figure of Christ, as it was
necessary that he should come himself to bring the dead child to life
and restore him to his mother, who is here, in a mystical sense, a
figure of the Church.

4:32. Eliseus, therefore, went into the house, and behold the child lay
dead on his bed:

4:33. And going in, he shut the door upon him, and upon the child, and
prayed to the Lord.

4:34. And he went up, and lay upon the child: and put his mouth upon his
mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he
bowed himself upon him, and the child's flesh grew warm.

4:35. Then he returned and walked in the house, once to and fro: and he
went up, and lay upon him: and the child gaped seven times, and opened
his eyes.

4:36. And he called Giezi, and said to him: Call this Sunamitess. And
she being called, went in to him: and he said: Take up thy son.

4:37. She came and fell at his feet, and worshipped upon the ground: and
took up her son, and went out.

4:38. And Eliseus returned to Galgal, and there was a famine in the
land, and the sons of the prophets dwelt before him: And he said to one
of his servants: Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of
the prophets.

4:39. And one went out into the field to gather wild herbs: and he found
something like a wild vine, and gathered of it wild gourds of the field,
and filled his mantle, and coming back, he shred them into the pot of
pottage; for he knew not what it was.

Wild gourds of the field... Colocynthidas. They are extremely bitter,
and therefore are called the gall of the earth; and are poisonous if
taken in a great quantity.

4:40. And they poured it out for their companions to eat: and when they
had tasted of the pottage, they cried out, saying: Death is in the pot,
O man of God. And they could not eat thereof.

4:41. But he said: Bring some meal. And when they had brought it, he
cast it into the pot, and said: Pour out for the people, that they may
eat. And there was now no bitterness in the pot.

4:42. And a certain man came from Baalsalisa, bringing to the man of
God, bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and new corn in
his scrip. And he said: Give to the people, that they may eat.

4:43. And his servant answered him: How much is this, that I should set
it before a hundred men? He said again: Give to the people, that they
may eat: for thus saith the Lord: They shall eat, and there shall be
left.

4:44. So he set it befo