And there came a man from Baalshalisha
Of which place (See Gill on 1 Samuel 9:4), the Targum is, from the south country:
and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of
barley;
so that it was now barley harvest, and this the first fruits of it, which, according to the law, ( Leviticus 23:10 ) , was to be brought to the priest; but being forbid in the land of Israel going up to Jerusalem, religious men brought their firstfruits to the prophets, and here to Elisha, the father of them; believing it would be dispensed with, and acceptable, since they were not allowed to carry them to the proper person; and in this time of famine was very agreeable to the man of God, supposing it only a present:
and full ears of corn in the husk thereof;
these were green ears of corn, which they used to parch; but might not be eaten until the firstfruits were offered, and then they might, ( Leviticus 23:14 ) , the Targum renders it, "in his garment", in the skirt of his clothes; and to the same purpose are the Syriac and Arabic versions; and so Jarchi interprets it; and Ben Gersom says, it signifies some vessel in which he brought them:
and he said, give unto the people, that they may eat;
Elisha did not reserve this offering or present for himself, but, as he had freely received, he freely gave.