2 Kings 4:38

2 Kings 4:38 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets.
• New International Version (NIV)Elisha returned to Gilgal and there was a famine in that region. While the company of the prophets was meeting with him, he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot and cook some stew for these prophets.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Elisha came again to Gilgal when there was a famine in the land. And as the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, he said to his servant, "Set on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And Elisha returned to Gilgal, and there was a famine in the land. Now the sons of the prophets were sitting before him; and he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.”

Context of 2 Kings 4:38

36He called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came in to him, he said, “Take up your son.” 37Then she went in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground, and she took up her son and went out. When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. As the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.” 39Then one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds, and came and sliced them into the pot of stew, for they did not know what they were. 40So they poured it out for the men to eat. And as they were eating of the stew, they cried out and said, “O man of God, there is death in the pot.” And they were unable to eat.

2 Kings 4:38 word by word

וֶאֱלִישָׁ֞ע שָׁ֤ב הַגִּלְגָּ֙לָה֙ וְהָרָעָ֣ב בָּאָ֔רֶץ וּבְנֵי֙ הַנְּבִיאִ֔ים יֹשְׁבִ֖ים לְפָנָ֑יו וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְנַעֲר֗וֹ שְׁפֹת֙ הַסִּ֣יר הַגְּדוֹלָ֔ה וּבַשֵּׁ֥ל נָזִ֖יד לִבְנֵ֥י הַנְּבִיאִֽים׃Read the interlinear

• When Elishaאֱלִישָׁע'ĕlîyshâ‛ · ElishaH477
• returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• Gilgalגִּלְגָּלgilgâl · GilgalH1537
• a famineרָעָבrâ‛âb · famineH7458
• in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of the prophetsנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
• were sittingיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• him, he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to his servantנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• Putשָׁפַתshâphath · to setH8239
• on the largeגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• potסִירsîyr sîyrâh sirâh · potH5518
• and boilבָּשַׁלbâshal · to boilH1310
• stewנָזִידnâzîyd · stewH5138

Cross-references for 2 Kings 4:38

• 2 Kings 2:1And it came about when the Lord was about to take up Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
• 1 Samuel 7:16He used to go annually on circuit to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places.
• Acts 10:38You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
• Acts 15:36After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”
• 2 Kings 8:1Now Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise and go with your household, and sojourn wherever you can sojourn; for the Lord has called for a famine, and it will even come on the land for seven years.”
• Leviticus 26:26When I break your staff of bread, ten women will bake your bread in one oven, and they will bring back your bread in rationed amounts, so that you will eat and not be satisfied.
• Deuteronomy 28:22The Lord will smite you with consumption and with fever and with inflammation and with fiery heat and with the sword and with blight and with mildew, and they will pursue you until you perish.
• 2 Samuel 21:1Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David sought the presence of the Lord. And the Lord said, “It is for Saul and his bloody house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.”
• Jeremiah 14:1That which came as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah in regard to the drought:
• Ezekiel 14:13“Son of man, if a country sins against Me by committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it, destroy its supply of bread, send famine against it and cut off from it both man and beast,
• Luke 4:25But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land;
• 2 Kings 2:3Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” And he said, “Yes, I know; be still.”
• 1 Samuel 19:20Then Saul sent messengers to take David, but when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing and presiding over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul; and they also prophesied.
• Proverbs 8:34Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts.
• Luke 2:46Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.
• Luke 8:35The people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 4:38

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 38Came again to Gilgal - He had been there before with his master, a short time prior to his translation. Set on the great pot and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets - It was in a time of dearth, and all might now stand in need of refreshment; and it appears that the prophet was led to put forth the power he had from God to make a plentiful provision for those who were present. The father of the celebrated Dr. Young, author of the Night Thoughts…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 38There was a dearth in the land - Rather, “The famine was in the land.” The seven years‘ dearth of which Elisha had prophesied (marginal reference) had begun. The sons of the prophets - See 1 Kings 20:35 note. They were sitting before him as scholars before their master, hearing his instructions.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 38-44Verses 38-44 There was a famine of bread, but not of hearing the word of God, for Elisha had the sons of the prophets sitting before him, to hear his wisdom. Elisha made hurtful food to become safe and wholesome. If a mess of pottage be all our dinner, remember that this great prophet had no better for himself and his guests. The table often becomes a snare, and that which should be for our welfare, proves a trap: this is a good reason why we should not…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 38Similar to Bethel (2 Kings 2:3) and Jericho (2 Kings 2:5, 15), Gilgal was a hub for a group of prophets (2 Kings 2:1). Elisha led these groups and sat at the head of the table during meals.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3838. there was a dearth in the land--(see on 2Ki 8:1). the sons of the prophets were sitting before him--When receiving instruction, the scholars sat under their masters. This refers to their being domiciled under the same roof (compare 2Ki 6:1). Set on the great pot--As it is most likely that the Jewish would resemble the Egyptian "great pot," it is seen by the monumental paintings to have been a large goblet, with two long legs, which stood over the fire…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 4:38

• Broth
• Elisha
• Gilgal
• Minister, Christian
• Miracles
• Prophets
• School
• Teachers
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Elisha
• Gilgal
• Aside
• Careful
• Dearth
• Desire
• Food
• Gourd
• Pottage
• Prophet

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