Free Online Course - Ancient Christianity - The first Christians were courageous
Chapter Book
Loading
Change Translation
Loading...
  • Recent Translations
  • All Translations

2 Kings 4:38

Share

Settings

Elisha Purifies the Deadly Stew

38 And Elisha came again to 1Gilgal when 2there was a famine in the land. And as 3the sons of the prophets 4were sitting before him, he said to his servant, 5"Set on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets."
Read Chapter Compare
PREVIOUS 2 Kings 4:37 NEXT 2 Kings 4:39

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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

2 Kings 4:38 In-Context

36 Then he summoned Gehazi and said, "Call this Shunammite." So he called her. And when she came to him, he said, "Pick up your son."
37 She came and fell at his feet, bowing to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out.
38 And Elisha came again to Gilgal when there was a famine in the land. And as the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, he said to his servant, "Set on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets."
39 One of them went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds, and came and cut them up into the pot of stew, not knowing what they were.
40 And they poured out some for the men to eat. But while they were eating of the stew, they cried out, "O man of God, there is death in the pot!" And they could not eat it.

Cross References 5

  • 1. 2 Kings 2:1
  • 2. 2 Kings 8:1
  • 3. See 2 Kings 2:3
  • 4. Deuteronomy 33:3; Luke 10:39; Acts 22:3; [2 Kings 2:3, 5]
  • 5. Ezekiel 24:3
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.