2 Kings 4:38 bbe — And Elisha went back to Gilgal, now there was very little food in the land; and the sons of the prophets were seated be…

Bible in Basic English

"And 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."

— 2 Kings 4:38, Bible in Basic English

Read in Another Translation

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2 Kings 4:38 in Other Translations

3 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “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.”

  • NET

    “Elisha Makes a Meal Edible 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.””

  • DRB

    “And Eliseus returned to Galgal, and there was a famine in the land, and the sons of the prophets dwelt before him: And he said to one of his servants: Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of the prophets.”

2 Kings 4 — Context

35

Then he came back, and after walking once through the house and back, he went up, stretching himself out on the child seven times; and the child's eyes became open.

36

And he gave orders to Gehazi, and said, Send for the Shunammite. And she came in answer to his voice. And he said, Take up your son.

37

And she came in, and went down on her face to the earth at his feet; then she took her son in her arms and went out.

38

And 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.

39

And one went out into the field to get green plants and saw a vine of the field, and pulling off the fruit of it till the fold of his robe was full, he came back and put the fruit, cut up small, into the pot of soup, having no idea what it was.

40

Then they gave the men soup from the pot. And while they were drinking the soup, they gave a cry, and said, O man of God, there is death in the pot; and they were not able to take any more food.

41

But he said, Get some meal. And he put it into the pot, and said, Now give it to the people so that they may have food. And there was nothing bad in the pot.

2 Kings 4:38 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 2 Kings 4:38 say?
2 Kings 4:38 in the Bible in Basic English reads: “And 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.”
Where is 2 Kings 4:38 in the Bible?
2 Kings 4:38 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 2 Kings, chapter 4, verse 38.
Who wrote 2 Kings?
2 Kings is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Jeremiah). It was written c. 561–538 BC.
What is the book of 2 Kings about?
2 Kings carries the divided kingdom from Elijah and Elisha through the fall of both Israel and Judah. Despite the prophets' warnings, both kingdoms decline through idolatry — the north into Assyrian captivity, the south into Babylonian exile — fulfilling the covenant curses.
What are the major themes of 2 Kings?
2 Kings explores themes including Judgment, Exile, Prophets, Covenant Curses, Remnant. These themes shape the meaning and context of 2 Kings 4:38.
What translation should I read 2 Kings 4:38 in?
2 Kings 4:38 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 2 Kings 4:38?
2 Kings 4:38 reads (BBE): “And 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.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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