And he said, About this season, next year, you shall embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, you man of God, do not lie unto your handmaid.
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Caesarius of Arles
AD 542
We have heard that after this blessed Elisha passed by Shunem, where a certain woman received him and said to her husband, “I perceive that this is a man of God: let us make him a chamber and put a bed in it for him, and a table, and a stool and a candlestick, that when he comes, he may abide there.” Now, that woman was sterile, but at the prayer of Elisha she bore a son. So, too, the church was sterile before the coming of Christ; but just as that other bore a son at the prayer of Elisha, so the church bore the Christian people when Christ came to it. However, the son of that woman died during the absence of Elisha; thus also, the church’s son, that is, the Gentiles, died through sin before Christ’s advent. When Elisha came down from the mountain, the widow’s son was revived; and when Christ came down from heaven, the church’s son or the Gentiles were restored to life. - "Sermon 128.6"
Elisha said to the Shunammite woman, “At this season, in due time, you shall embrace a son.” He wanted to pay his debt for her service and pious assistance to him. Since she was blessed with the goods of the Law but was deprived of children, even though the Law also promised children to those who observed it, she ardently desired to have an heir for those goods. So Elisha promised the Shunammite woman this blessing, even though she had not asked for it. - "On the Second Book of Kings 4.16"
Womb. Hebrew, "At this season, according to the time of life, (Haydock; or of a woman with child, Menochius) thou shalt embrace a son "in thy arms. (Haydock) See Genesis xviii. 10. (Calmet)
If is added by St. Jerome, agreeably to an usual form of speaking. (Menochius)
The prophet assures the woman, that she will not only live, but also bear a son, and nurse him.
Lie, deceive, (ver. 28; Haydock) or flatter me with vain hopes. (Calmet) She might think that the prophet was not actually inspired. (Menochius)
Through joy, she could hardly believe. See Luke xxiv. 41. (Haydock)
