as he was recounting to the king that Elisha revived the dead, that, look, the woman whose son he had revived came crying out to the king for her house and for her field. And Gehazi said, “This is the woman, and this is her son whom Elisha revived.” And the king asked the woman, and she recounted to him, and he gave her a certain eunuch , saying, “Return all that is hers and all the yield of the field from the day she left the land till now.”