New International Version
2 Kings 4:38
38Elisha 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.”
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.
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Elisha now returned to Gilgal, and there was a famine in the land. One day as the group of prophets was seated before him, he said to his servant, “Put a large pot on the fire, and make some stew for the rest of the group.”
Context of 2 Kings 4:38
36Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite.” And he did. When she came, he said, “Take your son.” 37She came in, fell at his feet and bowed to the ground. Then she took her son and went out. 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.” 39One of them went out into the fields to gather herbs and found a wild vine and picked as many of its gourds as his garment could hold. When he returned, he cut them up into the pot of stew, though no one knew what they were. 40The stew was poured out for the men, but as they began to eat it, they cried out, “Man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they could not eat it.
Read all of 2 Kings 42 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Elishaאֱלִישָׁע'ĕlîyshâ‛ · ElishaH477
- came againשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- to Gilgalגִּלְגָּלgilgâl · GilgalH1537
- a dearthרָעָבrâ‛âb · famineH7458
- in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- and the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of the prophetsנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
- sittingיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- him: and he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto his servantנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- Setשָׁפַתshâphath · to setH8239
- on the greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- potסִירsîyr sîyrâh sirâh · potH5518
- and seetheבָּשַׁלbâshal · to boilH1310
- pottageנָזִידnâzîyd · stewH5138
Cross-references for 2 Kings 4:38
- 2 Kings 2:1When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.
- 1 Samuel 7:16From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places.
- Acts 10:38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
- Acts 15:36Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.”
- 2 Kings 8:1Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Go away with your family and stay for a while wherever you can, because the Lord has decreed a famine in the land that will last seven years.”
- Leviticus 26:26When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will be able to bake your bread in one oven, and they will dole out the bread by weight. You will eat, but you will not be satisfied.
- Deuteronomy 28:22The Lord will strike you with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight and mildew, which will plague you until you perish.
- 2 Samuel 21:1During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the Lord. The Lord said, “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.”
- Jeremiah 14:1This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:
- Ezekiel 14:13“Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals,
- Luke 4:25I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land.
- 2 Kings 2:3The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.”
- 1 Samuel 19:20so he sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came on Saul’s men, and they also prophesied.
- Proverbs 8:34Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.
- Luke 2:46After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
- Luke 8:35and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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