2 Kings 4:41

2 Kings 4:41 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot.
• New International Version (NIV)Elisha said, “Get some flour.” He put it into the pot and said, “Serve it to the people to eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.
• English Standard Version (ESV)He said, "Then bring flour." And he threw it into the pot and said, "Pour some out for the men, that they may eat." And there was no harm in the pot.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So he said, “Then bring some flour.” And he put it into the pot, and said, “Serve it to the people, that they may eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.

Context of 2 Kings 4:41

39Then one went out into the field to gather mallow, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds; and he came and sliced them into the pot of stew, because they did not know what they were. 40So they poured it out for the men to eat. But as they were eating the stew, they cried out and said, “You man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they were unable to eat. Then he said, “Bring flour.” And he threw it into the pot, and said, “Pour it out for the people that they may eat.” Then there was nothing harmful in the pot. 42Now a man came from Baal-shalishah, and brought the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh grain in his sack. And Elisha said, “Give them to the people that they may eat.” 43But his attendant said, “How am I to serve this to a hundred men?” Nevertheless he said, “Give them to the people that they may eat, for this is what the Lord says: ‘They shall eat and have some left over.’”

2 Kings 4:41 word by word

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ וּקְחוּ־קֶ֔מַח וַיַּשְׁלֵ֖ךְ אֶל־הַסִּ֑יר וַיֹּ֗אמֶר צַ֤ק לָעָם֙ וְיֹאכֵ֔לוּ וְלֹ֥א הָיָ֛ה דָּבָ֥ר רָ֖ע בַּסִּֽיר׃ סRead the interlinear

• Then he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Bringלָקַחlâqach · to take: bringH3947
• flourקֶ֫מַחqemach · flourH7058
• And he threwשָׁלַךְshâlak · to throwH7993
• it into the potסִירsîyr sîyrâh sirâh · potH5518
• Pourיָצַקyâtsaq · to pour: pourH3332
• outיָצַקyâtsaq · to pour: pourH3332
• for the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• that they may eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• Then there was nothingלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• Then there was nothingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: deedH1697
• harmfulרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451

Cross-references for 2 Kings 4:41

• 2 Kings 2:21Then he went out to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have purified these waters; there shall not come from there death or unfruitfulness any longer.’”
• 2 Kings 5:10And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.”
• 2 Kings 6:6Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And when he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there, and made the iron float.
• Exodus 15:25Then he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet. There He made for them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them.
• John 9:6When He had said this, He spit on the ground, and made mud from the saliva, and applied the mud to his eyes,
• 1 Corinthians 1:25For the foolishness of God is wiser than mankind, and the weakness of God is stronger than mankind.
• Acts 28:5However, Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 4:41

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 41Bring meal - Though this might, in some measure, correct the strong acrid and purgative quality; yet it was only a miracle which could make a lapful of this fruit shred into pottage salutary.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 41Then bring meal - The natural properties of meal would but slightly diminish either the bitterness or the unwholesomeness of a drink containing colocynth. It is evident, therefore, that the conversion of the food from a pernicious and unsavory mess into palatable and wholesome nourishment was by miracle.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. 39-41The men quickly realized the young man's wild gourds were poisonous. They didn't want to be poisoned or waste the stew during a famine, so they asked Elisha for help. The flour symbolized God's miraculous provision of food.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 4:41

• Elisha
• Miracles

In the dictionaries

• Aside
• Careful
• Desire
• Daniel, Book of
• Elisha
• Images
• Jehoahaz
• Jehoram; Joram
• Kings, Books of
• Marriage

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