2 Kings 4:38 net — Elisha Makes a Meal Edible Now Elisha went back to Gilgal, while there was famine in the land. Some of the prophets wer…

NET Bible

"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.”"

— 2 Kings 4:38, NET Bible

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2 Kings 4:38 in Other Translations

6 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.”

  • ASV

    “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 boil pottage for the sons of the prophets. ”

  • WEB

    “Elisha 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, "Set on the great pot, and boil stew for the sons of 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.”

  • 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.”

  • KJVA

    “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 — Context

35

Elisha went back and walked around in the house. Then he got up on the bed again and bent down over him. The child sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.

36

Elisha called to Gehazi and said,“Get the Shunammite woman.” So he did so and she came to him. He said to her,“Take your son.”

37

She came in, fell at his feet, and bowed down. Then she picked up her son and left.

38

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.”

39

Someone went out to the field to gather some herbs and found a wild vine. He picked some of its fruit, enough to fill up the fold of his robe. He came back, cut it up, and threw the slices into the stew pot, not knowing they were harmful.

40

The stew was poured out for the men to eat. When they ate some of the stew, they cried out,“Death is in the pot, O prophet!” They could not eat it.

41

He said,“Get some flour.” Then he threw it into the pot and said,“Now pour some out for the men so they may eat.” There was no longer anything harmful 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 NET Bible reads: “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.””
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 (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.”” 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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