So they sought a fair maiden through all the territory of Israel and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

So they sought a fair maiden through all the territory of Israel and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

So Bathsheba went in to the king in his chamber. Now the king was very old and feeble, and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to [him].

He said, I pray you, ask King Solomon, for he will not refuse you, to give me Abishag the Shunammite to be my wife. And Bathsheba said, Very well; I will speak for you to the king. read more. So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. The king rose to meet her, bowed to her, sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set at his right hand for her, the king's mother. Then she said, I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me. The king said to her, Ask on, my mother, for I will not refuse you. She said, Give Abishag the Shunammite to Adonijah your brother to be his wife. King Solomon answered his mother, And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also -- "for he is my elder brother -- "[ask it] even for him and for [his supporters] Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah.

One day Elisha went on to Shunem, where a rich and influential woman lived, who insisted on his eating a meal. Afterward, whenever he passed by, he stopped there for a meal. And she said to her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God who passes by continually. read more. Let us make a small chamber on the [housetop] and put there for him a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp. Then whenever he comes to us, he can go [up the outside stairs and rest] here. One day he came and turned into the chamber and lay there. And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. When he had called her, she stood before him. And he said to Gehazi, Say now to her, You have been most painstakingly and reverently concerned for us; what is to be done for you? Would you like to be spoken for to the king or to the commander of the army? She answered, I dwell among my own people [they are sufficient]. Later Elisha said, What then is to be done for her? Gehazi answered, She has no child and her husband is old. He said, Call her. [Gehazi] called her, and she stood in the doorway. Elisha said, At this season when the time comes round, you shall embrace a son. She said, No, my lord, you man of God, do not lie to your handmaid. But the woman conceived and bore a son at that season the following year, as Elisha had said to her. When the child had grown, he went out one day to his father with the reapers. But he said to his father, My head, my head! The man said to his servant, Carry him to his mother. And when he was brought to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him and went out. And she called to her husband and said, Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may go quickly to the man of God and come back again. And he said, Why go to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath. And she said, It will be all right. Then she saddled the donkey and said to her servant, Ride fast; do not slacken your pace for me unless I tell you. So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel. When the man of God saw her afar off, he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite. Run to meet her and say, Is it well with you? Well with your husband? Well with the child? And she answered, It is well. When she came to the mountain to the man of God, she clung to his feet. Gehazi came to thrust her away, but the man of God said, Let her alone, for her soul is bitter and vexed within her, and the Lord has hid it from me and has not told me. Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? Did I not say, Do not deceive me? Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up your loins and take my staff in your hand and go lay my staff on the face of the child. If you meet any man, do not salute him. If he salutes you, do not answer him. The mother of the child said, As the Lord lives and as my soul lives, I will not leave you. And he arose and followed her. Gehazi passed on before them and laid the staff on the child's face, but the boy neither spoke nor heard. So he went back to meet Elisha and said to him, The child has not awakened. When Elisha arrived in the house, the child was dead and laid upon his bed. So he went in, shut the door on the two of them, and prayed to the Lord. He went up and lay on the child, put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself on him and embraced him, the child's flesh became warm. Then he returned and walked in the house to and fro and went up again and stretched himself upon him. And the child sneezed seven times, and then opened his eyes. Then [Elisha] called Gehazi and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she came, he said, Take up your son. She came and fell at his feet, bowing herself to the ground. Then she took up her son and went out.