2 Kings 4:43

43 But Elisha's attendant asked, "What? Am I to set 20 loaves before 100 men?"^[a] "Give it to the people to eat," Elisha said, "for this is what the Lord says: 'They will eat, and they will have some left over.' "

2 Kings 4:43 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 4:43

And his servitor said
His servant Gehazi very probably:

what, should I set this before one hundred men?
for so many, it seems, the sons of the prophets were in this place; and these loaves being very small, no more, it is thought by some, than one man could eat, and the ears of corn but few, the servant suggests they would be nothing comparatively to such a company of men:

he said again, give the people, that they may eat;
he insisted upon it that his orders should be obeyed:

for thus saith the Lord, they shall eat, and shall leave thereof;
it was suggested to him by a spirit of prophecy, there would be enough for them, and to spare.

2 Kings 4:43 In-Context

41 Then Elisha said, "Get some meal." He threw it into the pot and said, "Serve it for the people to eat." And there was nothing bad in the pot.

42 A man from Baal-shalishah came to the man of God with his sack full of 20 loaves of barley bread from the first bread of the harvest. Elisha said, "Give it to the people to eat."

43 But Elisha's attendant asked, "What? Am I to set 20 loaves before 100 men?" "Give it to the people to eat," Elisha said, "for this is what the Lord says: 'They will eat, and they will have some left over.' "

44 So he gave it to them, and as the Lord had promised, they ate and had some left over.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lk 9:13-14; Jn 6:9