The great woman of Shunem, the sister of Abishag and wife of the
prophet Iddo, (10) also had cause to be deeply grateful to Elisha. When
Elisha came to Shunem on his journey through the land of Israel, his
holiness made a profound impression upon the Shunammite. Indeed, the
prophet's eye was so awe-inspiring that now woman could look him in the
face and live. (11) Contrary to the habit of most women, who are intent
upon diminishing their expenses and their toil, the Shunammite took
delight in the privilege of welcoming the prophet to her house as a
guest. She observed that not even a fly dared approach close to the
holy man, and a grateful fragrance exhaled from his person. "If he were
not so great a saint," she said, "and the holiness of the Lord did not
invest him, there were no such pleasant fragrance about him." That he
might be undisturbed, she assigned the best chambers in the house to
the prophet. He on his part, desiring to show his appreciation of her
hospitality, knew no better return for her kindness than to promise
that she should be blessed with a child within a year. (12) The woman
protested: "O, my husband is an old man, nor am I of an age to bear
children; the promise cannot be fulfilled." Yet it happened as the
prophet had foretold. Before a twelvemonth had passed, she was a
mother.
A few years later her child died a sudden death. The mother repaired to
the prophet, and lamented before him: "O that the vessel had remained
empty, rather than it should be filled first, and then be left void."
The prophet admitted that, though as a rule he was acquainted with all
things that were to happen, God had left him in the dark about the
misfortune that had befallen her. With trust in God, he gave his staff
to his disciple Gehazi, and sent him to bring the boy back to life. But
Gehazi was unworthy of his master. His conduct toward the Shunammite
was not becoming a disciple of the prophet, and, above all, he had no
faith in the possibility of accomplishing the mission entrusted to him.
Instead of obeying the behest of Elisha, not to speak a word on his way
to the child of the Shunammite, Gehazi made sport of the task laid upon
him. To whatever man he met he addressed the questions: "Dost thou
suppose this staff can bring the dead back to life?" The result was
that he forfeited the power of executing the errand with which he had
been charged. Elisha himself had to perform the miracle. The prophet
uttered the prayer: "O Lord of the world! As Thou didst wonders through
my master Elijah, and didst permit him to bring the dead to life, so, I
pray Thee, do Thou perform a wonder through me, and let me restore life
to this lad." (13) The prayer was granted, and the child was revived.
The act of the prophet proves the duty of gratitude in return for
hospitality. Elisha did not attempt to resuscitate his own kith and kin
who had been claimed by death; he invoked a miracle for the sake of the
woman who had welcomed him kindly to her house. (14)