2 Kings 4:2

2 Kings 4:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• 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

1The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.” 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.” 3Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 4Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• 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 2:9When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.
• 2 Kings 6:26As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried to him, “Help me, my lord the king!”
• Matthew 15:34“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.”
• John 6:5When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”
• Acts 3:6Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”
• 2 Corinthians 6:10sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
• 1 Kings 17:12“As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”
• James 2:5Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who 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