Melachim Bais 4:39

39 And one went out into the sadeh to gather orot (herbs), and found a gefen sadeh, and gathered thereof pakku’ot sadeh (wild gourds), the fold of his beged he filled, and came and cut them up into the siyr of stew; though no one knew what they were.

Melachim Bais 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.

Melachim Bais 4:39 In-Context

37 Then she went in, and fell at his raglayim, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her ben, and went out.

38 And Elishah returned to Gilgal; and there was a ra’av (famine) in the land; and the Bnei HaNevi’im were sitting before him; and he said unto his na’ar, Put on the siyr hagedolah, and cook stew for the Bnei HaNevi’im.

39 And one went out into the sadeh to gather orot (herbs), and found a gefen sadeh, and gathered thereof pakku’ot sadeh (wild gourds), the fold of his beged he filled, and came and cut them up into the siyr of stew; though no one knew what they were.

40 So they poured out for the anashim to eat. And it came to pass, as they were eating of the stew, that they cried out, and said, O thou Ish HaElohim, there is mavet in the siyr. And they could not eat thereof.

41 But he said, Then bring kemakh (meal, flour). And he cast it into the siyr; and he said, Serve to HaAm, that they may eat. And there was no rah in the siyr.