The Shunammite Woman and her Son

Photo © Martin Crampin, Imaging the Bible in Wales larger image

about 1879 Single figure with child in a field of corn. The figure holds a banner 'Fides' (Faith), and the text at the base of the window reads 'Jesus called a little child unto Him'. Child angels above, and the text 'Glory to God in the Highest'. technique: stained glass firm/studio: S. Belham & Co. Church of St Padarn, Llanbadarn Fawr, Ceredigion chancel Given in memory of Edward Whetnall son of Rev John E. Jones and his wife Alice (1875-79). The subject of the window is given in the Aberystwyth Observer 13 September 1884: 'the Shunamite woman ... is seen in the field, surrounded by the ripe sheaves of corn, with [her hand] upon the head of her little son, who is looking up into her face, with his little hand uplifted, as if in the act of saying, "My head, my head!" In her left hand she has a wand, attached to which is a scroll, and on which is written the word "Fides" (faith).' The text 'Jesus called a little child unto Him' refers to the death of the child, aged only three. The Shunammite woman is also depicted in two scenes with Elijah in the north wall of the north transept. However, the scene is not a direct illustration of any part of the biblical account of the Shunammite woman, since although the child is in the field when he falls ill (complaining that his head hurts) he is with his father (2 Kings 4:19). Since the child is raised by Elisha, the hope of the window is that the child will also be raised.  (ObjectID=957 ImageID=2805) Original File Name=_MG_4385.jpg

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• raising of the Shunammite woman's son  [2 Kings 4:32-37]

Thomas Lloyd, Julian Orbach and Robert Scourfield, The Buildings of Wales: Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion (London: Yale University Press, 2006), p. 496.

Photo © Martin Crampin, Imaging the Bible in Wales