2 Kings 4:8

II. THE BIRTH OF A SON TO THE SHUNAMMITE WOMAN

"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 off as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. And she spake unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God, that passeth by us continually. Let us make, I pray thee, a little chamber on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a seat, and a candlestick: and it shall be, that when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither. And it fell on a day that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber and lay there. And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him. 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. And he said, What then is to be done And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no son, and her husband is old. And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door. And he said, At this season, when the time cometh round, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thy handmaid. And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season, when the time came round, as Elisha had said unto her."

Many have praised this narrative as a graphic picture of social life in that period of history. The details are exciting. Note the simple furniture in the room provided by this generous woman and her husband for Elisha and his servant Gehazi (evidently his constant attendant). Do not overlook the care with which all of the characters here avoided placing the Shunammite woman alone with her guest in his room. It is obvious that the woman was wealthy, her house was made of stone or brick; and Elisha's chamber was built on the wall. It should be noted that this very generous couple were not solicited by Elisha for such help as they gave, but that they sought out the opportunity to do such a thing and "constrained" Elisha to accept it.

Elisha passed to Shunem (2 Kings 4:8). "This place was north of Jezreel, about 20 miles from Carmel where Elisha lived;"[13] and Elisha was continually passing through it on his way to visit the various schools of the prophets. The Shunammite woman, "According to Rabbi Eliezer, was a sister of Abishag, the beautiful Shunammite woman, well known in the history of David."[14]

"And he said unto him" (2 Kings 4:12). This shows that the conversation between Elisha and the woman was carried on through the servant Gehazi.

"Wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host" (2 Kings 4:13). What an amazing offer by Elisha! From this, we learn that he was a frequent visitor in the king's court and that he had free access to the king's attention at all times, the king here being, not Joram, but Jehoshaphat the king of Judah. The contented happiness of this wonderful couple appears in her polite decline of such favors.

"And she answered, I dwell among mine own people" (2 Kings 4:13). "The eminent place of this great lady in her society is finely presented by this reply."[15]

"And when he called her, she stood in the door" (2 Kings 4:15). Montgomery translated this last clause, as "She came in. The intermediate agency of Gehazi, standing outside, was good manners, for a lady might not easily speak to a man in his chamber."[16]

"Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no son" (2 Kings 4:14). In this chapter we have the first appearance in the Bible of this character who eventually was afflicted with the leprosy of Naaman. Some suppose that the woman had confided this implied request to Elisha's servant Gehazi, but the woman herself denied that in her rebuke of Elisha (2 Kings 4:28).

"At this season, when the time cometh round, thou shalt embrace a son" (2 Kings 4:16). This, of course, is Elisha's prophecy of the birth of a son to the Shunammite and her husband. Calkins preferred the KJV rendition here, "About this season, according to the time of life," and gave the meaning as, "At this season of the year, according to the period of gestation."[17]

"And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season, when the time came round, as Elisha had said unto her" (2 Kings 4:17). This type of miracle was performed a number of times in God's long history of dealing with his people. "The Bible records a number of these wonder birth narratives in which aged and childless persons became parents."[18]

These are: (1) the birth of Isaac to Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 18:1-15); (2) the birth of Samson to Manoah and his wife (Judges 13:2ff); (3) the birth of Samuel to Elkanah and his wife Hannah; (4) the birth of John the Baptist to Zacharias and Elizabeth (Luke and (5) the Most Wonderful Birth of all, that of the Lord Jesus Christ to The Virgin Mary (Luke 1:26ff).

The great spiritual lesson of this miracle is the proof it brings of God's merciful and provident oversight and love of his people who truly love and serve the Lord. No one who ever did God a favor by honoring and supporting his servants was ever left unrewarded or unblessed. No man ever gave God anything that he did not receive it again, doubled and redoubled. This was particularly evident also in the ministry of Christ. The lad who brought the loaves and the fishes to Jesus was the legitimate owner of the twelve baskets full of fragments that remained after the feast. What a great blessing was the birth of a son and heir to this childless couple of Shunem! Does God still do things like this? Assuredly, YES! "Lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20). See the teachings of Paul on this question (1 Corinthians 9:8-12).