The "great woman" of Shunem

Originally appeared on spirituality.com

When asked, “Is it well with the child?” it’s hard to imagine a woman whose boy has just died replying, “It is well.”

Yet in the book of Second Kings in the Bible, a Shunammite woman reacted in just that way. This otherwise unnamed woman had left her home on a donkey and made her way quickly to Mount Carmel to seek out the prophet Elisha, whom she felt sure would be able to revive her son.

When Elisha saw the woman coming, he sent his servant, Gehazi, to greet her, instructing him to ask her if everything was well with her, her husband, and her child.

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