2 Kings 4:39 kjv
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.
2 Kings 4:39 nkjv
So one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered from it a lapful of wild gourds, and came and sliced them into the pot of stew, though they did not know what they were.
2 Kings 4:39 niv
One of them went out into the fields to gather herbs and found a wild vine and picked as many of its gourds as his garment could hold. When he returned, he cut them up into the pot of stew, though no one knew what they were.
2 Kings 4:39 esv
One of them went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds, and came and cut them up into the pot of stew, not knowing what they were.
2 Kings 4:39 nlt
One of the young men went out into the field to gather herbs and came back with a pocketful of wild gourds. He shredded them and put them into the pot without realizing they were poisonous.
2 Kings 4 39 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 15:23-25 | The people grumbled... So he cried to the Lord... waters became sweet. | God turning bitter water into good. |
| Dt 29:18 | lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit. | Warning against spiritual defilement. |
| Dt 32:32-33 | Their vine is from the vine of Sodom... Their wine is the poison of serpents. | Depicting wickedness as deadly fruit/poison. |
| Ps 33:18-19 | The eye of the Lord is on those who fear him... that he may keep them alive in famine. | God's protection during famine. |
| Ps 37:25 | I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. | God's faithfulness in providing sustenance. |
| Prov 1:7 | The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom... | Emphasizing the importance of knowledge/wisdom. |
| Is 5:13 | Therefore my people go into exile for lack of knowledge. | Consequence of a lack of knowledge. |
| Jer 8:14 | He has given us poisonous water to drink. | Judgment described as consuming poison. |
| Jer 9:15 | I will feed them wormwood and give them poisonous water to drink. | Another prophecy of judgment via poison. |
| Hos 4:6 | My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. | Direct link between ignorance and ruin. |
| Am 5:7 | you who turn justice to wormwood and cast righteousness to the ground! | Perversion leading to bitterness/poison. |
| 2 Ki 2:19-22 | The water is bad... Elisha threw salt... water has been healed. | Elisha's previous miracle healing bad water. |
| 2 Ki 4:1-7 | Elisha makes the widow's oil multiply during debt. | Elisha's miraculous provision. |
| 2 Ki 4:42-44 | Elisha miraculously feeds one hundred men with twenty loaves. | Another of Elisha's feeding miracles. |
| Mt 7:15-16 | Beware of false prophets... You will recognize them by their fruits. | Discerning true from harmful based on fruit. |
| Mk 16:18 | they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison... it will not hurt them. | Divine protection from poison (NT parallel). |
| Lk 9:12-17 | Jesus feeding the five thousand. | Jesus' miraculous feeding demonstrating provision. |
| Jn 2:7-10 | Jesus turns water into wine at the wedding feast. | Christ's power to transform and provide. |
| Acts 28:3-6 | Paul shaking off the viper into the fire and suffering no harm. | God's protection from natural dangers. |
| Rom 3:13 | The venom of asps is under their lips. | Describes sin as a source of poison. |
| 1 Cor 2:14 | The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God... for they are spiritually discerned. | Necessity of spiritual discernment. |
| Heb 5:14 | by constant practice have their senses trained to distinguish good from evil. | Need for spiritual maturity and discernment. |
| Phil 4:19 | My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory. | God's promise to provide for His people. |
| James 3:8 | no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. | Tongue as a source of deadly poison. |
| 1 Pet 2:2 | long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow. | Desire for pure spiritual nourishment. |
2 Kings 4 verses
2 Kings 4 39 Meaning
During a time of severe scarcity among the company of prophets at Gilgal, one individual unknowingly gathered poisonous wild gourds. These deadly gourds were then prepared and added to their communal stew, threatening the lives of everyone who would consume it due to their ignorance of the gourds' harmful nature.
2 Kings 4 39 Context
This verse is set in Gilgal, a location significant in Israelite history, and describes a period of famine that afflicted the land. Elisha, God's prophet, was present with "the sons of the prophets," a group of disciples who lived communally and trained under prophetic leadership. The scarcity of food forced them to forage, highlighting their vulnerability and reliance on divine provision. Immediately following Elisha's return to Gilgal from Shunem (2 Ki 4:38), this incident precedes Elisha's purification of the stew, showcasing God's care for His people even in desperation and error. The passage underscores Elisha's role as a man of God who brings life and provision in challenging circumstances.
2 Kings 4 39 Word analysis
- Then one went out: Refers to an unnamed "son of the prophets," a member of the communal prophetic guild under Elisha's leadership. This individual's action initiated the crisis for the entire group, highlighting a collective vulnerability despite individual effort.
- into the field: Hebrew ha'sadeh (הַשָּׂדֶה), emphasizing the open, uncultivated, wild spaces outside human settlement. It was a common place for foraging but also one of potential dangers due to unknown flora.
- to gather herbs: Hebrew lilaqqeṭ yaraq (לְלַקֵּט יֶרֶק). A general term for collecting green plants for food. This indicates their dire need, as foraging was typically a measure for survival during famine.
- and found a wild vine: Hebrew gephen saday (גֶּפֶן שָׂדֶה). Literally "vine of the field." This specifies a non-cultivated vine, inherently riskier than known food sources. In a broader Biblical context, "wild vine" can symbolize degeneracy or corruption (e.g., Is 5:2; Jer 2:21).
- and gathered from it wild gourds: Hebrew paqqou'ot saday (פַּקֻּעֹת שָׂדֶה). Specifically identifies a plant known as the Colocynth (Citrullus colocynthis). This fruit resembles a small, smooth melon or cucumber but is intensely bitter and highly purgative, causing severe illness, dehydration, and potentially death. Its common appearance made it easily mistaken for edible varieties by the desperate or uniformed.
- a lapful: Hebrew melo vigdam (מְלֹא בִגְדָּם), literally "the fullness of their garment." This signifies a significant quantity gathered, suggesting haste, lack of discretion, and perhaps a degree of excitement at finding what was thought to be a plentiful food source. The large quantity also meant a greater proportion of poison in the stew.
- and came and sliced them into the pot of stew: Shows immediate preparation for cooking. The "pot" (Hebrew sir, סִיר) indicates a communal cooking vessel, implying the potential danger extended to all. The rapid slicing without prior testing highlights their hunger and absence of careful discernment.
- for they did not know them: Hebrew ki lo yade'u (כִּי לֹא יָדָעוּ). This crucial phrase explicitly states the cause of the crisis: ignorance, not malice. It highlights a critical lack of discerning knowledge concerning what they were consuming. This speaks to the broader principle that even well-intentioned actions can lead to disastrous consequences if undertaken without proper knowledge, whether in the physical or spiritual realm.
2 Kings 4 39 Bonus section
- The incident highlights the importance of spiritual discernment, distinguishing between that which provides true spiritual nourishment and that which can be spiritually harmful or even deadly, especially in times of perceived "spiritual famine" or desperate search for answers.
- The vulnerability of even dedicated students of the prophet underscores that intellectual or communal association with godly leaders does not negate the need for personal discernment and reliance on divine wisdom.
- This specific miracle of detoxifying food demonstrates God's immediate and practical care for His servants in their everyday needs, reinforcing His immanence and His power over natural elements, even in crisis created by human error.
2 Kings 4 39 Commentary
2 Kings 4:39 paints a stark picture of danger arising from ignorance in the face of desperate need. The famine drove the sons of the prophets to forage, leading one among them to gather readily available, but deadly, wild gourds, mistaking them for nourishing herbs. The significant quantity gathered and the immediate preparation underscore the urgency and their lack of discernment. The verse culminates with the pivotal phrase "for they did not know them," clarifying that this was an error of ignorance, not malicious intent, yet its consequence was potentially fatal. This incident serves as a prelude to Elisha's miraculous intervention, highlighting human fallibility and dependence on God's provision through His prophet to transform what was lethal into something life-giving. It's a vivid illustration of how an unaware ingestion of "poison" – physically or spiritually – necessitates divine purification and true wisdom.