The farming village of Shunem sat on the west end of the Hill of Moreh, south of Mt. Tabor and within the plain of Jezreel,  the scenes of Israel’s early battles with Canaanites, Midianites and Philistines.

Shunem became the scene of a very different battle during the ministry of the prophet Elisha. Second Kings 4:8-37 relates this charming interlude in Elisha’s turbulent career.

The prophet’s activities regularly took him through Shunem on his way to Mt Carmel. A wealthy woman of the village showed the prophet such gracious hospitality that he felt moved to ask how he could show his gratitude. On learning that the woman and her husband had no son, Elisha called for the woman and said,  “At this season, when the time comes round,  you shall embrace a son.”

Elisha went about his affairs and the Shunammite gave birth to her son the next spring– God’s gift of a new life in the season of new life. The little family celebrated a victory over the shame of barrenness, and all went well until the first year the boy was old enough (maybe seven years) to to into the fields to help his family with the harvest.

Heat exhaustion or sunstroke overcomes the lad, however, and he dies in his mother’s arms.

Not one to surrender a God-given gift, the woman lays her son on Elisha’s pallet and asks her husband for a donkey so she could find Elisha. 

Her husband hesitates, because he still has a harvest to gather.

The woman will not abide by his fatalistic acceptance of her loss; she has her way and leaves for Elisha’s retreat at Carmel.

The prophet observes her approach from his vantage point and sends his servant to greet her with the words, “Look, yonder is the Shunammite; run at once to meet her, and say to her, Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?”

The Shunnamite tells him merely, “It is well,” and  hastens to meet the waiting prophet.

Dismounting, she kneels and clasps Elisha’s feet.

The officious servant tries to protect his master from indecency and pushes the Shunammite. Elisha, however, feels her distress although God has not told him about it.

He listens  to her tale, which concludes, “Did I ask my lord for a son? Did I not say, Do not deceive me?”

Tears come to Elisha’s eyes, but he ignores them as he directs the servant to take his staff, run ahead of him to Shunem, and lay the staff of the boy’s face.

He escorts the woman back to Shunem, where his waiting servant reports, “The child has not awaked.”

Either the prophet’s shepherd staff in the hands of an unbeliever has no value or Elisha has no telepathic healing powers. 

Elisha does not hesitate. He goes straight to the roof chamber the Shunammite had built for him, where the boy lies lifeless. He and the Shunammite pray together. Then, closing the door behind him, the prophet stretches himself out over the boy’s body, mouth to his mouth, eyes to his eyes, and hands to his hands.

Some would say that Elisha administered a form of mouth-to-mouth resucitation.  We can recognize elements of that procedure in the biblical account, but here must have been more to Elisha’s ministrations. He and the Shunammite, waiting downstairs, must have continued their silent prayers, for warmth returns to the boys body and then breath–in a fit of sneezing that clears his head and airways of congestion. 

The boy opens his eyes, and Elisha’s voice shakes as he returns the boy to his grateful mother.

We have witnessed  a battle of faith and prayer against forces as virulent as death itself–the human weaknesses of fear, fatalism, disbelief, and failure of trust and faith–forces that evil will exploit until the final battle at Armageddon. That battle will have the same outcome as Elisha’s.