2 Kings 4

2 Kings · Chapter 4

2 Kings 4:38

1Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.2And 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.3Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.4And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.5So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.6And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.7Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.8And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.9And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.10Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.11And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there.12And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.13And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.14And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.15And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.16And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.17And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.18And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.19And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.20And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.21And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.22And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again.23And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.24Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.25So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite:26Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well.27And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.28Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?29Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.30And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.31And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.32And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.33He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.34And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.35Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.36And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son.37Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.38And 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.39And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not.40So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, O thou man of God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eat thereof.41But 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.42And there came a man from Baalshalisha, 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.43And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the LORD, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof.44So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the word of the LORD.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
38And 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.When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. As the sons of the prophets were sitting at his feet, he said to his attendant, “Put on the large pot and boil some stew for the sons of the prophets.”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 boil pottage for the sons of the prophets.

In context

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Where

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Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and Elishaוֶאֱלִישָׁ֞עve-'e-li-SHA'H0477
Elisha

אֱלִישָׁע (e.li.sah) A prophet living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.19.16; son of: Shaphat (H8202H) Also named: Elissaios (Ἐλισσαῖος "Elisha" G1666) § Elisha = "God is salvation" the great prophet who succeeded Elijah

he returnedשָׁ֤בshavH7725G
to return: return

שׁוּב (shuv) : return 1) to return, turn back 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn back, return 1a1a) to turn back 1a1b) to return, come or go back 1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back 1a1d) of dying 1a1e) of human relations (fig) 1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig) 1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise 1a1f2) to turn away (of God) 1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent 1a1f4) turn back (from evil) 1a1g) of inanimate things 1a1h) in repetition 1b) (Polel) 1b1) to bring back 1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig) 1b3) to lead away (enticingly) 1b4) to show turning, apostatise 1c) (Pual) restored (participle) …

the Gilgal towardsהַגִּלְגָּ֙לָה֙ha-gil-GA-lahH1537H
Gilgal

גִּלְגָּל (gil.gal) § Gilgal = "a wheel, rolling" dwelling place of prophets in northern Israel about four miles (7 km) from Shiloh and Bethel

and the famineוְהָרָעָ֣בve-ha-ra-'AVH7458
famine

רָעָב (ra.av) 1) famine, hunger 1a) famine (in land, nation) 1a1) of Jehovah's word (fig) 1b) hunger (of individuals)

[was] in the landבָּאָ֔רֶץba-'A-retzH0776G
land: country/planet

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) : country/field 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth …

and [the] sons ofוּבְנֵי֙u-ve-NEIH1121A
son: child

בֵּן (ben) : child/son

the prophetsהַנְּבִיאִ֔יםha-ne-vi-'IMH5030
prophet

נְבִיא (ne.vi) prophet Aramaic of na.vi (נָבִיא "prophet" H5030)

[were] sittingיֹשְׁבִ֖יםyo-she-VIMH3427
to dwell

יָשַׁב (ya.shav) 1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to sit, sit down 1a2) to be set 1a3) to remain, stay 1a4) to dwell, have one's abode 1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited 1c) (Piel) to set, place 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to sit 1d2) to cause to abide, set 1d3) to cause to dwell 1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited 1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to) 1e) (Hophal) 1e1) to be inhabited 1e2) to make to dwell Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)

to before himלְפָנָ֑יוle-fa-NAVH6440G
face: before

פָּנֶה (pa.neh) : before/to/front 1) face 1a) face, faces 1b) presence, person 1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim) 1d) face (of animals) 1e) face, surface (of ground) 1f) as adv of loc/temp 1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before 1g) with prep 1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of

and he saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai-YO-merH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

to servant hisלְנַעֲר֗וֹle-na-'a-ROH5288
youth

נַ֫עַר (na.ar) 1) a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer 1a) boy, lad, youth 1b) servant, retainer

put onשְׁפֹת֙she-FOTH8239
to set

שָׁפַת (sha.phat) 1) to set, place, put, ordain 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to set 1a2) to ordain, establish

the potהַסִּ֣ירha-SIRH5518A
pot

סִיר (sir) 1) pot 1a) pot (household utensil) 1b) pot (of temple)

the largeהַגְּדוֹלָ֔הha-ge-do-LAHH1419A
great: large

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) adj 1) great 1a) large (in magnitude and extent) 1b) in number 1c) in intensity 1d) loud (in sound) 1e) older (in age) 1f) in importance 1f1) important things 1f2) great, distinguished (of men) 1f3) God Himself (of God) subst 1g) great things 1h) haughty things 1i) greatness Also means: ga.dol (גָּדוֹל ": old" H1419K) § Haggedolim = "the great one" (CLBL) Haggedolim, the great man?, father of Zabdiel

and cookוּבַשֵּׁ֥לu-va-SHELH1310
to boil

בָּשַׁל (ba.shal) 1) to boil, cook, bake, roast, ripen, grow ripe 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to boil, cook 1a2) to grow ripe, ripen 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to boil 1b2) to cook 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to be boiled 1c2) to be sodden 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to ripen 1d2) ripen, brought to ripeness

cooked foodנָזִ֖ידna-ZIDH5138
stew

נָזִיד (na.zid) boiled food, soup, pottage, thing sodden or boiled

for [the] sons ofלִבְנֵ֥יliv-NEIH1121A
son: child

בֵּן (ben) : child/son

the prophetsהַנְּבִיאִֽים׃ha-ne-vi-'IMH5030
prophet

נְבִיא (ne.vi) prophet Aramaic of na.vi (נָבִיא "prophet" H5030)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.