The Berean Pursuit
Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, "Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!"
"How can I help you?" asked Elisha. "Tell me, what do you have in the house?"
She answered, "Your servant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil."
"Go," said Elisha, "borrow jars, even empty ones, from all your neighbors. Do not gather just a few. Then go inside, shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour oil into all these jars, setting the full ones aside."
So she left him, and after she had shut the door behind her and her sons, they kept bringing jars to her, and she kept pouring. When all the jars were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another."
But he replied, "There are no more jars." Then the oil stopped flowing.
She went and told the man of God, and he said, "Go, sell the oil, and pay your debt. Then you and your sons can live on the remainder."
One day Elisha went to Shunem, and a prominent woman who lived there persuaded him to have a meal. So whenever he would pass by, he would stop there to eat.
Then the woman said to her husband, "Behold, now I know that the one who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Please let us make a small room upstairs and put in it a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp for him. Then when he comes to us, he can stay there."
One day Elisha came to visit and went to his upper room to lie down. And he said to Gehazi his servant, "Call the Shunammite woman."
And when he had called her, she stood before him, and Elisha said to Gehazi, "Now tell her, 'Look, you have gone to all this trouble for us. What can we do for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?'"
"I have a home among my own people," she replied.
So he asked, "Then what should be done for her?"
"Well, she has no son," Gehazi replied, "and her husband is old."
"Call her," said Elisha.
So Gehazi called her, and she stood in the doorway. And Elisha declared, "At this time next year, you will hold a son in your arms."
"No, my lord," she said. "Do not lie to your maidservant, O man of God."
But the woman did conceive, and at that time the next year she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.
And the child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the harvesters.
"My head! My head!" he complained to his father.
So his father told a servant, "Carry him to his mother."
After the servant had picked him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died. And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God. Then she shut the door and went out.
And the woman called her husband and said, "Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may go quickly to the man of God and return."
"Why would you go to him today?" he replied. "It is not a New Moon or a Sabbath."
"Everything is all right," she said.
Then she saddled the donkey and told her servant, "Drive onward; do not slow the pace for me unless I tell you." So she set out and went to the man of God at Mount Carmel.
When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to his servant Gehazi, "Look, there is the Shunammite woman. Please run out now to meet her and ask, 'Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?'"
And she answered, "Everything is all right."
When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she clung to his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, "Leave her alone, for her soul is in deep distress, and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me."
Then she said, "Did I ask you for a son, my lord? Didn't I say, 'Do not deceive me?'"
So Elisha said to Gehazi, "Tie up your garment, take my staff in your hand, and go! If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not answer him. Then lay my staff on the boy's face."
And the mother of the boy said, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So he got up and followed her.
Gehazi went on ahead of them and laid the staff on the boy's face, but there was no sound or response. So he went back to meet Elisha and told him, "The boy has not awakened."
When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his bed. So he went in, closed the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD.
Then Elisha got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eye to eye, and hand to hand. As he stretched himself out over him, the boy's body became warm. Elisha turned away and paced back and forth across the room. Then he got on the bed and stretched himself out over the boy again, and the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.
Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, "Call the Shunammite woman." So he called her and she came.
Then Elisha said, "Pick up your son."
She came in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out.
When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. As the sons of the prophets were sitting at his feet, he said to his attendant, "Put on the large pot and boil some stew for the sons of the prophets."
One of them went out to the field to gather herbs, and he found a wild vine from which he gathered as many wild gourds as his garment could hold. Then he came back and cut them up into the pot of stew, though no one knew what they were.
And they poured it out for the men to eat, but when they tasted the stew they cried out, "There is death in the pot, O man of God!" And they could not eat it.
Then Elisha said, "Get some flour." He threw it into the pot and said, "Pour it out for the people to eat." And there was nothing harmful in the pot.
Now a man from Baal-shalishah came to the man of God with a sack of twenty loaves of barley bread from the first ripe grain.
"Give it to the people to eat," said Elisha.
But his servant asked, "How am I to set twenty loaves before a hundred men?"
"Give it to the people to eat," said Elisha, "for this is what the LORD says: 'They will eat and have some left over.'"
So he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.
Now Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in his master's sight and highly regarded, for through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. And he was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.
At this time the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken a young girl from the land of Israel, and she was serving Naaman's wife. She said to her mistress, "If only my master would go to the prophet who is in Samaria, he would cure him of his leprosy."
And Naaman went and told his master what the girl from the land of Israel had said.
"Go now," said the king of Aram, "and I will send you with a letter to the king of Israel."
So Naaman departed, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of clothing.
And the letter that he took to the king of Israel stated: "With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman, so that you may cure him of his leprosy."
When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and asked, "Am I God, killing and giving life, that this man expects me to cure a leper? Surely you can see that he is seeking a quarrel with me!"
Now when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king: "Why have you torn your clothes? Please let the man come to me, and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel."
So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha's house.
Then Elisha sent him a messenger, who said, "Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored, and you will be clean."
But Naaman went away angry, saying, "I thought that he would surely come out, stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the spot to cure my leprosy. Are not the Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not have washed in them and been cleansed?" So he turned and went away in a rage.
Naaman's servants, however, approached him and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, 'Wash and be cleansed'"
So Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored and became like that of a little child, and he was clean.
Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God, stood before him, and declared, "Now I know for sure that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant."
But Elisha replied, "As surely as the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will not accept it." And although Naaman urged him to accept it, he refused.
"If you will not," said Naaman, "please let me, your servant, be given as much soil as a pair of mules can carry. For your servant will never again make a burnt offering or a sacrifice to any other god but the LORD. Yet may the LORD forgive your servant this one thing: When my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my arm, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the LORD forgive your servant in this matter."
"Go in peace," said Elisha.
But after Naaman had traveled a short distance, Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, "Look, my master has spared this Aramean, Naaman, while not accepting what he brought. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something from him."
So Gehazi pursued Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and asked, "Is everything all right?"
"Everything is all right," Gehazi replied. "My master has sent me to say, 'I have just now discovered that two young men from the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.'"
But Naaman insisted, "Please, take two talents." And he urged Gehazi to accept them. Then he tied up two talents of silver in two bags along with two sets of clothing and gave them to two of his servants, who carried them ahead of Gehazi.
When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the gifts from the servants and stored them in the house. Then he dismissed the men, and they departed.
When Gehazi went in and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, "Gehazi, where have you been?"
"Your servant did not go anywhere," he replied.
But Elisha questioned him, "Did not my spirit go with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to accept money and clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, menservants and maidservants? Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and your descendants forever!"
And as Gehazi left his presence, he was leprous-as white as snow.
Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, "Please take note that the place where we meet with you is too small for us. Please let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a log so we can build ourselves a place to live there."
"Go," said Elisha.
Then one of them said, "Please come with your servants."
"I will come," he replied.
So Elisha went with them, and when they came to the Jordan, they began to cut down some trees. As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axe head fell into the water. "Oh, my master," he cried out, "it was borrowed!"
"Where did it fall?" asked the man of God.
And when he showed him the place, the man of God cut a stick, threw it there, and made the iron float.
"Lift it out," he said, and the man reached out his hand and took it.
Now the king of Aram was at war against Israel. After consulting with his servants, he said, "My camp will be in such and such a place."
Then the man of God sent word to the king of Israel: "Be careful passing by this place, for the Arameans are going down there."
So the king of Israel sent word to the place the man of God had pointed out. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places. For this reason the king of Aram became enraged and called his servants to demand of them, "Tell me, which one of us is on the side of the king of Israel?"
But one of his servants replied, "No one, my lord the king. For Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom."
So the king said, "Go and see where he is, that I may send men to capture him."
On receiving the report, "Elisha is in Dothan," the king of Aram sent horses, chariots, and a great army. They went there by night and surrounded the city.
When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early in the morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. So he asked Elisha, "Oh, my master, what are we to do?"
"Do not be afraid," Elisha answered, "for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."
Then Elisha prayed, "O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see."
And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
As the Arameans came down against him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, "Please strike these people with blindness." So He struck them with blindness, according to the word of Elisha.
And Elisha told them, "This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will take you to the man you are seeking." And he led them to Samaria.
When they had entered Samaria, Elisha said, "O LORD, open the eyes of these men that they may see."
Then the LORD opened their eyes, and they looked around and discovered that they were in Samaria.
And when the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, "My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?"
"Do not kill them," he replied. "Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and then return to their master."
So the king prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. And the Aramean raiders did not come into the land of Israel again.
Some time later, Ben-hadad king of Aram assembled his entire army and marched up to besiege Samaria.
So there was a great famine in Samaria. Indeed, they besieged the city so long that a donkey's head sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a quarter cab of dove's dung sold for five shekels of silver.
As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, "Help me, my lord the king!"
He answered, "If the LORD does not help you, where can I find help for you? From the threshing floor or the winepress?" Then the king asked her, "What is the matter?"
And she answered, "This woman said to me, 'Give up your son, that we may eat him, and tomorrow we will eat my son.' So we boiled my son and ate him, and the next day I said to her, 'Give up your son, that we may eat him.' But she had hidden her son."
When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes. And as he passed by on the wall, the people saw the sackcloth under his clothes next to his skin. He announced, "May God punish me, and ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders through this day!"
Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. The king sent a messenger ahead, but before he arrived, Elisha said to the elders, "Do you see how this murderer has sent someone to cut off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door to keep him out. Is not the sound of his master's footsteps behind him?"
While Elisha was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him. And the king said, "This calamity is from the LORD. Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?"
When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain and sat down. His disciples came to Him, and He began to teach them, saying:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
You have heard that it was said to the ancients, 'Do not murder' and 'Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be subject to the fire of hell.
So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise, he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to depart into hell.
It has also been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, brings adultery upon her. And he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, 'Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.' But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' Anything more comes from the evil one.
You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also; if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well; and if someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor' and 'Hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same?
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.