(1) King David was now old, advanced in years; and though they covered him with bedclothes, he never felt warm. (2) His courtiers said to him, “Let a young virgin be sought for my lord the king, to wait upon Your Majesty and be his attendant; and let her lie in your bosom, and my lord the king will be warm.” (3) So they looked for a beautiful young woman throughout the territory of Israel. They found Avishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king. (4) This young woman was exceedingly beautiful. She became the king’s attendant and waited upon him; but the king was not intimate with her.

(15) So Batsheva went to the king in his chamber.—The king was very old, and Avishag the Shunammite was waiting on the king.—

(13) Adonijah son of Hagit came to see Batsheva, Solomon’s mother. She said, “Do you come with friendly intent?” “Yes,” he replied; (14) and he continued, “I would like to have a word with you.” “Speak up,” she said. (15) Then he said, “You know that the kingship was rightly mine and that all Israel wanted me to reign. But the kingship passed on to my brother; it came to him by GOD’s will. (16) And now I have one request to make of you; do not refuse me.” She said, “Speak up.” (17) He replied, “Please ask King Solomon—for he won’t refuse you—to give me Avishag the Shunammite as wife.” (18) “Very well,” said Batsheva, “I will speak to the king in your behalf.” (19) So Batsheva went to King Solomon to speak to him about Adonijah. The king rose to greet her and bowed down to her. He sat on his throne; and he had a throne placed for the queen mother, and she sat on his right. (20) She said, “I have one small request to make of you, do not refuse me.” He responded, “Ask, Mother; I shall not refuse you.” (21) Then she said, “Let Avishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as wife.” (22) The king replied to his mother, “Why request Avishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Request the kingship for him! For he is my older brother, and the priest Evi'atar and Yoav son of Tzeruyah are on his side.” (23) Thereupon, King Solomon swore by GOD, saying, “So may God do to me and even more, if broaching this matter does not cost Adonijah his life! (24) Now, as GOD lives, who has established me and set me on the throne of my father David and who has provided him with a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this very day!” (25) And Solomon instructed Benayah son of Yehoyada, who struck Adonijah down; and so he died.

(8) One day Elisha visited Shunem. A wealthy woman lived there, and she urged him to have a meal; and whenever he passed by, he would stop there for a meal. (9) Once she said to her husband, “I am sure it is a holy agent of God who comes this way regularly. (10) Let us make a small enclosed upper chamber and place a bed, a table, a chair, and a lampstand there for him, so that he can stop there whenever he comes to us.” (11) One day he came there; he retired to the upper chamber and lay down there. (12) He said to his servant Gehazi, “Call that Shunammite.” He called her, and she stood before him. (13) He said to him, “Tell her, ‘You have gone to all this trouble for us. What can we do for you? Can we speak in your behalf to the king or to the army commander?’” She replied, “I live among my own people.” (14) “What then can be done for her?” he asked. “The fact is,” said Gehazi, “she has no son, and her husband is old.” (15) “Call her,” he said. He called her, and she stood in the doorway. (16) And Elisha said, “At this season next year, you will be embracing a son.” She replied, “Please, my lord, agent of God, do not delude your maidservant.” (17) The woman conceived and bore a son at the same season the following year, as Elisha had assured her.

(18) The child grew up. One day, he went out to his father among the reapers. (19) [Suddenly] he cried to his father, “Oh, my head, my head!” He said to a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” (20) He picked him up and brought him to his mother. And the child sat on her lap until noon; and he died. (21) She took him up and laid him on the bed of the agent of God, and left him and closed the door. (22) Then she called to her husband: “Please, send me one of the servants and one of the jennies [female donkeys], so I can hurry to the agent of God and back.” (23) But he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath.” She answered, “It’s all right.”

(24) She had the jenny saddled, and said to her servant, “Urge it on; see that I don’t slow down unless I tell you.” (25) She went on until she came to the agent of God on Mount Carmel. When the agent of God saw her from afar, he said to his servant Gehazi, “There is that Shunammite. (26) Go, hurry toward her and ask her, ‘How are you? How is your husband? How is the child?’” “We are well,” she replied. (27) But when she came up to the agent of God on the mountain, she clasped his feet. Gehazi stepped forward to push her away; but the agent of God said, “Let her alone, for she is in bitter distress; and GOD has hidden it from me and has not told me.” (28) Then she said, “Did I ask my lord for a son? Didn’t I say: ‘Don’t mislead me’?” (29) He said to Gehazi, “Tie up your skirts, 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. And place my staff on the face of the boy.” (30) But the boy’s mother said, “As GOD lives and as you live, I will not leave you!” So he arose and followed her.

(31) Gehazi had gone on before them and had placed the staff on the boy’s face; but there was no sound or response. He turned back to meet him and told him, “The boy has not awakened.” (32) Elisha came into the house, and there was the boy, laid out dead on his couch. (33) He went in, shut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to GOD. (34) Then he mounted [the bed] and placed himself over the child. He put his mouth on its mouth, his eyes on its eyes, and his hands on its hands, as he bent over it. And the body of the child became warm. (35) He stepped down, walked once up and down the room, then mounted and bent over him. Thereupon, the boy sneezed seven times, and the boy opened his eyes. (36) [Elisha] called Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite,” and he called her. When she came to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” (37) She came and fell at his feet and bowed low to the ground; then she picked up her son and left.

(1) Elisha had said to the woman whose son he revived, “Leave immediately with your family and go sojourn somewhere else; for GOD has decreed a seven-year famine upon the land, and it has already begun.” (2) The woman had done as the agent of God had spoken; she left with her family and sojourned in the land of the Philistines for seven years. (3) At the end of the seven years, the woman returned from the land of the Philistines and went to the king to complain about her house and farm. (4) Now the king was talking to Gehazi, the servant of the agent of God, and he said, “Tell me all the wonderful things that Elisha has done.” (5) While he was telling the king how [Elisha] had revived a dead person, in came the woman whose son he had revived, complaining to the king about her house and farm. “My lord king,” said Gehazi, “this is the woman and this is her son whom Elisha revived.” (6) The king questioned the woman, and she told him [the story]; so the king assigned a eunuch to her and instructed him: “Restore all her property, and all the revenue from her farm from the time she left the country until now.”

The Gemara clarifies: The story of Abishag, what is it? As it is written: “Now King David was old and stricken in years…and his servants said to him, let there be sought…a young virgin…and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may get heat” (I Kings 1:1–2); and it is written: “So they sought for a beautiful maiden…and found Abishag” (I Kings 1:1–3); and it is written: “And the maiden was very beautiful and she became a companion to the king and ministered to him, but the king did not know her” (I Kings 1:1–4). Abishag said to King David: Marry me. King David said to her: You are forbidden to me, as I already have eighteen wives.

MISHNA: One may not ride on the king’s horse, and one may not sit on his throne, and one may not use his scepter, and one may not see him when he is having his hair cut, nor when he is naked, nor when he is in the bathhouse, as it is stated: “You shall set a king over you” (Deuteronomy 17:15), meaning, ensure that his fear should be upon you. All of these actions would lessen one’s fear of and reverence for the king. GEMARA: Rav Ya’akov says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Abishag the Shunammite was permitted to Solomon but forbidden to Adonijah, who in fact wanted to marry her. She was permitted to Solomon, as he was a king, and a king may use the scepter of a king. Abishag’s status was similar to the king’s scepter, as she had been designated to serve King David. She was forbidden to Adonijah, as he was an ordinary person, not a king. The Gemara clarifies: The story of Abishag, what is it? As it is written: “Now King David was old and stricken in years…and his servants said to him, let there be sought…a young virgin…and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may get heat” (I Kings 1:1–2); and it is written: “So they sought for a beautiful maiden…and found Abishag” (I Kings 1:1–3); and it is written: “And the maiden was very beautiful and she became a companion to the king and ministered to him, but the king did not know her” (I Kings 1:1–4). Abishag said to King David: Marry me.King David said to her: You are forbidden to me, as I already have eighteen wives. Abishag said to him: When the thief is lacking what to steal, he makes himself like a man of peace. In other words, she was saying that since King David was physically unable to engage in intercourse, he devised an excuse not to marry her. King David said to his attendants: Call Bathsheba to me. And it is written: “And Bathsheba went in to the king into the chamber; now the king was very old and Abishag the Shunammite ministered to the king” (I Kings 1:15). Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: At that time, Bathsheba wiped herself with thirteen cloths, corresponding to the number of words in the verse, indicating that she engaged in intercourse with King David thirteen times. Rav Shemen bar Abba says: Come and see how severe a matter divorce is, as they rendered it permitted for King David to be secluded with Abishag without marrying her, but they did not render it permitted for him to divorce one of his wives to enable him to marry Abishag.

“It was upon Abram’s arrival in Egypt, the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful” (Genesis 12:14). ...
Rabbi Azarya and Rabbi Yonatan bar Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: An image of Eve was passed down to the leaders of [all] the generations. Elsewhere it is written: “The young woman [Avishag] was very [ad meod] beautiful” (I Kings 1:4) – she approximated the image of Eve. However, here it says: “That she was very [meod] beautiful” – meod is the image of Eve.

The chapter closes with the explication of a verse stated with regard to Abishag, who attended King David before his death: “And the damsel was very fair [yafa ad me’od ]” (I Kings 1:4). Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa says: She still did not reach half the beauty of Sarah, as it is written: “Ad me’od,” which can be translated as “up to very fair,” but not including the praise of “very fair.” By contrast, it is written concerning Sarah: “She was very fair” (Genesis 12:14).

[4] Another interpretation: "And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as He had spoken. And the children of Israel prevailed not against him that day, and so on (1 Samuel 15:29). The Lord said, "I am not a man that I should lie," yet Elisha was made of flesh and blood because the Shunammite woman fed him, as it is said, "And she prevailed upon him to eat bread" (2 Kings 4:8). The Lord said to her at this appointed time, "I will certainly return to you at this time next year, and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son" (Genesis 18:10). And it came to pass. As it is said, "And the woman conceived and bore a son at this appointed time" (Genesis 21:2). How much more so did I say to Abraham about this appointed time, "I will surely return to you" (Genesis 18:10), and now Sarah your wife has borne you a son." (Genesis 21:2) Therefore, Balaam said, "God is not a man that He should lie," but what is written? "And Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age" (Genesis 21:2). David said, "For He spoke and it was done; He commanded and it stood fast" (Psalms 33:9).

(4) Rabbi Joshua ben Ḳorchah said: Art thou astonished at this? Do not be astonished, come and see, (learn) from Elisha, the son of Shaphat, for no woman was able to gaze at his face without dying; and he went from mount to mount, and from cave to cave, and he went to Shunem, and a great woman received him with great honour. She was a sister of Abishag, the Shunammite, the mother of Oded, the prophet, as it is said, "And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem" (2 Kings 4:8), and the woman said to her husband: This man of God is (holy), no woman is able to gaze at his face without dying; but, "Let us make, I pray thee, a little chamber on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a lampstand" (2 Kings 4:10). And every time that he passes he can turn thither into the chamber, as it is said, "And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber" (2 Kings 4:11). And he called for the Shunammite, as it is said, "And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood at the door" (2 Kings 4:15). Why did she stand at the door? Because she was unable to gaze at his face, so that she should not die. He said to her:

(5) "At this season, when the time cometh round, thou shalt embrace a son" (2 Kings 4:16), the fruit of thy womb. She said to him: My lord is very old, and the way of women has departed from me, || and it is impossible to do this thing. "Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid" (ibid.).

(6) Rabbi Zechariah said: "He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him" (Ps. 145:19). The Holy One, blessed be He, fulfilled the desire of the prophet. She conceived and bare, and the child grew. He went forth to refresh himself, and to look at the reapers. A mishap overtook him, and he died, as it is said, "It fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers" (2 Kings 4:18); this restrained them (from work) until he came (among them), and he died, as it is said, "And he sat on her knees till noon, and then died" (2 Kings 4:20).

(7) The woman went to Mount Carmel, and fell on her face to the ground before Elisha, saying to him: Would that my vessel had remained empty ! But it was filled, and now its contents are spilt. The prophet answered: Everything which the Holy One, blessed be He, doeth, He telleth to me, but He has hidden this matter, as it is said, "And when she came to the man of God… and Gehazi came near to thrust her away" (2 Kings 4:27). What is the meaning of "to thrust her away"? To teach us that he put his hand upon (her) pride, which was upon her breasts, as it is said, "And the man of God said, Let her alone… and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me" (ibid.). He took the staff which was in his hand, and gave it to Gehazi, saying to him: Do not speak with thy mouth any word at all; know that thou goest and placest the staff upon the face of the lad, that he may live.

(8) Now as for Gehazi, the matter was laughable in his eyes, and to every man whom he met || he said: Dost thou believe that this staff will bring the dead to life? Therefore he did not succeed until (Elisha) went on foot and put his face upon the face (of the child), and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands, and he began to pray before the Holy One, blessed be He: Sovereign of all the worlds ! Just as Thou didst perform miracles by the hand of Elijah, my master, and brought the dead to life, likewise let this child live; and He was entreated of him, as it is said, "Then he returned, and walked in the house once to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him" (2 Kings 4:35); "and the child sneezed seven times" (ibid.).

Regarding the woman from Shunem: “And she said to her husband: Behold now, I perceive that he is a holy man of God who passes by us continually” (II Kings 4:9). Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: From here, where the woman from Shunem perceived the prophet’s greatness before her husband did, derive that a woman recognizes the character of her guests more than a man does.

“Will a person be more just than God? Will a man be purer than his Maker? (Job 4:17). Is it possible for a person to be more just than God? “Will a man be purer than his Maker” – is it possible for a person to be purer than his Creator? What did Elisha say to the Shunamite woman? “At this very time next year, at this very time, you will embrace a son” (II Kings 4:16). She said to him: ‘“No, my lord, man of God, do not deceive your maidservant” (II Kings 4:16). Those angels who brought the tidings to Sarah said to her: “At the prescribed time, I will return to you; at this very time next year, Sarah will have a son” (Genesis 18:14). [Why, then, do you [Elisha] not likewise promise that you will return?]’ He said to her: ‘Those angels knew that they live and endure forever, so they said: “At the time, I will return to you.” But, I, who am flesh and blood, alive today and dead tomorrow, [say to you:] whether I am alive or dead, “at this very time, you will embrace a son.”’ What is written there? “The woman conceived and bore a son at that time the next year, at that very time that Elisha had spoken to her” (II Kings 4:17). If the words of flesh and blood are fulfilled, will the words of the Holy One blessed be He not be fulfilled? “The Lord remembered Sarah as He had said…”

The Gemara asks: Is that so? Didn’t Rabbi Yitzḥak say: From where is it derived that one is obligated to greet his teacher on the Festival? It is as it is stated that the husband of the Shunamite woman asked his wife: “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor Shabbat” (II Kings 4:23). This proves by inference that on the New Moon and Shabbat a person is obligated to greet his teacher. The Gemara answers that this is not difficult: This statement of Rabbi Yitzḥak that one is obligated to go and greet his teacher is referring to a case where he goes and returns on the same day and can rejoice with his wife at night; and this statement of Rabbi Eliezer that one should stay home is referring to a case where he goes and does not return on the same day and cannot rejoice with his wife at night.