4:18And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.
4:19And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.
4:20And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.
4:21And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.
4:22And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again.
4:23And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.
4:24Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.
4:25So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite:
4:26Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well.
4:27And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.
4:28Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?
4:29Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.
4:30And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.
4:31And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.
4:32And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.
4:33He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.
4:34And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
4:35Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
4:36And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son.
4:37Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.
The ploughing equipment becomes the firewood. That is a remarkably concrete farewell: the pair of oxen supplies the meat, the implements supply the heat, and the people eat what had just been pulling a plough. The passage does not say Elisha slaughtered all twelve pairs or owned the entire operation. One pair is enough to make the point. His response to the mantle is not a speech about a changed life. Something in the field actually changes.
Elijah's brief answer leaves its tone unstated. The unmistakable explanation comes from Elisha's actions: he returns, prepares the meal, rises, and follows. Then the sentence settles on a quieter word than the burning equipment might suggest. He ministered unto him. The successor begins as a servant. When a king later needs a prophet, Elisha is identified as the man who poured water on Elijah's hands in 2 Kings 3:11. Before the divided river comes the water basin.