shunem Summary and Overview

two resting-places, a little village in the tribe of Issachar, to the north of Jezreel and south of Mount Gilboa (Josh. 19:18), where the Philistines encamped when they came against Saul (1 Sam. 28:4), and where Elisha was hospitably entertained by a rich woman of the place. On the sudden death of this woman's son she hastened to Carmel, 20 miles distant across the plain, to tell Elisha, and to bring him with her to Shunem. There, in the "prophet's chamber," the dead child lay; and Elisha entering it, shut the door and prayed earnestly: and the boy was restored to life (2 Kings 4:8-37). This woman afterwards retired during the famine to the low land of the Philistines; and on returning a few years afterwards, found her house and fields in the possession of a stranger. She appealed to the king at Samaria, and had them in a somewhat remarkable manner restored to her (compare 2 Kings 8:1-6).

(double resting-place), one of the cities allotted to the tribe of Issachar. #Jos 13:18| It is mentioned on two occasions -- #1Sa 23:4; 2Ki 4:8| It was besides the native place of Abishag. #1Ki 1:3| It is mentioned by Eusebius as five miles south of Mount Tabor, and then known us Sulem. This agrees with the position of the present Solam, a village three miles north of Jezreel and five from Gilboa.

SHU'NEM (two resting-places), a city in the territory of Issachar. Josh 19:18. The Philistines encamped there before the great battle of Gilboa. 1 Sam 28:4. David's wife, Abishag, was of Shunem, 1 Kgs 1:3, and it was the residence of the Shunammite woman who entertained Elisha. 2 Kgs 4:8. It answers to the modern Sulem, on the southwestern slope of Little Hermon, about 53 miles north of Jerusalem, 8 Roman miles from Tabor, and 3 1/2 miles north of Jezreel. The village is encircled by enclosed gardens and luxuriant fields of grain. Porter noticed children playing bareheaded in the grain-fields under the burning sun, thus illustrating how the Shunammite's child may have played in the prophet Elisha's day. The villagers are rude and hostile. The place is in full view of the sacred sites on Mount Carmel; it has a spring, from which, doubtless, the Philistine army was supplied with water.

SHUNAMITE. A city of Issachar (Joshua 19:18). The Philistines' place of encampment before the battle of Gilboa (1 Samuel 28:4). The residence of the Shunammite women (2 Kings 4:8), amidst grainfields; connected with Mount Carmel. Abishag's home (1 Kings 1:3). "Five miles S. of Mount Tabor," in Eusebius' (Onom.) time called "Sulem." Rather eight Roman miles from Tabor. Now Solam, a village on the S.W. side of "little Hermon," jebel Duhy, three miles N. of Jezreel, five from Gilboa (Fukua), in view of the sacred site on Mount Carmel, amidst rich grainfields. It has a spring, without which the Philistines would not have encamped there.