The Divided Kingdom

And when the King of Moab saw that the battel was too sore for him, he tooke with him seuen hudreth men that drew the sword, to break through vnto the King of Edom: but they could not.

Then he tooke his eldest sonne, that should haue reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offring vpon the wall: so that Israel was sore grieued, and they departed from him, and returned to their countrey.

And one of the wiues of the sonnes of the Prophets cryed vnto Elisha, saying, Thy seruant mine husband is dead, and thou knowest, that thy seruant did feare the Lord: and the creditour is come to take my two sonnes to bee his bondmen.

Then Elisha saide vnto her, What shall I do for thee? tell mee, what hast thou at home? And she sayd, Thine handmayd hath nothing at home, saue a pitcher of oyle.

And he sayde, Goe, and borowe thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, emptie vessels, and spare not.

And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the doore vpon thee and vpon thy sonnes, and powre out into all those vessels, and set aside those that are full.

So shee departed from him, and shut the doore vpon her, and vpon her sonnes. And they brought to her, and she powred out.

And when the vessels were full, shee sayde vnto her sonne, Bring mee yet a vessel. And hee said vnto her, There is no moe vessels. And the oyle ceased.

Then shee came and tolde the man of God. And he saide, Goe, and sell the oyle, and pay them that thou art in debt vnto, and liue thou and thy children of the rest.

And on a time Elisha came to Shunem, and there a woman of great estimation constrained him to eate bread: and as he passed by, he turned in thither to eate bread.

And she sayde vnto her husband, Beholde, I know now, that this is an holy man of God that passeth by vs continually.

Let vs make him a litle chamber, I pray thee, with walles, and let vs set him there a bed, and a table, and a stoole, and a candlesticke, that hee may turne in thither when hee commeth to vs.

And on a day, hee came thither and turned into the chamber, and lay therein,

And sayd to Gehazi his seruant, Call this Shunammite: and when hee called her, she stood before him.

Then he sayd vnto him, Say vnto her now, Beholde, thou hast had all this great care for vs, what shall we doe for thee? Is there any thing to bee spoken for thee to the King or to the captaine of the hoste? And shee answered, I dwell among mine owne people.

Againe he sayde, What is then to be done for her? Then Gehazi answered, In deede she hath no sonne, and her husband is olde.

Then said he, Cal her. And hee called her, and shee stoode in the doore.

And he said, At this time appointed, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a sonne. And she sayd, Oh my Lord, thou man of God, doe not lye vnto thine handmayd.

So the woman conceiued, and bare a sonne at that same season, according to the time of life, that Elisha had sayd vnto her.

And when the childe was growen, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father, and to the reapers.

And he sayde to his father, Mine head, mine head. Who sayd to his seruant, Beare him to his mother.

And hee tooke him and brought him to his mother, and hee sate on her knees till noone, and dyed.

Then shee went vp, and layed him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the doore vpon him, and went out.

Then she called to her husband, and sayd, Send with me, I pray thee, one of the yong men and one of the asses: for I will haste to the man of God, and come againe.

And he sayd, Wherefore wilt thou goe to him to day? it is neither newe moone nor Sabbath day. And she answered, All shalbe well.