2 Kings 4 · Verse 38

2 Kings 4:38

And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets.
2 Kings 4:38, King James Version

2 Kings 4:38 in other translations

BSBWhen Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. As the sons of the prophets were sitting at his feet, he said to his attendant, “Put on the large pot and boil some stew for the sons of the prophets.”
WEBElisha came again to Gilgal. There was a famine in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him; and he said to his servant, “Get the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.”
ASVAnd Elisha came again to Gilgal. And there was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him; and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of the prophets.
YLTAnd Elisha hath turned back to Gilgal, and the famine is in the land, and the sons of the prophets are sitting before him, and he saith to his young man, ‘Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of the prophets.'
DARBYAnd Elisha came again to Gilgal. And there was a famine in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him. And he said to his servant, Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of the prophets.
BBEAnd Elisha went back to Gilgal, now there was very little food in the land; and the sons of the prophets were seated before him. And he said to his servant, Put the great pot on the fire, and make soup for the sons of the prophets.
WebsterAnd Elisha came again to Gilgal. And there was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said to his servant, Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of the prophets.

What does 2 Kings 4:38 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
38. there was a dearth in the land--(see on 2Ki 8:1). the sons of the prophets were sitting before him--When receiving instruction, the scholars sat under their masters. This refers to their being domiciled under the same roof (compare 2Ki 6:1). Set on the great pot--As it is most likely that the Jewish would resemble the Egyptian "great pot," it is seen by the monumental paintings to have been a large goblet, with two long legs, which stood over the fire on the floor. The seethed pottage consisted of meat cut into small pieces, mixed with rice or meal and vegetables.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 38 Came again to Gilgal - He had been there before with his master, a short time prior to his translation. Set on the great pot and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets - It was in a time of dearth, and all might now stand in need of refreshment; and it appears that the prophet was led to put forth the power he had from God to make a plentiful provision for those who were present. The father of the celebrated Dr. Young, author of the Night Thoughts, preaching a charity sermon for the benefit of the sons of the clergy, took the above words for his text; nor could they be said to be inappropriate.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Kings 4:38-44
There was a famine of bread, but not of hearing the word of God, for Elisha had the sons of the prophets sitting before him, to hear his wisdom. Elisha made hurtful food to become safe and wholesome. If a mess of pottage be all our dinner, remember that this great prophet had no better for himself and his guests. The table often becomes a snare, and that which should be for our welfare, proves a trap: this is a good reason why we should not feed ourselves without fear. When we are receiving the supports and comforts of life, we must keep up an expectation of death, and a fear of sin. We must acknowledge God's goodness in making our food wholesome and nourishing; I am the Lord that healeth thee. Elisha also made a little food go a great way. Having freely received, he freely gave. God has promised his church, that he will abundantly bless her provision, and satisfy her poor with bread, Psa 132:15; whom he feeds, he fills; and what he blesses, comes to much. Christ's feeding his hearers was a miracle far beyond this, but both teach us that those who wait upon God in the way of duty, may hope to be supplied by Divine Providence.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

2 Kings 4:38 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וֶאֱלִישָׁ֞עve.'e.li.Sha'and ElishaH477
שָׁ֤בshavhe returnedH7725
הַגִּלְגָּ֙לָה֙ha.gil.Ga.lah<the> Gilgal towardsH1537
וְהָרָעָ֣בve.ha.ra.'Avand <the> famineH7458
בָּאָ֔רֶץba.'A.retz[was] in the landH776
וּבְנֵי֙u.ve.Neiand [the] sons ofH1121
הַנְּבִיאִ֔יםha.ne.vi.'Imthe prophetsH5030
יֹשְׁבִ֖יםyo.she.Vim[were] sittingH3427
לְפָנָ֑יוle.fa.Nav<to> before himH6440
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
לְנַעֲר֗וֹle.na.'a.Roto servant hisH5288
שְׁפֹת֙she.Fotput onH8239
הַסִּ֣ירha.Sirthe potH5518
הַגְּדוֹלָ֔הha.ge.do.Lah<the> largeH1419
וּבַשֵּׁ֥לu.va.Sheland cookH1310
נָזִ֖ידna.Zidcooked foodH5138
לִבְנֵ֥יliv.Neifor [the] sons ofH1121
הַנְּבִיאִֽים\׃ha.ne.vi.'Imthe prophetsH5030

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Kings 4:38

  • 2 Kings 8:1

    Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the Lord hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.

  • 2 Kings 2:3

    And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth–el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.

  • 2 Kings 2:1

    And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

  • Luke 10:39

    And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.

  • Acts 22:3

    I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

  • Leviticus 26:26

    And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied.

  • Luke 4:25

    But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

  • 1 Samuel 7:16-17

    And he went from year to year in circuit to Beth–el, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places. And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the Lord.

  • Luke 8:35

    Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

  • John 21:9

    As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.

  • Proverbs 8:34

    Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

  • John 21:5

    Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Elisha.
2:1; 1Sa 7:16,17; Ac 10:38; 15:36
a dearth.
8:1; Le 26:26; De 28:22-24,38-40; 2Sa 21:1; Jer 14:1-6; Eze 14:13
Lu 4:25
the sons.
2:3; 1Sa 19:20
were sitting.
Pr 8:34; Lu 2:46; 8:35,38; 10:39; Ac 22:3
Set on the great pot.
Mr 6:37; 8:2-6; Lu 9:13; Joh 21:5,9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Kings 4:37

    Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.

  • 2 Kings 4:38

    And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets.

  • 2 Kings 4:39

    And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not.

Read all of 2 Kings 4

2 Kings 4:38 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y Eliseo se volvió á Gilgal. Había entonces grande hambre en la tierra. Y los hijos de los profetas estaban con él, por lo que dijo á su criado: Pon una grande olla, y haz potaje para los hijos de los profetas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et Élisée retourna à Guilgal. Or il y avait une famine dans le pays. Et les fils des prophètes étaient assis devant lui; et il dit à son jeune homme: Mets la grande marmite, et cuis un potage pour les fils des prophètes.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Elisa aber kehrte nach Gilgal zurück. Und es war Hungersnot im Lande. Und die Söhne der Propheten saßen vor ihm. Und er sprach zu seinem Knaben: Setze den großen Topf auf und koche ein Gericht für die Söhne der Propheten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et Eliseus reversus est in Galgala. Erat autem fames in terra, et filii prophetarum habitabant coram eo. Dixitque uni de pueris suis: Pone ollam grandem, et coque pulmentum filiis prophetarum.