2 Kings 4:2

2 Kings 4:2 in other versions

• New International Version (NIV)Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?" And she said, "Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil."
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)“What can I do to help you?” Elisha asked. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?” “Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil,” she replied.

Context of 2 Kings 4:2

1Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil. 3Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. 4And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.

2 Kings 4:2 word by word

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלֶ֤יהָ אֱלִישָׁע֙ מָ֣ה אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לָּ֔ךְ הַגִּ֣ידִי לִ֔י מַה־יֶּשׁ־לָ֖ךְ בַּבָּ֑יִת וַתֹּ֗אמֶר אֵ֣ין לְשִׁפְחָתְךָ֥ כֹל֙ בַּבַּ֔יִת כִּ֖י אִם־אָס֥וּךְ שָֽׁמֶן׃Read the interlinear

• And Elishaאֱלִישָׁע'ĕlîyshâ‛ · ElishaH477
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto her, What shall I doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• for thee? tellנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• me, what hastיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
• thou in the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• Thine handmaidשִׁפְחָהshiphchâh · maidservantH8198
• save a potאָסוּךְ'âsûk · flaskH610
• of oilשֶׁ֫מֶןshemen · oilH8081

Cross-references for 2 Kings 4:2

• 2 Kings 2:9And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
• 2 Kings 6:26And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.
• Matthew 15:34And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.
• John 6:5When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
• Acts 3:6Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
• 2 Corinthians 6:10As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
• 1 Kings 17:12And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
• James 2:5Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

Commentaries on 2 Kings 4:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Save a pot of oil - Oil was used as aliment, for anointing the body after bathing, and to anoint the dead. Some think that this pot of oil was what this widow had kept for her burial: see Matthew 26:12.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2A pot of oil - Or, “an anointing of oil” - so much oil, i. e., as would serve me for one anointing of my person. The word used occurs only in this passage.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-42-4. a pot--or cruet of oil. This comprising her whole stock of domestic utensils, he directs her to borrow empty vessels not a few; then, secluding herself with her children, [the widow] was to pour oil from her cruse into the borrowed vessels, and, selling the oil, discharge the debt, and then maintain herself and family with the remainder.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 4:2

• Debtor
• Elisha
• Miracles
• Oil
• Poor
• Readings, Select
• Servant
• Widow

In the dictionaries

• Elisha
• Aside
• Careful
• Desire
• Daniel, Book of
• Debt; Debtor
• Handmaid
• Images
• Jehoahaz
• Jehoram; Joram

Commentaries on 2 Kings 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings