Daily Tanach Monday Sefer Melachim 2 Chapter 4 Part 3: Elisha resurrects the child

• The Shunamis travels to Elisha by Mt. Carmel: She saddled the mule, and she told her servant to travel forward [quickly^[1]] with the mule and that he should not stop from riding unless she tells him to do so. They traveled and she eventually arrived to Elisha who was located by Mt. Carmel. Elisha saw her from a distance and told his servant Geichazi that the Shunamite woman is approaching them. He instructed Geichazi to run towards her, and ask her as to how she was doing, and inquire as to the well-being of her husband and son. When asked, she replied that everyone is doing well [as she did not want to begin the conversation with bad tidings, and did not want to tell the servant anything^[2]].
• The Shunamis approaches Elisha and tells him of her son’s death: She walked up to Elisha who was on the mountain, and she grabbed hold of his feet. Geichazi approached her in order to push her away, however, Elisha told Geichazi to let her be, as he can tell that her soul is bitter [as something terrible has happened to her], and Hashem had hid it from him and did not tell him [through prophecy as to what had happened to her son]. She then said to Elisha, “Did I ever ask you to bless me with a son? Didn’t I ask you not to fool me [and bless me with a son who will not live]?”
• They all get up and travel back to her dead son: Elisha instructed Geichazi to prepare for quick travel and take with him his staff in his hand [and go travel to the woman’s dead son and try to resurrect him with his staff]. He instructed him, “If you meet anyone on the way of your journey, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not answer him. When you arrive to her home, you shall approach the child and place my staff on the lad’s face.” However, the lad’s mother refused the offer and persisted to Elisha that he himself travel and perform the miracle. She said to him, “I swear by the life of G-d and by your life, that I will not leave you [until you do as I say and travel together with me back home^[3]].” And so [due to lack of choice] Elisha rose and traveled back with her.
• Geichazi is unsuccessful in resurrecting the child: Geichazi went ahead of them [as per the instructions of Elisha], and he arrived at the home and placed the staff on the lad’s face, although it was unsuccessful in doing anything. There was no sound nor any movement from the lad, and so Geichazi returned to Elisha and told him that the lad had not awakened.
• Elisha resurrects the child: Elisha arrived at the house, and found that the lad was indeed dead, and was laying on his bed. Elisha came and closed the door leaving both of them inside, and he prayed to Hashem. He went up and laid on top of the child, and placed his mouth on the child’s mouth and his eyes on the child’s eyes and his palms on the child’s palms, and he lay flat on top of him, and the child’s flesh became warm as a result. Elisha repeated this action several [i.e. seven^[4]] times, going down from the bed onto the ground to pray in between each time. The lad then sneezed up to seven times, and the lad opened his eyes. Elisha then called Geichazi and asked him to summon the Shunamis woman [to come see that her son is now alive] Geichazi called her, and she came to him, and Elisha instructed her to pick up her son. She came and fell at his feet and bowed to the ground and picked up her son and left.

[1] Rashi 4:24

[2] Metzudos Dovid and Ralbag 4:26

[3] See Metzudos Dovid 4:30

[4] Ralbag 4:35