The Shunammite woman is a notable example of a saint possessing riches in the Bible. Her account is primarily found in 2 Kings 4:8-37 and 2 Kings 8:1-6. She is described as a wealthy and influential woman from the town of Shunem, located in the territory of Issachar in ancient Israel.

Hospitality and Generosity

The Shunammite woman is first introduced in 2 Kings 4:8-10, where her wealth is evident through her ability to provide for the prophet Elisha. The Berean Standard Bible states, "One day Elisha went to Shunem, and a prominent woman who lived there persuaded him to have a meal. So whenever he would pass by, he would stop there to eat. Then she said to her husband, 'Behold, now I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Please let us make a small room upstairs and put in it a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp for him. Then whenever he comes to us, he can stay there.'" Her wealth allowed her to extend hospitality and generosity, providing a place of rest for the prophet.

Faith and Reward

The Shunammite's faith and kindness did not go unnoticed. Elisha, desiring to repay her generosity, prophesied that she would have a son despite her husband's old age (2 Kings 4:16): "And he said, 'At this time next year you will hold a son in your arms.' But she said, 'No, my lord, do not lie to your maidservant, O man of God.'" Her wealth was not just material but also spiritual, as she demonstrated faith in the word of the prophet. The prophecy was fulfilled, and she bore a son, showcasing the blessings that accompany faith and generosity.

Trial and Restoration

The Shunammite woman faced a severe trial when her son fell ill and died. Her response was one of faith and determination. She sought out Elisha, who ultimately restored her son to life (2 Kings 4:32-37). Her wealth, in this instance, was not a shield against life's trials, but her faith and relationship with God, as demonstrated through Elisha, brought restoration.

Preservation of Wealth

In 2 Kings 8:1-6, the Shunammite woman is advised by Elisha to leave her land due to an impending famine. She obeys and returns after seven years to find her land occupied. Her wealth and status are restored through divine intervention when the king, upon hearing her account from Gehazi, Elisha's servant, orders the restoration of her property and all the income from her land during her absence (2 Kings 8:6): "When the king asked the woman, she told him the account. So the king appointed for her a certain officer, saying, 'Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now.'"

The Shunammite woman exemplifies how wealth, when coupled with faith, generosity, and obedience to God, can be a means of blessing and restoration. Her account highlights the biblical principle that material riches are best used in service to God and others, and that true wealth is found in a life of faith and righteousness.2 Kings 4:8
And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Acceptable Sacrifice;
... apostle'; I am 'less than the least of all saints'; I was ... Yea, the more he wants,
the greater are his riches, if he ... Or, as the son of the Shunammite, 'My head! ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the acceptable sacrifice.htm

Against Jovinianus.
... and of single marriages derived from examples in the ... For these are the riches, and
these the ornaments of ... might upon these terms be numbered with the saints. ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/against jovinianus.htm

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