August 31, 2025 • 26 mins
# 226 - Elisha & The Shunammite - In this episode of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein, an unnamed woman from Shunem makes a simple room for Elisha—and finds herself face to face with God’s power to give life where hope had died. Her story reminds us that sometimes the greatest miracles begin in the quiet spaces of ordinary faith.
Episode 226 of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein is inspired by the Book of Joshua.
Sign up for The Chosen People devotionals at https://www.thechosenpeople.com/sign-up
For more information about Yael Eckstein and IFCJ visit https://www.ifcj.org/
Today's opening prayer is inspired by Psalm 113:9, He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the Lord!
Listen to some of the greatest Bible stories ever told and make prayer a priority in your life by downloading the Pray.com app.
Show Notes:
(0_:__) Intro with Yael Eckstein
(0_:__) Elisha & The Shunammite
(__:__) Reflection with Yael Eckstein
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Previously on the Chosen People. Tell me, Elisha, what would
you have of me before I go?
Speaker 2 (00:09):
If I'm going to survive in this calling, this path,
please grant me a double portion of your spirit.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
The sky split open, A whirlwind of fire spiraled down
from the heavens.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Father, Father, don't leave me.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
The spirit of Elijah rests on a picture.
Speaker 5 (00:34):
It was the Lord who parted the waters, not I.
He is the archer.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
I am just the arrow.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
There was work to do. Elisha walked on, but he
knew he did not walk alone.
Speaker 6 (00:53):
Shallo, my friends from here in the Holy Land of Israel.
I'm your el Extein with the International Fellowship of Chris
and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen People. Each day
we'll hear a dramatic story inspired by the Bible, stories
filled with timeless lessons of faith, love, and the meaning
of life. Through Israel story, we will find this truth
(01:15):
that we are all chosen for something great. So take
a moment today to follow the podcast. If you're feeling
extra grateful for these stories, we would love it if
you left us a review. I read every single one
of them, and if you're interested in hearing more about
the prophetic life, saving work of the fellowship. You can
(01:36):
visit IFCJ. Dot Org. Let's begin.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
The House of Nariah and Miriam was in many ways
the heart of Shunam. It wasn't the largest house in town, though,
but still it was the house that people gravitated toward.
The house where weary travelers found a meal without having
to ask, where the poor found a warm place to
(02:04):
sit in the winter, where the children of the streets
found laughter, lessons, and love when the world had otherwise
ignored them. Miriam, the lady of the house, was gifted
in hospitality, not for the sake of display or self importance,
but for the sheer joy of welcoming others. Her favorite
(02:26):
place was at a table surrounded by friends, watching the
weight of life's struggles slip off their shoulders as they
ate and drank and spoke of things both deep and silly. Noriah,
her husband, was a man with sawdust in his beard
and callouses on his hands. He was respected in Shunam
(02:48):
for his skill. No one built sturdier homes, but he
was beloved for his heart. He had never once refused
to build a home for a family in need, even
when it meant dipping into his own earnings to make
it happen. And when they weren't feeding the hungry or
housing the needy, they were gathering the town's orphans in
(03:10):
their courtyard, telling them stories of Adam and Moses and Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob. The children would sit wide eyed, hanging
on to every word, never fully realizing that part of
the reason Miriam and Mariah did this, besides their own goodness,
was because they had no children of their own. It
(03:32):
was in this home, at this table, that Elisha often
found refuge, and to night was no different. The warm
glow of oil lamps flickered against the walls, casting golden
light over the wooden table, which was set with roasted lamb,
fresh bread, and a fragrant lentil stew. The air was
(03:54):
rich with the scent of spice and smoke, laughter mingling
with the sound of plates being passed and wine being poured.
Elisha sat at the table, his simple robes worn from travel,
his ever present air of quiet intensity softened in the
presence of these two. Across from him sat Gahesei, his
(04:16):
long term servant, who, unlike his master, appreciated a well
made garment and had the expression of a man who
fully intended to enjoy every bite of the meal before him.
At the head of the table, Narayah leaned back in
his chair, eyeing the prophet with a wry grin.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
I tell you, Pravt, you carry the scent of the
road dust sweat, perhaps a hint of doggie ah.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
The perfume of Yahweh's messengers.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Perhaps one day he'll see fit to annoint me with
something finer sanderwood maybe, or crushed merr.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Perhaps one day he'll see fit to give you a
proper roof over the head.
Speaker 7 (05:01):
That's not a bad idea, you know.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Elisha glanced up as Miriam poured more wine into his cup.
Speaker 7 (05:08):
You passed through, shoot him. Often enough, a man should
have a place to rest.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
She hasn't hounded me about it for weeks. Provt wants
me to build you a room.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Elisha raised a brow, setting his coup down.
Speaker 7 (05:23):
A room, a proper one, a place to sleep when
you pass through a bad lamp, a table.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
It'll be simple, but's thirty That is.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
More than generous.
Speaker 5 (05:36):
I could never ask that of you.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Ask Bah, who said anything about asking? My wife has
made up her mind. Once Miriam makes up her mind. Oh,
there's no resisting I thing, nothing of it. I'll ever
done in two weeks easy.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Miriam smirked, but said nothing, simply sipping her wine.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Yes, mars Sa, why find it? We could use a
place to sleep. It doesn't smell like camel.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Elisha exhaled, shaking his head, but a rare, genuine smile
flickered at the corner of his lips.
Speaker 5 (06:14):
Then I accept Thank you.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Miriam's eyes shone as she placed her hand over her husband's.
The conversation moved on, and soon the room was filled
again with laughter and stories. Miriam has always steered the conversation,
asking about the places Elisha had been, the people he
had met. She poured wine, cut bread, refilled bowls, making
(06:40):
sure no one wanted for anything. Nariah meanwhile leaned back
in his chair, his presence steady, listening more than speaking,
his enjoyment of the meal evident in the way he
savored every bite. Then, at a pause in the conversation,
Miriam's tone.
Speaker 7 (07:01):
There's been talk in the market, a story actually of
a widow, something about oil. They say you told her
to gather all the jars she could find, that the
Lord filled them to the brim enough to pay her
debts and save her sons from the creditors.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Is it true?
Speaker 3 (07:19):
I told him it was madness, my lady, he was
sitting the poor woman up for disappointment.
Speaker 5 (07:24):
You did, yes, and.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Yet here we are.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
The jars were filled, the widow was saved, and I
looked like a fool.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Noriah let out a deep chuckle, shaking his head.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
The Lord provides, yes, yes, it's quite inconvenient from our skepticism.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Elisha reached for his cup, his voice casual.
Speaker 5 (07:52):
Since we're discussing provision, tell me how have things been
for you?
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Both? The couple exchanged a glance, a small one, barely noticeable,
but enough for Elisha to catch. We are well, Elisha waited.
The silence stretched, the weight of unspoken words filling the
space between them. Nearah cleared his throat, looking down at
(08:18):
his plate. A ah.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
We we have long prayed for a child.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
It was the first true crack in their composure. Miriam
normally so poised, so in control that her fingers tightened
just slightly around the stem of her cup.
Speaker 7 (08:39):
It is the only thing we laugh.
Speaker 5 (08:42):
Then we shall pray together.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
The tension in the room shifted. Nearah nodded, his jaw tight.
Miriam swallowed something raw in her expression, and Geheese. Ever,
the practical one, simply leaned back in his chair, watching
his master with something that might have been skepticism or
something deeper. Faith. Perhaps was a slow thing to grow,
(09:10):
but even slow things in time bear fruit. Several weeks
had passed and the room Nariah built for Elisha had
already become something of a sanctuary. It was nothing extravagant,
Miriam wouldn't allow it, but it was well crafted, sturdy,
(09:31):
with smooth beams and a door that fit perfectly in
its frame, the mark of a master builder. The small
table and chair sat by the window, and the oil
lamp flickered softly in the evening air. There was a bed,
simple but far better than the ground Elisha had grown
accustomed to. To night, Elisha sat on that bed, absent mindedly,
(09:55):
rolling a small stone between his fingers, lost in thought.
Hayes I, standing near the table, poured himself a cup
of water, watching his master with an expression that could
have either been amusement or frustration. You're thinking again, Elisha
glanced up, smirking.
Speaker 5 (10:16):
You disapprove.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Only because I know what follows you get that look
in your eyes, the same one you add when you
decided to leave a perfectly good farm and a perfectly
wealthy family to go live in the wilderness with Elajah.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Elisha chuckled softly. He set the stone down, stretching his
legs out in front of him. You think too much
like my father, gehes I leaned against the table, crossing
his arms.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Your father was a practical man, yes, he was.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
A pause. Elisha picked up the stone again, turning it
over in his hands, feeling the weight of it.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
Your father, he thought I was wasting my time looking
after you. Thought you were foolish for leaving.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Elisha's smirk faltered slightly. M I remember when you were
a boy.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
You want me so badly to run off, to follow
every wind, chase, every whisper. Your father, he thought, if
he kept you working, kept you grounded, you forget about
all that you learn to be satisfied with a life
giving you.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Elisha turned the stone over again, staring at it.
Speaker 5 (11:38):
But you didn't believe that.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
I knew better than the fight the inevitable. I just
tried to keep you alive long enough to get there.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of
years resting between them. Then Elisha exhaled, shaking his head.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Miriam and Noriah, they've given up so much they have.
I wish there was something I could do for them.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Gaze I let out a small chuckle, shaking his head.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
Oh, I don't know, Master, what could possibly be given
to the most generous people in Shinnham. They have wealth,
then respect, they lack for nothing, well, almost nothing.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Elisha's brow furrowed.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
What do you mean, child, It's the only thing they
don't have. You remember when they told us at dinner
weeks ago. They've prayed for years, but some things, it
seems even God chooses not to give.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Elisha's expression changed, his eyes brightened. He sat up straighter.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Elisha lowered his head, her breath, her pause. His lips
moved silent brief Then slowly he lifted his face again,
and he smiled her small, knowing smile, the kind gahaze
I had seen before, the kind that meant Yahweh had spoken.
(13:18):
Elisha rose to his feet, his movement steady, assured.
Speaker 5 (13:23):
Come Ghazi, we have a message to deliver.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
Miriam was kneading bread when they found her. The smell
of flower and honey lingered in the air and Neariah
sat near by, carving something into a block of wood,
a small horse, perhaps, though unfinished. When she saw Elijah
and Gahesi approaching, she wiped her hands on her apron,
tilting her head curiously.
Speaker 7 (13:51):
Prophet, what brings you out so late?
Speaker 5 (13:53):
My friends? The Lord has heard your prayers.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Narah glanced up Miriam's hands, stilled.
Speaker 5 (14:02):
By this time next year, you will hold a child
in your arms.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
The words hung in the air, trembling with waight. Miriam
stared at him for the first time in all their
knowing of her. She looked unsure.
Speaker 7 (14:20):
Please, Elia, don't give me false soap.
Speaker 5 (14:24):
I only speak what Yahweh has given me to say.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Her breath a moment then Miriam swallowed hard, nodding behind her.
Noriah exhaled, setting down his carving. His hand found hers.
They said nothing else. For the first time in a
long time, their prayers no longer felt like they were
drifting into an empty sky. The years passed, the prophecy
(14:54):
had come true. Miriam and Narah had borne a son,
a beautiful boy, the light of his parents' lives. Asa,
named for healing, for restoration for hope renewed. He grew
up beneath Nariah's strong hands, learning how to hold a chisel,
(15:14):
how to shape wood. He spent his mornings in Miriam's kitchen,
sneaking bits of bread dough when he thought she wasn't looking.
He had his father's laugh and his mother's eyes. Elishah
saw him often. He was always running, always moving, always laughing.
Miriam was never seen without him, her hand on his back,
(15:36):
ruffling his hair, kissing his forehead. And Noriah, the man
who had spent his life building homes for others, had
finally felt he was building something of his own. The
day had started like any other. The sun was high.
Asa was running through the fields, his small feet kicking
(15:57):
up dust, his laughter bright as he chased after the workers. Nariah,
standing near the frame of a new house, turned at
the sound of it, shaking his head with fondness. Then
am on my hand in It was small at first,
a hand pressed to his temple, a slight wobble in
(16:18):
his step. Then he staggered, then he fell. By the
time Nariah reached him, he was barely conscious.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
As Sir, Sir, look at me, the.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
Boy whimpered Nariah lifted him, cradling him in his arms,
and strode toward the house, his voice calling for Miriam.
Before he even reached the door. Inside, she took him,
holding him against her, whispering prayers, rocking him as if
she could will the life back into him. For hours.
She sat there, for hours, she begged, But as the
(16:56):
sun reached its peak, Ace's small chest rose one final
time and did not rise again. Silence. The boy was gone.
Neriah stood still, unmoving, his hands clenched so tightly they shook.
(17:16):
Then without a word, he turned and left the room.
Miriam didn't see where he went, didn't see him collapse outside,
pressing his fists to his eyes, shoulders shaking with silent,
broken sobs. She only knew what she had to do. Carefully, reverently,
(17:37):
she carried their son's body to Elisha's room. She laid
him on the prophet's bed. Then she turned towards her husband,
wiping the tears from her face.
Speaker 7 (17:48):
Send word for Elijah.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Elisha had come as soon as he heard the messenger, arrived, breathless,
dust caked to his feet, his words tumbling out between gasps.
Aesa has died. Miriam had laid him. In Elisha's room,
she and Mariah waited in silence grief, a black leaden
weight over their house. Elishah and Gahazi had left immediately,
(18:17):
no hesitation, no wasted words. The journey to Shunam was
a blur of sun scorched roads and pounding hearts. Gaheese
ran ahead, the urgency pressing on him, while Elisha walked
with the slow, deliberate steps of a man carrying something
unseen but unbearably heavy. He had heard a story like
(18:39):
this once when he was younger, during his first year
as Elijah's apprentice. His master had told him about a
woman in Zaraphath, a widow whose son had died in
her arms. Lay the lad on the.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
I stretched myself over him.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
And cried out to Lord, and he answered. Elisha had listened, fascinated. Now,
as he stepped into the quiet, heavy air of Nariah
and Miriam's home, the echoes of that tale rang in
his mind, but they felt distant, like something that had
happened in another world to another man. This was now,
(19:24):
this was real. Elisha entered first. The small room, so
carefully built, so freely given, felt different now. The light
from the single window was pale, muted. The air was
thick with silence, and there on the prophet's bed lay
(19:44):
acer small, still gone. Miriam stood near the door, her
arms wrapped around herself, as if trying to hold in
everything that threatened to spill out. Narah stood beside her,
his hands clenched at his sides, the grief barely held
at bay beneath the tension in his jaw. Elisha barely
(20:08):
had time to turn toward them before Miriam's voice cut
through the silence, raw and shaking. Why did you come,
Elisha froze. Her eyes were red, rimmed, wild with grief.
She took a step forward, her breath unsteady.
Speaker 7 (20:26):
I told you not to give me false hope. I
told you I didn't ask for a son. I didn't
ask for any of it.
Speaker 6 (20:34):
I would rather have been barren forever than feel miss
Why Why would.
Speaker 7 (20:40):
God do this?
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Why would he give only to take?
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Her voice cracked Elisha. Let the words hit him, let
the weight of them settle. He could have rebuked her,
he could have told her to have faith, But what
did words mean in the face of this? Instead, he
stepped forward, slowly, gently, and he placed his hand over hers.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
Miriam inhaled sharply, as if bracing for a second blow.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
I don't know why God does what he does. I
don't know why he allows grief to take root what
joy once bloomed.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
Her breath hitched.
Speaker 5 (21:23):
But I do know that he sees you, He sees this.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
His hand, warm and firm, stayed over hers.
Speaker 5 (21:33):
And I know he's.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Not done yet.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Miriam's lips trembled, Her body, once taught with rage, sagged.
The fight in her was slipping away, not because she
no longer felt it, but because she had no more
strength to wield it. Elisha squeezed her hand once before
stepping past her toward the boy. Elisha reached the bed
(22:00):
and placed a hand on ASA's forehead. This was a
moment where faith had to be more than words, a
moment where trust had to be something lived. Elisha exhaled,
and then he did as Elijah had done. He stretched
himself over the boy, hands to hands, eyes to eyes,
(22:22):
mouth to mouth. A prayer tore from his lips, rough, raw, desperate.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Lord, let his life return nothing.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
He tried again, yahweh hear me. The boy's body remained still.
Elijhah sat back exhaling sharply, his heart pounding, He closed
his eyes. This wasn't working. He had done what Elijah
had done, and yet his mind flickered back to something
(22:55):
Elijah had said once. It isn't the words in shock,
is in the method. It is the one wholves. Elisha exhaled,
and he leaned down again, not as a man mimicking another,
but as a man surrendering to something far greater than himself.
(23:18):
He prayed, and this time it wasn't desperate, it was trust.
Then a shudder, a gasp, Ace's body convulsed beneath him,
and suddenly he was coughing, breath spilling back into his
lungs like water bursting through a crack down. His eyes
(23:39):
shot open, wide, confused, alive. Elisha pulled back, breathing hard,
his own chest rising and falling with disbelief and awe.
Elisha turned eyes, locking with Miriams. For a long moment,
she didn't move. Then she let out to sound something
(24:01):
between a sob and a laugh, and suddenly she was
across the room, her arms wrapping around Asa, pulling him close,
her hands tangling in his hair, her tears hot against
his skin. Elisha stood back watching his heart pounding, his
body light. This was Jahue's work, This was grace. Miriam,
(24:27):
still holding her son, turned her tears streaked face toward him.
Her lips parted, but no words came. Elisha only nodded
and departed.
Speaker 6 (24:44):
If your faith has been kindled by this podcast and
it has affected your life, we'd love it if you
left her of view. We read them, and me personally
I cherish them as you venture forth boldly and faithfully.
I leave you with the biblical blessing from numbers six
ivarech hashem vi schmerecher yeah heir hashempanave ileha rocher ye
(25:10):
sa hashempanavelechra vi Salon. May the Lord bless you and
keep you. May the Lord make his face shine upon you.
May he be gracious to you. Made the Lord turn
his face towards you and give you peace.
Speaker 1 (25:25):
Amen. You can listen to the Chosen People with Isle
Exstein add free by downloading and subscribing to the prey
dot Com app today. This Prey dog comproduction is only
made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina,
Max Bard, Zach Shellabaga and Ben Gammon are the executive
(25:47):
producers of The Chosen People with Yaiele Exstein, edited by
Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltefianu. Characters are voiced by
Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz, Mike Ray Pagan, Stephen Ringwold,
Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland, Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and Mitch Leshinsky,
(26:07):
and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music
by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie
and Chris Baig. Special thanks to Bishop Paulinier, Robin van Ettin,
kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, Rabbi Edward Abramson, and the team
at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You can hear
(26:29):
more Prey dot com productions on the Prey dot com app,
available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
If you enjoyed The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please
rate and leave a review.
Previously on the Chosen People. Tell me, Elisha, what would
you have of me before I go?
Speaker 2 (00:09):
If I'm going to survive in this calling, this path,
please grant me a double portion of your spirit.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
The sky split open, A whirlwind of fire spiraled down
from the heavens.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Father, Father, don't leave me.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
The spirit of Elijah rests on a picture.
Speaker 5 (00:34):
It was the Lord who parted the waters, not I.
He is the archer.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
I am just the arrow.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
There was work to do. Elisha walked on, but he
knew he did not walk alone.
Speaker 6 (00:53):
Shallo, my friends from here in the Holy Land of Israel.
I'm your el Extein with the International Fellowship of Chris
and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen People. Each day
we'll hear a dramatic story inspired by the Bible, stories
filled with timeless lessons of faith, love, and the meaning
of life. Through Israel story, we will find this truth
(01:15):
that we are all chosen for something great. So take
a moment today to follow the podcast. If you're feeling
extra grateful for these stories, we would love it if
you left us a review. I read every single one
of them, and if you're interested in hearing more about
the prophetic life, saving work of the fellowship. You can
(01:36):
visit IFCJ. Dot Org. Let's begin.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
The House of Nariah and Miriam was in many ways
the heart of Shunam. It wasn't the largest house in town, though,
but still it was the house that people gravitated toward.
The house where weary travelers found a meal without having
to ask, where the poor found a warm place to
(02:04):
sit in the winter, where the children of the streets
found laughter, lessons, and love when the world had otherwise
ignored them. Miriam, the lady of the house, was gifted
in hospitality, not for the sake of display or self importance,
but for the sheer joy of welcoming others. Her favorite
(02:26):
place was at a table surrounded by friends, watching the
weight of life's struggles slip off their shoulders as they
ate and drank and spoke of things both deep and silly. Noriah,
her husband, was a man with sawdust in his beard
and callouses on his hands. He was respected in Shunam
(02:48):
for his skill. No one built sturdier homes, but he
was beloved for his heart. He had never once refused
to build a home for a family in need, even
when it meant dipping into his own earnings to make
it happen. And when they weren't feeding the hungry or
housing the needy, they were gathering the town's orphans in
(03:10):
their courtyard, telling them stories of Adam and Moses and Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob. The children would sit wide eyed, hanging
on to every word, never fully realizing that part of
the reason Miriam and Mariah did this, besides their own goodness,
was because they had no children of their own. It
(03:32):
was in this home, at this table, that Elisha often
found refuge, and to night was no different. The warm
glow of oil lamps flickered against the walls, casting golden
light over the wooden table, which was set with roasted lamb,
fresh bread, and a fragrant lentil stew. The air was
(03:54):
rich with the scent of spice and smoke, laughter mingling
with the sound of plates being passed and wine being poured.
Elisha sat at the table, his simple robes worn from travel,
his ever present air of quiet intensity softened in the
presence of these two. Across from him sat Gahesei, his
(04:16):
long term servant, who, unlike his master, appreciated a well
made garment and had the expression of a man who
fully intended to enjoy every bite of the meal before him.
At the head of the table, Narayah leaned back in
his chair, eyeing the prophet with a wry grin.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
I tell you, Pravt, you carry the scent of the
road dust sweat, perhaps a hint of doggie ah.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
The perfume of Yahweh's messengers.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Perhaps one day he'll see fit to annoint me with
something finer sanderwood maybe, or crushed merr.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Perhaps one day he'll see fit to give you a
proper roof over the head.
Speaker 7 (05:01):
That's not a bad idea, you know.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Elisha glanced up as Miriam poured more wine into his cup.
Speaker 7 (05:08):
You passed through, shoot him. Often enough, a man should
have a place to rest.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
She hasn't hounded me about it for weeks. Provt wants
me to build you a room.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Elisha raised a brow, setting his coup down.
Speaker 7 (05:23):
A room, a proper one, a place to sleep when
you pass through a bad lamp, a table.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
It'll be simple, but's thirty That is.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
More than generous.
Speaker 5 (05:36):
I could never ask that of you.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Ask Bah, who said anything about asking? My wife has
made up her mind. Once Miriam makes up her mind. Oh,
there's no resisting I thing, nothing of it. I'll ever
done in two weeks easy.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Miriam smirked, but said nothing, simply sipping her wine.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Yes, mars Sa, why find it? We could use a
place to sleep. It doesn't smell like camel.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Elisha exhaled, shaking his head, but a rare, genuine smile
flickered at the corner of his lips.
Speaker 5 (06:14):
Then I accept Thank you.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Miriam's eyes shone as she placed her hand over her husband's.
The conversation moved on, and soon the room was filled
again with laughter and stories. Miriam has always steered the conversation,
asking about the places Elisha had been, the people he
had met. She poured wine, cut bread, refilled bowls, making
(06:40):
sure no one wanted for anything. Nariah meanwhile leaned back
in his chair, his presence steady, listening more than speaking,
his enjoyment of the meal evident in the way he
savored every bite. Then, at a pause in the conversation,
Miriam's tone.
Speaker 7 (07:01):
There's been talk in the market, a story actually of
a widow, something about oil. They say you told her
to gather all the jars she could find, that the
Lord filled them to the brim enough to pay her
debts and save her sons from the creditors.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Is it true?
Speaker 3 (07:19):
I told him it was madness, my lady, he was
sitting the poor woman up for disappointment.
Speaker 5 (07:24):
You did, yes, and.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Yet here we are.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
The jars were filled, the widow was saved, and I
looked like a fool.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Noriah let out a deep chuckle, shaking his head.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
The Lord provides, yes, yes, it's quite inconvenient from our skepticism.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Elisha reached for his cup, his voice casual.
Speaker 5 (07:52):
Since we're discussing provision, tell me how have things been
for you?
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Both? The couple exchanged a glance, a small one, barely noticeable,
but enough for Elisha to catch. We are well, Elisha waited.
The silence stretched, the weight of unspoken words filling the
space between them. Nearah cleared his throat, looking down at
(08:18):
his plate. A ah.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
We we have long prayed for a child.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
It was the first true crack in their composure. Miriam
normally so poised, so in control that her fingers tightened
just slightly around the stem of her cup.
Speaker 7 (08:39):
It is the only thing we laugh.
Speaker 5 (08:42):
Then we shall pray together.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
The tension in the room shifted. Nearah nodded, his jaw tight.
Miriam swallowed something raw in her expression, and Geheese. Ever,
the practical one, simply leaned back in his chair, watching
his master with something that might have been skepticism or
something deeper. Faith. Perhaps was a slow thing to grow,
(09:10):
but even slow things in time bear fruit. Several weeks
had passed and the room Nariah built for Elisha had
already become something of a sanctuary. It was nothing extravagant,
Miriam wouldn't allow it, but it was well crafted, sturdy,
(09:31):
with smooth beams and a door that fit perfectly in
its frame, the mark of a master builder. The small
table and chair sat by the window, and the oil
lamp flickered softly in the evening air. There was a bed,
simple but far better than the ground Elisha had grown
accustomed to. To night, Elisha sat on that bed, absent mindedly,
(09:55):
rolling a small stone between his fingers, lost in thought.
Hayes I, standing near the table, poured himself a cup
of water, watching his master with an expression that could
have either been amusement or frustration. You're thinking again, Elisha
glanced up, smirking.
Speaker 5 (10:16):
You disapprove.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Only because I know what follows you get that look
in your eyes, the same one you add when you
decided to leave a perfectly good farm and a perfectly
wealthy family to go live in the wilderness with Elajah.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Elisha chuckled softly. He set the stone down, stretching his
legs out in front of him. You think too much
like my father, gehes I leaned against the table, crossing
his arms.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Your father was a practical man, yes, he was.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
A pause. Elisha picked up the stone again, turning it
over in his hands, feeling the weight of it.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
Your father, he thought I was wasting my time looking
after you. Thought you were foolish for leaving.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Elisha's smirk faltered slightly. M I remember when you were
a boy.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
You want me so badly to run off, to follow
every wind, chase, every whisper. Your father, he thought, if
he kept you working, kept you grounded, you forget about
all that you learn to be satisfied with a life
giving you.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Elisha turned the stone over again, staring at it.
Speaker 5 (11:38):
But you didn't believe that.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
I knew better than the fight the inevitable. I just
tried to keep you alive long enough to get there.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of
years resting between them. Then Elisha exhaled, shaking his head.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Miriam and Noriah, they've given up so much they have.
I wish there was something I could do for them.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Gaze I let out a small chuckle, shaking his head.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
Oh, I don't know, Master, what could possibly be given
to the most generous people in Shinnham. They have wealth,
then respect, they lack for nothing, well, almost nothing.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Elisha's brow furrowed.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
What do you mean, child, It's the only thing they
don't have. You remember when they told us at dinner
weeks ago. They've prayed for years, but some things, it
seems even God chooses not to give.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Elisha's expression changed, his eyes brightened. He sat up straighter.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Elisha lowered his head, her breath, her pause. His lips
moved silent brief Then slowly he lifted his face again,
and he smiled her small, knowing smile, the kind gahaze
I had seen before, the kind that meant Yahweh had spoken.
(13:18):
Elisha rose to his feet, his movement steady, assured.
Speaker 5 (13:23):
Come Ghazi, we have a message to deliver.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
Miriam was kneading bread when they found her. The smell
of flower and honey lingered in the air and Neariah
sat near by, carving something into a block of wood,
a small horse, perhaps, though unfinished. When she saw Elijah
and Gahesi approaching, she wiped her hands on her apron,
tilting her head curiously.
Speaker 7 (13:51):
Prophet, what brings you out so late?
Speaker 5 (13:53):
My friends? The Lord has heard your prayers.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Narah glanced up Miriam's hands, stilled.
Speaker 5 (14:02):
By this time next year, you will hold a child
in your arms.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
The words hung in the air, trembling with waight. Miriam
stared at him for the first time in all their
knowing of her. She looked unsure.
Speaker 7 (14:20):
Please, Elia, don't give me false soap.
Speaker 5 (14:24):
I only speak what Yahweh has given me to say.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Her breath a moment then Miriam swallowed hard, nodding behind her.
Noriah exhaled, setting down his carving. His hand found hers.
They said nothing else. For the first time in a
long time, their prayers no longer felt like they were
drifting into an empty sky. The years passed, the prophecy
(14:54):
had come true. Miriam and Narah had borne a son,
a beautiful boy, the light of his parents' lives. Asa,
named for healing, for restoration for hope renewed. He grew
up beneath Nariah's strong hands, learning how to hold a chisel,
(15:14):
how to shape wood. He spent his mornings in Miriam's kitchen,
sneaking bits of bread dough when he thought she wasn't looking.
He had his father's laugh and his mother's eyes. Elishah
saw him often. He was always running, always moving, always laughing.
Miriam was never seen without him, her hand on his back,
(15:36):
ruffling his hair, kissing his forehead. And Noriah, the man
who had spent his life building homes for others, had
finally felt he was building something of his own. The
day had started like any other. The sun was high.
Asa was running through the fields, his small feet kicking
(15:57):
up dust, his laughter bright as he chased after the workers. Nariah,
standing near the frame of a new house, turned at
the sound of it, shaking his head with fondness. Then
am on my hand in It was small at first,
a hand pressed to his temple, a slight wobble in
(16:18):
his step. Then he staggered, then he fell. By the
time Nariah reached him, he was barely conscious.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
As Sir, Sir, look at me, the.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
Boy whimpered Nariah lifted him, cradling him in his arms,
and strode toward the house, his voice calling for Miriam.
Before he even reached the door. Inside, she took him,
holding him against her, whispering prayers, rocking him as if
she could will the life back into him. For hours.
She sat there, for hours, she begged, But as the
(16:56):
sun reached its peak, Ace's small chest rose one final
time and did not rise again. Silence. The boy was gone.
Neriah stood still, unmoving, his hands clenched so tightly they shook.
(17:16):
Then without a word, he turned and left the room.
Miriam didn't see where he went, didn't see him collapse outside,
pressing his fists to his eyes, shoulders shaking with silent,
broken sobs. She only knew what she had to do. Carefully, reverently,
(17:37):
she carried their son's body to Elisha's room. She laid
him on the prophet's bed. Then she turned towards her husband,
wiping the tears from her face.
Speaker 7 (17:48):
Send word for Elijah.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Elisha had come as soon as he heard the messenger, arrived, breathless,
dust caked to his feet, his words tumbling out between gasps.
Aesa has died. Miriam had laid him. In Elisha's room,
she and Mariah waited in silence grief, a black leaden
weight over their house. Elishah and Gahazi had left immediately,
(18:17):
no hesitation, no wasted words. The journey to Shunam was
a blur of sun scorched roads and pounding hearts. Gaheese
ran ahead, the urgency pressing on him, while Elisha walked
with the slow, deliberate steps of a man carrying something
unseen but unbearably heavy. He had heard a story like
(18:39):
this once when he was younger, during his first year
as Elijah's apprentice. His master had told him about a
woman in Zaraphath, a widow whose son had died in
her arms. Lay the lad on the.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
I stretched myself over him.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
And cried out to Lord, and he answered. Elisha had listened, fascinated. Now,
as he stepped into the quiet, heavy air of Nariah
and Miriam's home, the echoes of that tale rang in
his mind, but they felt distant, like something that had
happened in another world to another man. This was now,
(19:24):
this was real. Elisha entered first. The small room, so
carefully built, so freely given, felt different now. The light
from the single window was pale, muted. The air was
thick with silence, and there on the prophet's bed lay
(19:44):
acer small, still gone. Miriam stood near the door, her
arms wrapped around herself, as if trying to hold in
everything that threatened to spill out. Narah stood beside her,
his hands clenched at his sides, the grief barely held
at bay beneath the tension in his jaw. Elisha barely
(20:08):
had time to turn toward them before Miriam's voice cut
through the silence, raw and shaking. Why did you come,
Elisha froze. Her eyes were red, rimmed, wild with grief.
She took a step forward, her breath unsteady.
Speaker 7 (20:26):
I told you not to give me false hope. I
told you I didn't ask for a son. I didn't
ask for any of it.
Speaker 6 (20:34):
I would rather have been barren forever than feel miss
Why Why would.
Speaker 7 (20:40):
God do this?
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Why would he give only to take?
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Her voice cracked Elisha. Let the words hit him, let
the weight of them settle. He could have rebuked her,
he could have told her to have faith, But what
did words mean in the face of this? Instead, he
stepped forward, slowly, gently, and he placed his hand over hers.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
Miriam inhaled sharply, as if bracing for a second blow.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
I don't know why God does what he does. I
don't know why he allows grief to take root what
joy once bloomed.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
Her breath hitched.
Speaker 5 (21:23):
But I do know that he sees you, He sees this.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
His hand, warm and firm, stayed over hers.
Speaker 5 (21:33):
And I know he's.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Not done yet.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Miriam's lips trembled, Her body, once taught with rage, sagged.
The fight in her was slipping away, not because she
no longer felt it, but because she had no more
strength to wield it. Elisha squeezed her hand once before
stepping past her toward the boy. Elisha reached the bed
(22:00):
and placed a hand on ASA's forehead. This was a
moment where faith had to be more than words, a
moment where trust had to be something lived. Elisha exhaled,
and then he did as Elijah had done. He stretched
himself over the boy, hands to hands, eyes to eyes,
(22:22):
mouth to mouth. A prayer tore from his lips, rough, raw, desperate.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Lord, let his life return nothing.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
He tried again, yahweh hear me. The boy's body remained still.
Elijhah sat back exhaling sharply, his heart pounding, He closed
his eyes. This wasn't working. He had done what Elijah
had done, and yet his mind flickered back to something
(22:55):
Elijah had said once. It isn't the words in shock,
is in the method. It is the one wholves. Elisha exhaled,
and he leaned down again, not as a man mimicking another,
but as a man surrendering to something far greater than himself.
(23:18):
He prayed, and this time it wasn't desperate, it was trust.
Then a shudder, a gasp, Ace's body convulsed beneath him,
and suddenly he was coughing, breath spilling back into his
lungs like water bursting through a crack down. His eyes
(23:39):
shot open, wide, confused, alive. Elisha pulled back, breathing hard,
his own chest rising and falling with disbelief and awe.
Elisha turned eyes, locking with Miriams. For a long moment,
she didn't move. Then she let out to sound something
(24:01):
between a sob and a laugh, and suddenly she was
across the room, her arms wrapping around Asa, pulling him close,
her hands tangling in his hair, her tears hot against
his skin. Elisha stood back watching his heart pounding, his
body light. This was Jahue's work, This was grace. Miriam,
(24:27):
still holding her son, turned her tears streaked face toward him.
Her lips parted, but no words came. Elisha only nodded
and departed.
Speaker 6 (24:44):
If your faith has been kindled by this podcast and
it has affected your life, we'd love it if you
left her of view. We read them, and me personally
I cherish them as you venture forth boldly and faithfully.
I leave you with the biblical blessing from numbers six
ivarech hashem vi schmerecher yeah heir hashempanave ileha rocher ye
(25:10):
sa hashempanavelechra vi Salon. May the Lord bless you and
keep you. May the Lord make his face shine upon you.
May he be gracious to you. Made the Lord turn
his face towards you and give you peace.
Speaker 1 (25:25):
Amen. You can listen to the Chosen People with Isle
Exstein add free by downloading and subscribing to the prey
dot Com app today. This Prey dog comproduction is only
made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina,
Max Bard, Zach Shellabaga and Ben Gammon are the executive
(25:47):
producers of The Chosen People with Yaiele Exstein, edited by
Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltefianu. Characters are voiced by
Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz, Mike Ray Pagan, Stephen Ringwold,
Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland, Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and Mitch Leshinsky,
(26:07):
and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music
by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie
and Chris Baig. Special thanks to Bishop Paulinier, Robin van Ettin,
kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, Rabbi Edward Abramson, and the team
at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You can hear
(26:29):
more Prey dot com productions on the Prey dot com app,
available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
If you enjoyed The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please
rate and leave a review.
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