וְאִשָּׁה אַחַת מִנְּשֵׁי בְנֵי־הַנְּבִיאִים צָעֲקָה אֶל־אֱלִישָׁע לֵאמֹר עַבְדְּךָ אִישִׁי מֵת וְאַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ כִּי עַבְדְּךָ הָיָה יָרֵא אֶת־ה' וְהַנֹּשֶׁה בָּא לָקַחַת אֶת־שְׁנֵי יְלָדַי לוֹ לַעֲבָדִים

A certain woman of the wives of the disciples of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying: Your servant, my husband, is dead; he was either Elisha’s disciple or this is simply an expression of respect. And you know that your servant feared the Lord. However, he left behind heavy debts and I am left without a source of income, and now the creditor is coming to take my two children for himself as slaves. It was common practice at the time to take the children of a debtor as slaves in lieu of payment, despite the fact that this is not in accordance with Torah law.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ אֱלִישָׁע מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לָּךְ הַגִּידִי לִי מַה־יֶּשׁ־לָךְ בַּבָּיִת וַתֹּאמֶר אֵין לְשִׁפְחָתְךָ כֹל בַּבַּיִת כִּי אִם־אָסוּךְ שָׁמֶן

Elisha said to her: What shall I do for you? Tell me; what do you have in the house? She said: Your maidservant does not have anything in the house, except for a small flask of oil used for anointing. After all, she would only have come to the point where her children would be taken from her after selling everything she owned.

וַיֹּאמֶר לְכִי שַׁאֲלִי־לָךְ כֵּלִים מִן־הַחוּץ מֵאֵת כָּל־שְׁכֵנָיִךְ כֵּלִים רֵקִים אַל־תַּמְעִיטִי

He said: Go, borrow vessels for you from the outside, from all your neighbors, empty vessels; do not skimp, but take as many as you can.

וּבָאת וְסָגַרְתְּ הַדֶּלֶת בַּעֲדֵךְ וּבְעַד־בָּנַיִךְ וְיָצַקְתְּ עַל כָּל־הַכֵּלִים הָאֵלֶּה וְהַמָּלֵא תַּסִּיעִי

You shall enter and shut the door on you and on your sons, as it is fitting to perform miracles such as this in private, and pour the oil in the flask into all those vessels, and that which is full, move aside. Once you have filled one vessel, move it aside for the next one. The oil will continue to flow until all the vessels are full.

וַתֵּלֶךְ מֵאִתּוֹ וַתִּסְגֹּר הַדֶּלֶת בַּעֲדָהּ וּבְעַד בָּנֶיהָ הֵם מַגִּשִׁים אֵלֶיהָ וְהִיא מוֹצָקֶת

She left him and shut the door on herself and on her sons; they would hand vessels to her, and she would pour the oil.

וַיְהִי כִּמְלֹאת הַכֵּלִים וַתֹּאמֶר אֶל־בְּנָהּ הַגִּישָׁה אֵלַי עוֹד כֶּלִי וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ אֵין עוֹד כֶּלִי וַיַּעֲמֹד הַשָּׁמֶן

It was when the vessels were all full that she said to her son: Hand me another vessel; he said to her: There is no other vessel, and only then the oil stopped. The oil had miraculously increased in an amount that corresponded precisely with the number of vessels she possessed and the volume of liquid they could hold.

וַתָּבֹא וַתַּגֵּד לְאִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים וַיֹּאמֶר לְכִי מִכְרִי אֶת־הַשֶּׁמֶן וְשַׁלְּמִי אֶת־נִשְׁיֵךְ וְאַתְּ וּבָנַיִךְ תִּחְיִי בַּנּוֹתָר

She came and told the man of God about the miracle, and asked him what to do next. And he said: Go, sell the oil and pay your debt with some of the money you receive for the oil, and you and your sons shall live on the remainder of the money. Alternatively, he told her that she should pay her debts with the money she received from selling the oil in the vessels she had borrowed, and that she would continue to be able to miraculously pour oil from the original flask into other vessels so that she could support herself and her sons.

וַיְהִי הַיּוֹם וַיַּעֲבֹר אֱלִישָׁע אֶל־שׁוּנֵם וְשָׁם אִשָּׁה גְדוֹלָה וַתַּחֲזֶק־בּוֹ לֶאֱכָל־לָחֶם וַיְהִי מִדֵּי עָבְרוֹ יָסֻר שָׁמָּה לֶאֱכָל־לָחֶם

There was one day that Elisha traveled to Shunem, generally identified as a place in the Yizre’el Valley, in the territory of Issachar; there was a great woman there, a wealthy and noble woman, and seeing that such an important visitor had arrived, she implored him to eat bread at her house. So it was that whenever he passed by, whenever Elisha stopped in Shunem, he would turn aside there, to her house, to eat bread.

וַתֹּאמֶר אֶל־אִישָׁהּ הִנֵּה־נָא יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אִישׁ אֱלֹהִים קָדוֹשׁ הוּא עֹבֵר עָלֵינוּ תָּמִיד

She said to her husband: Behold now, I know that he is a holy man of God, who visits us regularly.

נַעֲשֶׂה־נָּא עֲלִיַּת־קִיר קְטַנָּה וְנָשִׂים לוֹ שָׁם מִטָּה וְשֻׁלְחָן וְכִסֵּא וּמְנוֹרָה וְהָיָה בְּבֹאוֹ אֵלֵינוּ יָסוּר שָׁמָּה

Since he honors us by staying at our home, please, let us prepare a small loft, and we will set up a private room for his convenience. We will place there a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp for him, items required by a guest; and it shall be that whenever he comes to us, he will turn aside there.

וַיְהִי הַיּוֹם וַיָּבֹא שָׁמָּה וַיָּסַר אֶל־הָעֲלִיָּה וַיִּשְׁכַּב־שָׁמָּה

There was one day that he came there, and he turned aside to the loft that they had prepared for him and he lay down there.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־גֵּיחֲזִי נַעֲרוֹ קְרָא לַשּׁוּנַמִּית הַזֹּאת וַיִּקְרָא־לָהּ וַתַּעֲמֹד לְפָנָיו

He said to Gehazi his lad: Summon that Shunamite woman. He, Gehazi, summoned her, and she stood before him.

וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ אֱמָר־נָא אֵלֶיהָ הִנֵּה חָרַדְתְּ אֵלֵינוּ אֶת־כָּל־הַחֲרָדָה הַזֹּאת מֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת לָךְ הֲיֵשׁ לְדַבֶּר־לָךְ אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ אוֹ אֶל־שַׂר הַצָּבָא וַתֹּאמֶר בְּתוֹךְ עַמִּי אָנֹכִי יֹשָׁבֶת

He, Elisha, said to him, Gehazi: Please say to her: Behold, you have taken all this trouble for us; now, what may be done for you? Should one speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army? Unlike Elijah, Elisha was not persecuted by the government. On the contrary, he had connections with influential people, which he offered to use on the woman’s behalf. She said in response: I dwell among my people. We are wealthy, our position is secure, and we do not need your political connections.

וַיֹּאמֶר וּמֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת לָהּ וַיֹּאמֶר גֵּיחֲזִי אֲבָל בֵּן אֵין־לָהּ וְאִישָׁהּ זָקֵן

He, Elisha, said to Gehazi: What may be done for her to repay her for all she has done for us? Gehazi said: She is indeed rich, but she does not have a son, and she cannot wait much longer as her husband is old, and his chances of fathering a son are dwindling. It can be assumed that the woman was also not young.

וַיֹּאמֶר קְרָא־לָהּ וַיִּקְרָא־לָהּ וַתַּעֲמֹד בַּפָּתַח

He, Elisha, said to Gehazi: Summon her. He, Gehazi, summoned her, and she stood in the entrance to Elisha’s room.

וַיֹּאמֶר לַמּוֹעֵד הַזֶּה כָּעֵת חַיָּה אַתְּ חֹבֶקֶת בֵּן וַתֹּאמֶר אַל אֲדֹנִי אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים אַל־תְּכַזֵּב בְּשִׁפְחָתֶךָ

He, Elisha, said: At this time next year, at this very time, you will embrace a son. She said: No, my lord, man of God, do not deceive your maidservant. Do not give me false expectations. Even if I conceive, I might miscarry, or something could harm the child, God forbid. I do not wish to entertain a hope that will not come to pass.

וַתַּהַר הָאִשָּׁה וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן לַמּוֹעֵד הַזֶּה כָּעֵת חַיָּה אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר אֵלֶיהָ אֱלִישָׁע

The woman conceived and bore a son at that time the next year, at that very time, as Elisha had spoken to her, precisely a year after the prophet’s announcement.

וַיִּגְדַּל הַיָּלֶד וַיְהִי הַיּוֹם וַיֵּצֵא אֶל־אָבִיו אֶל־הַקֹּצְרִים

The child grew, and there was one day, when he was still a young boy, that he went out to his father, the owner of the estate, to the reapers in the field, to see what they were doing, in the manner of inquisitive children.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־אָבִיו רֹאשִׁי רֹאשִׁי וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־הַנַּעַר שָׂאֵהוּ אֶל־אִמּוֹ

He said to his father: My head, my head. My head hurts me terribly. He, the boy’s father, said to his lad: Carry him to his mother.

וַיִּשָּׂאֵהוּ וַיְבִיאֵהוּ אֶל־אִמּוֹ וַיֵּשֶׁב עַל־בִּרְכֶּיהָ עַד־הַצָּהֳרַיִם וַיָּמֹת

He, the lad, carried him, the boy, and brought him to his mother; he, the boy, sat on her knees until noon and then died on her lap, without showing any clear outward signs that he was dead.

וַתַּעַל וַתַּשְׁכִּבֵהוּ עַל־מִטַּת אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים וַתִּסְגֹּר בַּעֲדוֹ וַתֵּצֵא

She went up to the loft and laid him on the bed of the man of God, Elisha; she shut the door on him and went out.

וַתִּקְרָא אֶל־אִישָׁהּ וַתֹּאמֶר שִׁלְחָה נָא לִי אֶחָד מִן־הַנְּעָרִים וְאַחַת הָאֲתֹנוֹת וְאָרוּצָה עַד־אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים וְאָשׁוּבָה

She called her husband and said: Please send me one of the lads to assist me and one of the donkeys to ride, and I will run to the man of God and then return.

וַיֹּאמֶר מַדּוּעַ אַתְּ הֹלֶכֶת אֵלָיו הַיּוֹם לֹא חֹדֶשׁ וְלֹא שַׁבָּת וַתֹּאמֶר שָׁלוֹם

He, her husband, said: Why are you going to him today? After all, it is not a New Moon and it is not Sabbath today. It was customary for the disciples and admirers of a great man to visit him on Sabbaths and other special days. She said: It is well, everything is fine. She did not want anyone other than the prophet to know about the tragedy.

וַתַּחֲבֹשׁ הָאָתוֹן וַתֹּאמֶר אֶל־נַעֲרָהּ נְהַג וָלֵךְ אַל־תַּעֲצָר־לִי לִרְכֹּב כִּי אִם־אָמַרְתִּי לָךְ

She saddled the donkey, and she said to her lad: Lead the donkey and go; do not stop me from riding, do not stop on the way, unless I say to you that you should stop.

וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתָּבוֹא אֶל־אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים אֶל־הַר הַכַּרְמֶל וַיְהִי כִּרְאוֹת אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִים אֹתָהּ מִנֶּגֶד וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־גֵּיחֲזִי נַעֲרוֹ הִנֵּה הַשּׁוּנַמִּית הַלָּז

She went, and she came to the man of God, to Mount Carmel, which was apparently Elisha’s place of residence at that time. It was when the man of God saw her from afar that he said to Gehazi his lad: Behold, it is that Shunamite woman.

עַתָּה רוּץ־נָא לִקְרָאתָהּ וֶאֱמָר־לָהּ הֲשָׁלוֹם לָךְ הֲשָׁלוֹם לְאִישֵׁךְ הֲשָׁלוֹם לַיָּלֶד וַתֹּאמֶר שָׁלוֹם

There must be an important reason why she has come here on an ordinary weekday. Therefore, now, run please to meet her, and say to her: Is it well with you, is it well with your husband, is it well with the child? Ask her if everyone is healthy. She said to Gehazi: It is well. Once again, she refrained from divulging what had happened.

וַתָּבֹא אֶל־אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים אֶל־הָהָר וַתַּחֲזֵק בְּרַגְלָיו וַיִּגַּשׁ גֵּיחֲזִי לְהָדְפָהּ וַיֹּאמֶר אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים הַרְפֵּה לָהּ כִּי־נַפְשָׁהּ מָרָה־לָהּ וַה' הֶעְלִים מִמֶּנִּי וְלֹא הִגִּיד לִי

She came to the man of God to the mountain and grasped his legs, a gesture of supplication, submission, and acceptance of his authority. Gehazi approached to push her away, as he was displeased with the sight of a woman clutching the prophet’s legs, but the man of God said: Let her be, as her soul is bitter within her. She is clearly anguished, and she should not be reproved for her lack of manners when she is suffering so much; and the Lord has concealed it, the cause of her pain, from me and did not tell me. Therefore, I do not know what has happened to her.

וַתֹּאמֶר הֲשָׁאַלְתִּי בֵן מֵאֵת אֲדֹנִי הֲלֹא אָמַרְתִּי לֹא תַשְׁלֶה אֹתִי

She said: Did I request a son from my lord? I did not ask for you to pray for a son on my behalf. I did not anticipate any reward for my actions. Furthermore, didn’t I say: Do not mislead me?

וַיֹּאמֶר לְגֵיחֲזִי חֲגֹר מָתְנֶיךָ וְקַח מִשְׁעַנְתִּי בְיָדְךָ וָלֵךְ כִּי תִמְצָא־אִישׁ לֹא תְבָרֲכֶנּוּ וְכִי־יְבָרֶכְךָ אִישׁ לֹא תַעֲנֶנּוּ וְשַׂמְתָּ מִשְׁעַנְתִּי עַל־פְּנֵי הַנָּעַר

He said to Gehazi: Gird your loins, in the manner of a person who is in a hurry to leave, and take my staff in your hand, and go to her house; if you encounter a man whom you know, do not greet him, and if a man greets you, do not answer him, to prevent any delays. And place my staff on the lad’s face. Since the staff embodied Elisha’s power, he hoped it would help the child.

וַתֹּאמֶר אֵם הַנַּעַר חַי־ה' וְחֵי־נַפְשְׁךָ אִם־אֶעֶזְבֶךָּ וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ אַחֲרֶיהָ

The mother of the lad said to Elisha: As the Lord lives, and as you live, I will not leave you. He, Elisha, rose and followed her.

וְגֵחֲזִי עָבַר לִפְנֵיהֶם וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת־הַמִּשְׁעֶנֶת עַל־פְּנֵי הַנַּעַר וְאֵין קוֹל וְאֵין קָשֶׁב וַיָּשָׁב לִקְרָאתוֹ וַיַּגֶּד־לוֹ לֵאמֹר לֹא הֵקִיץ הַנָּעַר

Gehazi passed before them, in accordance with Elisha’s command to travel as quickly as possible, and placed the staff on the lad’s face, but there was no sound and no one listening. The boy did not respond in any manner. He, Gehazi, returned to meet him, Elisha, and he, Gehazi, told him what had occurred, saying: The lad has not awakened.

וַיָּבֹא אֱלִישָׁע הַבָּיְתָה וְהִנֵּה הַנַּעַר מֵת מֻשְׁכָּב עַל־מִטָּתוֹ

Elisha came to the house and behold, the lad was dead, laid on his, Elisha’s bed.

וַיָּבֹא וַיִּסְגֹּר הַדֶּלֶת בְּעַד שְׁנֵיהֶם וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אֶל־ה'

He entered the room and shut the door on the two of them, and he prayed to the Lord. He pleaded for resurrection of the dead, the same miracle performed by Elijah.

וַיַּעַל וַיִּשְׁכַּב עַל־הַיֶּלֶד וַיָּשֶׂם פִּיו עַל־פִּיו וְעֵינָיו עַל־עֵינָיו וְכַפָּיו עַל־כַּפָּיו וַיִּגְהַר עָלָיו וַיָּחָם בְּשַׂר הַיָּלֶד

He went up and lay upon the child; he placed his mouth on his mouth and his eyes on his eyes and his palms on his palms. He stretched himself over him, or breathed on him, and the flesh of the child grew warm, despite the fact that several hours had passed since his death.

וַיָּשָׁב וַיֵּלֶךְ בַּבַּיִת אַחַת הֵנָּה וְאַחַת הֵנָּה וַיַּעַל וַיִּגְהַר עָלָיו וַיְזוֹרֵר הַנַּעַר עַד־שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים וַיִּפְקַח הַנַּעַר אֶת־עֵינָיו

He, Elisha, went back down, and walked in the house once to, and once fro, pacing, focused on his devotions to God, and went up to the boy’s body, and again stretched himself over him; the lad sneezed seven times, and ultimately, the lad opened his eyes: he had been resurrected.

וַיִּקְרָא אֶל־גֵּיחֲזִי וַיֹּאמֶר קְרָא אֶל־הַשֻּׁנַמִּית הַזֹּאת וַיִּקְרָאֶהָ וַתָּבוֹא אֵלָיו וַיֹּאמֶר שְׂאִי בְנֵךְ

He, Elisha, called Gehazi, and he said: Summon this Shunamite woman. He, Gehazi, summoned her, and she came to him, Elisha, and he said: Take up your son. He is alive.

וַתָּבֹא וַתִּפֹּל עַל־רַגְלָיו וַתִּשְׁתַּחוּ אָרְצָה וַתִּשָּׂא אֶת־בְּנָהּ וַתֵּצֵא

She entered Elisha’s room, fell at his feet, and prostrated herself to the ground in complete submission, and she took up her son and departed.

וֶאֱלִישָׁע שָׁב הַגִּלְגָּלָה וְהָרָעָב בָּאָרֶץ וּבְנֵי הַנְּבִיאִים יֹשְׁבִים לְפָנָיו וַיֹּאמֶר לְנַעֲרוֹ שְׁפֹת הַסִּיר הַגְּדוֹלָה וּבַשֵּׁל נָזִיד לִבְנֵי הַנְּבִיאִים

Elisha returned to Gilgal, and at that time famine was in the land. The disciples of the prophets were sitting before him to learn from him, and he said to his lad: Place the great pot on the fire, and cook a vegetable stew for the disciples of the prophets.

וַיֵּצֵא אֶחָד אֶל־הַשָּׂדֶה לְלַקֵּט אֹרֹת וַיִּמְצָא גֶּפֶן שָׂדֶה וַיְלַקֵּט מִמֶּנּוּ פַּקֻּעֹת שָׂדֶה מְלֹא בִגְדוֹ וַיָּבֹא וַיְפַלַּח אֶל־סִיר הַנָּזִיד כִּי־לֹא יָדָעוּ

One of the disciples went out to the field to gather herbs, and he found a field vine and gathered from it gourds to fill his garment. He came, and he sliced them into pieces and put them into the pot of stew, for they did not know that the fruit was bitter and poisonous.

וַיִּצְקוּ לַאֲנָשִׁים לֶאֱכוֹל וַיְהִי כְּאָכְלָם מֵהַנָּזִיד וְהֵמָּה צָעָקוּ וַיֹּאמְרוּ מָוֶת בַּסִּיר אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לֶאֱכֹל

They poured it, the stew, for the men to eat. It was as they were eating of the stew, and they shouted and said: Man of God, there is death, poison, in the pot! And they could not eat.

וַיֹּאמֶר וּקְחוּ קֶמַח וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אֶל־הַסִּיר וַיֹּאמֶר צַק לָעָם וְיֹאכֵלוּ וְלֹא הָיָה דָּבָר רָע בַּסִּיר

He, Elisha, said: Bring flour. He cast it into the pot and said: Pour out the stew again for the people, and they will eat. There was nothing harmful in the pot. Miraculously, the flour improved the taste of the stew and negated its harmful qualities.

וְאִישׁ בָּא מִבַּעַל שָׁלִשָׁה וַיָּבֵא לְאִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים לֶחֶם בִּכּוּרִים עֶשְׂרִים־לֶחֶם שְׂעֹרִים וְכַרְמֶל בְּצִקְלֹנוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר תֵּן לָעָם וְיֹאכֵלוּ

A man came from Baal Shalisha, and he brought bread of the first fruits, from the new produce, to the man of God: Twenty loaves of barley and moist kernels, produce that was not yet quite ripe, in their husks. He, Elisha, said: Give it to the people and they will eat.

וַיֹּאמֶר מְשָׁרְתוֹ מָה אֶתֵּן זֶה לִפְנֵי מֵאָה אִישׁ וַיֹּאמֶר תֵּן לָעָם וְיֹאכֵלוּ כִּי כֹה אָמַר ה' אָכוֹל וְהוֹתֵר

His servant said: How shall I place this small amount of food before one hundred men? There will certainly not be enough for them all. He said: Nevertheless, give it to the people and they will eat, for so said the Lord: Eat and leave over. The food will more than suffice for all the men.

וַיִּתֵּן לִפְנֵיהֶם וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיּוֹתִרוּ כִּדְבַר ה'

He placed it, the food, before them, and they ate their fill and left some of the food over, in accordance with the word of the Lord. A miracle occurred, and not only did the bread and kernels satisfy one hundred men, there were even leftovers.