This book contains the mention of four women, but only in a perfunctory manner, more to exhibit the accomplishments of the prophet Elisha than his beneficiaries. He raises the dead, surpasses our Standard Oil Company in the production of that valuable article of commerce, cures one man of leprosy and cruelly fastens the disease on his servant for being guilty of a pardonable prevarication. Only one of the women mentioned has a name. One is the widow of a prophet, whom Elisha helps to pay off all her debts; for another he intercedes with the Lord to give her a son; another, is the little captive maid of the tribe of Israel; and the last a wicked queen, Athaliah, who sought to kill the heir apparent. She rivalled Jezebel in her evil propensities and suffered the same tragic death. As the historian proceeds from book to book less is said of the mothers of the various tribes, unless some deed of darkness is called for, that the men would fain avoid, then some Jezebel is resurrected for that purpose. They are seldom required to rise to a higher moral altitude than the men of the tribe, and are sometimes permitted to fall below it. 2 Kings iv. 8 And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. 9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God. 10 Let us make a little chamber on the wall. 11 And it fell on a day that, he came thither; and he turned into the chamber, and lay there. 12 And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And she came and stood before him. And he said, Thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid. 17 And the woman bare a son. 18 And when the child was grown, he went out to his father to the reapers. 19 And said, My head, my head! And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother. 20 And when he had brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. 21 And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out. 24 And she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive; slack not thy riding, except I bid thee. 25 So she went unto the man of God to Mount Carmel. 32 And when Elisha was come into the house, behold the child was dead. 33 He went in and shut the door and prayed unto the Lord. 34 And lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his bands; and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. 35 Then he walked to and fro; and went up, and stretched upon him; and the child sneezed seven times, and opened his eyes, 36 And 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. 37 Then she fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son.