New Living Translation
2 Kings 4:42
42One day a man from Baal-shalishah brought the man of God a sack of fresh grain and twenty loaves of barley bread made from the first grain of his harvest. Elisha said, “Give it to the people so they can eat.”
2 Kings 4:42 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And there came a man from Baal–shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat.
- New International Version (NIV)A man came from Baal Shalishah, bringing the man of God twenty loaves of barley bread baked from the first ripe grain, along with some heads of new grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” Elisha said.
- English Standard Version (ESV)A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, "Give to the men, that they may eat."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then a man came from Baal Shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley bread, and newly ripened grain in his knapsack. And he said, “Give it to the people, that they may eat.”
Context of 2 Kings 4:42
40Some of the stew was served to the men. But after they had eaten a bite or two they cried out, “Man of God, there’s poison in this stew!” So they would not eat it. 41Elisha said, “Bring me some flour.” Then he threw it into the pot and said, “Now it’s all right; go ahead and eat.” And then it did not harm them. One day a man from Baal-shalishah brought the man of God a sack of fresh grain and twenty loaves of barley bread made from the first grain of his harvest. Elisha said, “Give it to the people so they can eat.” 43“What?” his servant exclaimed. “Feed a hundred people with only this?” But Elisha repeated, “Give it to the people so they can eat, for this is what the Lord says: Everyone will eat, and there will even be some left over!” 44And when they gave it to the people, there was plenty for all and some left over, just as the Lord had promised.
Read all of 2 Kings 42 Kings 4:42 word by word
וְאִ֨ישׁ בָּ֜א מִבַּ֣עַל שָׁלִ֗שָׁה וַיָּבֵא֩ לְאִ֨ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֜ים לֶ֤חֶם בִּכּוּרִים֙ עֶשְׂרִֽים־לֶ֣חֶם שְׂעֹרִ֔ים וְכַרְמֶ֖ל בְּצִקְלֹנ֑וֹ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר תֵּ֥ן לָעָ֖ם וְיֹאכֵֽלוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And there cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- from Baal–shalishaבַּ֫עַל שָׁלִשָׁהba‛al shâlishâh · Baal-shalishahH1190
- and broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
- of the firstfruitsבִּכּוּרִיםbikkûr · firstfruitH1061
- twentyעֶשְׂרִים‛eώrîym · twentyH6242
- of barleyשְׂעֹרָהώe‛ôrâh ώe‛ôrâh ώe‛ôr ώe‛ôr · barleyH8184
- and full ears of cornכַּרְמֶלkarmel · plantationH3759
- in the huskצִקָּלֹןtsiqlôn · sackH6861
- thereof. And he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- unto the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- that they may eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
Cross-references for 2 Kings 4:42
- 1 Samuel 9:4So Saul took one of the servants and traveled through the hill country of Ephraim, the land of Shalishah, the Shaalim area, and the entire land of Benjamin, but they couldn’t find the donkeys anywhere.
- 2 Kings 4:38Elisha 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.”
- Exodus 23:16“Second, celebrate the Festival of Harvest, when you bring me the first crops of your harvest. “Finally, celebrate the Festival of the Final Harvest at the end of the harvest season, when you have harvested all the crops from your fields.
- Deuteronomy 12:6There you will bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, your sacred offerings, your offerings to fulfill a vow, your voluntary offerings, and your offerings of the firstborn animals of your herds and flocks.
- Deuteronomy 26:2put some of the first produce from each crop you harvest into a basket and bring it to the designated place of worship—the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored.
- 1 Samuel 9:7“But we don’t have anything to offer him,” Saul replied. “Even our food is gone, and we don’t have a thing to give him.”
- 2 Chronicles 11:13But all the priests and Levites living among the northern tribes of Israel sided with Rehoboam.
- Proverbs 3:9Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce.
- 1 Corinthians 9:11Since we have planted spiritual seed among you, aren’t we entitled to a harvest of physical food and drink?
- Galatians 6:6Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them.
- 2 Kings 7:1Elisha replied, “Listen to this message from the Lord! This is what the Lord says: By this time tomorrow in the markets of Samaria, six quarts of choice flour will cost only one piece of silver, and twelve quarts of barley grain will cost only one piece of silver.”
- Deuteronomy 8:8It is a land of wheat and barley; of grapevines, fig trees, and pomegranates; of olive oil and honey.
- Deuteronomy 32:14He fed them yogurt from the herd and milk from the flock, together with the fat of lambs. He gave them choice rams from Bashan, and goats, together with the choicest wheat. You drank the finest wine, made from the juice of grapes.
- John 6:9“There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”
Commentaries on 2 Kings 4:42
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 42Bread of the first-fruits - This was an offering to the prophet, as the first-fruits themselves were an offering to God. Corn in the husk - Probably parched corn or corn to be parched, a very frequent food in the East; full ears, before they are ripe, parched on the fire.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 42Baal-shalisha - Fifteen Roman miles north of Lydda, in the Sharon plain to the west of the highlands of Ephraim. It was, apparently, the chief city of the “land of Shalisha” (marginal reference). Bread of the first fruits - It appears by this that the Levitical priests having withdrawn from the land of Israel (see 2 Chronicles 11:13-14), pious Israelites transferred to the prophets, whom God raised up, the offerings required by the Law to be given to the…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. 42-44barley bread from the first ripe grain: This offering was like the first crops usually given to God (Leviticus 23:20) and to the priests (Deuteronomy 18:4–5) as their share. During the famine, Elisha shared the offering with everyone. Elisha fed a hundred people with a sack of fresh grain and twenty loaves of barley bread, which foreshadowed the miraculous acts Jesus did (Matthew 14:15–21; 15:32–38). Nothing is impossible for God (Matthew 19:26; Luke…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 4:42
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries