by Barry Britnell
Synopsis: According to the biblical text, the Shunammite woman was content with what she possessed. Yet, understanding a little about the geography of the area helps us to appreciate her even more.
One of the reasons why I love to travel to Israel is to learn more about the contours of the land. Small differences in elevation and terrain are not immediately recognizable when you look at a map of the area; nor are they immediately evident as you read the Scriptures. Yet, having a solid understanding of the land helps you to perceive small nuances in these wonderful Bible stories. Let me give you an example.
In 2 Kings 4, we read of a woman from Shunam. Verses 8-13 state:
One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. She said to her husband, "I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let's make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us." One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. He said to his servant Gehazi, "Call the Shunammite." So he called her, and she stood before him. Elisha said to him, "Tell her, 'You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?'" She replied, "I have a home among my own people."
There are so many things about this woman that I love. First, she recognized that there was something that she could do for Elisha. She could feed him. As Elisha came through this area, he would require food. This woman recognized this need and took care of him.
She recognized that there was even more that she could do for Elisha. She and her husband decided to build a room onto their house for Elisha to use as he traveled through the area. Not only did they construct this room, but furnished it with the things that the prophet would need to be comfortable.
She did not want anything in return. When asked by Elisha if there was something that he could do for her (including representing her to the king), she said, "I have a home among my own people." In other words, she was content with where she was in life.
This final item is what I especially love about this woman. Also, knowing a little bit about the geography of the area helps you appreciate what was going through her mind when she said it.
The city of Shunam sits at the base of the Hill of Moreh near the junction of the Jezreel and Harod valleys. About five miles to the south of Shunam, the terrain of the land rises dramatically from the flat floor of the Jezreel Valley to the hills of northern Samaria. The city of Jezreel sat in these hills overlooking the western end of the Harod Valley.
While Ahab was king of the northern kingdom of Israel, he reigned in Samaria (1 Kings 16:29). However, he built a palace in Jezreel (1 Kings 21:1). Because of the location of the city of Jezreel, King Ahab could use this palace as not only a place to visit and get away from his capital of Samaria, but also as a location to keep an eye on the east-west trade routes through the land.
From his palace in Jezreel, Ahab could look down into the valley and see the city of Shunam. Conversely, the woman from Shunam could easily look up and see the city of Jezreel and the beautiful palace contained within it. Probably a day did not go by in which she did not do this.
As she did, she probably wondered how the inside of the palace would look. She probably wondered what kind of foods or luxurious appointments were inside. She probably thought about what she would say to the king if she had the opportunity.
Elisha had now given her that opportunity. In gratitude for all that had been done for him, Elisha was now offering the chance for a kind word to be said to the king on her behalf. Nevertheless, she declined. Despite looking up at that palace every day, she was content with what she had and where she was—a simple woman, who looked for opportunities to help others.
Author Bio: Barry Britnell is the founder of Exploring Bible Lands, LLC (exploringbiblelands.com) and leads Bible study tours to the land of Israel. He also works with Appian Media (appianmedia.org) to produce Biblically-sound videos used in teaching others about the Bible. Barry and his wife, Tabatha, have three children, live in Athens, AL, and worship with the Capshaw Church of Christ.
Image 1: The Hill of Moreh from Mount Carmel
Image 2: The hill of Moreh from the tel at Jezreel
