2 Kings 4:3

2 Kings 4:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.
• New International Version (NIV)Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then he said, "Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few.

Context of 2 Kings 4:3

1Now a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha saying, “Your servant my husband is dead—you know that your servant feared Adonai. Now the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” 2“What should I do for you?” Elisha asked her. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She replied, “Your handmaid has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” Then he said, “Go borrow for yourself vessels from all your neighbors—empty jars—not just a few. 4Then go inside and shut the door behind you and behind your sons, and pour into all those vessels, setting aside what is full.” 5So she left him and shut the door behind her and behind her sons. They kept bringing the vessels to her and she kept pouring.

2 Kings 4:3 word by word

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לְכִ֨י שַׁאֲלִי־לָ֤ךְ כֵּלִים֙ מִן־הַח֔וּץ מֵאֵ֖ת כָּל־שְׁכֵנָ֑יִךְ כֵּלִ֥ים רֵקִ֖ים אַל־תַּמְעִֽיטִי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• borrowשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
• thee vesselsכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627
• abroadחוּץchûts chûts · outsideH2351
• of all thy neighboursשָׁכֵןshâkên · neighborH7934
• emptyרֵיקrêyq rêq · worthlessH7386
• borrow not a fewמָעַטmâ‛aţ · to diminishH4591

Cross-references for 2 Kings 4:3

• 2 Kings 3:16and he said, “Thus says Adonai: Make this valley full of trenches.
• John 2:7Yeshua said to them, “Fill the jars with water!” So they filled them up to the top.
• 2 Kings 13:18Then he said, “Take the arrows!” and he took them. Then he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” and he struck it three times, then stopped.
• Psalms 81:10Let there be no foreign god among you, and you shall not worship any alien god.
• John 16:24Up to now, you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be full.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 4:3

• 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 4:3

• Debtor
• Elisha
• Miracles
• Oil
• Poor
• Readings, Select
• Servant
• Widow

In the dictionaries

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

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