2 Kings 4:42

Contextual Overview

³⁸When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. The sons of the prophets were sitting before him. He said to his attendant, “Put on the large pot and make stew for the sons of the prophets.” ³⁸ Elisha came again to Gilgal. 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 stew for the sons of the prophets. 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. 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." ³⁸ When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a shortage of food in the land. While the groups of prophets were sitting in front of him, he said to his servant, "Put the large pot on the fire, and boil some stew for these men." ³⁸ Now Elisha went back to Gilgal, while there was famine in the land. Some of the prophets were visiting him and he told his servant, "Put the big pot on the fire and boil some stew for the prophets." ³⁸Elisha came back to Gilgal during a famine in the land. The sons of the prophets were sitting before him, and he said to his servant, "Put on the large pot and cook stew for the sons of the prophets." ³⁸ When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. As the sons of the prophets were sitting in front of him, he said to his servant, "Put on the large pot and boil stew for the sons of the prophets." ³⁸ Afterward Elisha returned to Gilgal, and a famine was in the land, and the children of the Prophets dwelt with him. And hee sayd vnto his seruant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the children of the Prophets. ³⁸Now Elisha returned to Gilgal, and there was a famine in the land. As the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, he said to his young man, "Put on the large pot and boil stew for the sons of the prophets."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Baalshalisha: 1 Samuel 9:4, 1 Samuel 9:7

bread: 2 Kings 4:38, Exodus 23:16, Deuteronomy 12:6, Deuteronomy 26:2-10, 1 Samuel 9:7, 2 Chronicles 11:13, 2 Chronicles 11:14, Proverbs 3:9, Proverbs 3:10, 1 Corinthians 9:11, Galatians 6:6

of barley: 2 Kings 7:1, 2 Kings 7:16-18, Deuteronomy 8:8, Deuteronomy 32:14, John 6:9, John 6:13

the husk thereof: or, his scrip, or garment, Note: Parched corn, or corn to be parched; full ears before they are ripe, parched on the fire: avery frequent food in the East. The loaves were probably extremely small, as their loaves of bread still are in eastern countries. But small as this may appear, it would be a considerable present in the time of famine; though very inadequate to the number of persons. Baal-shalisha, of which the person who made this seasonable present was an inhabitant, was situated, according to Eusebius and Jerome, fifteen miles north of Diospolis, or Lydda.

Reciprocal: Exodus 22:29 - shalt not delay Leviticus 2:14 - corn beaten Joshua 14:6 - the man 1 Kings 14:3 - And take 1 Kings 17:14 - The barrel of meal Daniel 1:15 - their Matthew 4:4 - but Matthew 14:16 - they Matthew 15:33 - Whence Mark 6:37 - give Mark 6:42 - General Mark 8:4 - From Mark 8:8 - they took Luke 9:13 - Give

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And there came a man from Baalshalisha,.... Of which place

:-, 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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Baal-shalisha - Fifteen Roman miles north of Lydda, in the Sharon plain to the west of the highlands of Ephraim. It was, apparently, the chief city of the “land of Shalisha” (marginal reference).

Bread of the first fruits - It appears by this that the Levitical priests having withdrawn from the land of Israel (see 2 Chronicles 11:13-14), pious Israelites transferred to the prophets, whom God raised up, the offerings required by the Law to be given to the priests Numbers 18:13; Deuteronomy 18:4.

In the husk thereof - “In his bag.” The word does not occur elsewhere in Scripture.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 4:42. Bread of the first-fruits — This was an offering to the prophet, as the first-fruits themselves were an offering to God.

Corn in the husk — Probably parched corn or corn to be parched, a very frequent food in the East; full ears, before they are ripe, parched on the fire.