2 Kings 4:38

38 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."

2 Kings 4:38 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 4:38

And Elisha came again to Gilgal
Where he was with Elijah a little before his assumption to heaven, ( 2 Kings 2:1 ) and whither he went, there being a school of the prophets, as he did to all places where there were any, and where he had been before with Elijah; partly to instruct, encourage, and strengthen them, and partly to confirm his office as a prophet by miracles, which he did in several places he came to:

and there was a dearth in the land;
a famine through drought:

and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him:
as disciples before their master, see ( Acts 22:3 )

and he said unto his servant;
very probably Gehazi:

set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets;
who seemed to have lived together in one house or college, and to be to the number of one hundred, see ( 2 Kings 4:43 ) and therefore required to have a large pot set on to boil pottage for them all.

2 Kings 4:38 In-Context

36 And he called Gehazi and said, "Call this Shunammite woman." So he called her. And when she came in to him, he said, "Pick up your son."

37 So she went in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground; then she picked up her son and went out.

38 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."

39 So one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered from it a lapful of wild gourds, and came and sliced them into the pot of stew, though they did not know what they were.

40 Then they served it to the men to eat. Now it happened, as they were eating the stew, that they cried out and said, "Man of God, there is death in the pot!" And they could not eat it.