The kindly spirit that enabled Elisha to exert a powerful influence over the lives of many in Israel, is revealed in the story of his friendly relations with a family dwelling at Shunem. In his journeyings to and fro throughout the kingdom "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 oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread." The mistress of the house perceived that Elisha was "an holy man of God," and she said to her husband: "Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither." To this retreat Elisha often came, thankful for its quiet peace. Nor was God unmindful of the woman's kindness. Her home had been childless; and now the Lord rewarded her hospitality by the gift of a son. 238

Tiden gik, og barnet var efterhånden gammelt nok til at gå med høstfolkene i marken. En dag blev drengen syg af varmen og sagde til sin fader: "Mit hoved, mit hoved!" Faderen gav en af karlene besked på at bære barnet hjem til dets moder, og "han tog ham og bar ham hjem til hans moder, og han sad på hendes skød til middag; så døde han. Men hun gik op og lagde ham på dem Guds mands seng, og derefter lukkede hun døren og gik".