2 Kings 4:39

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.

2 Kings 4:39 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 4:39

And one went out into the fields to gather herbs
To put into the pottage, the gardens affording none in this time of dearth; or, however, being scarce, were at too great a price for the sons of the prophets to purchase them; and therefore one of them went out into the field to gather what common herbs he could:

and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full;
thought to be the same with coloquintida, the leaves of which are very like to a vine, of a very bitter taste, and a very violent purgative, which, if not remedied, will produce ulcerations in the bowels, and issue in death; some think the white brier or white vine is meant, the colour of whose berries is very inviting to look at, but very bitter and ungrateful, and it vehemently purges ^F2; the Arabs call a sort of mushroom that is white and soft by this name ^F3, but cannot be meant here, because it has no likeness to a wild vine:

and came and shred them into the pot of pottage;
cut or chopped them small, and put them into the pot:

for they knew them not;
what they were, the nature and virtue of them, being unskilful in botany.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 Vid. Scheuchzer. Physic. Sacr. vol. 3. p. 605, 606.
F3 Golius, col. 1817.

2 Kings 4:39 In-Context

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.

41 So he said, "Then bring some flour." And he put it into the pot, and said, "Serve it to the people, that they may eat." And there was nothing harmful in the pot.