2 Kings 4:41 kjv
But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot.
2 Kings 4:41 nkjv
So he said, "Then bring some flour." And he put it into the pot, and said, "Serve it to the people, that they may eat." And there was nothing harmful in the pot.
2 Kings 4:41 niv
Elisha said, "Get some flour." He put it into the pot and said, "Serve it to the people to eat." And there was nothing harmful in the pot.
2 Kings 4:41 esv
He said, "Then bring flour." And he threw it into the pot and said, "Pour some out for the men, that they may eat." And there was no harm in the pot.
2 Kings 4:41 nlt
Elisha said, "Bring me some flour." Then he threw it into the pot and said, "Now it's all right; go ahead and eat." And then it did not harm them.
2 Kings 4 41 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 15:23-25 | When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water because it was bitter... The Lord showed him a tree, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. | God purifies bitter water, similar to Elisha purifying the stew. |
| Deut 8:3 | He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. | God's miraculous provision amidst scarcity. |
| 2 Ki 2:19-22 | The men of the city said to Elisha, "Look, our lord, this city is well situated... but the water is bad and the land is unproductive."... Then he went out to the spring and threw salt into it... And the water has remained wholesome to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken. | Elisha purifies water, demonstrating God's power over life-sustaining elements. |
| 2 Ki 4:38-40 | When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine... Then one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered from it a lapful of wild gourds... But when they ate of the stew, they cried out and said, “O man of God, there is death in the pot!” | The immediate context: the poisoned stew, highlighting the problem God solves. |
| 2 Ki 4:42-44 | A man came from Baal Shalishah, bringing the man of God twenty loaves of barley bread... Then Elisha said, “Give it to the people that they may eat.”... So he served them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord. | Another Elisha miracle of food multiplication and provision. |
| Ps 107:20 | He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. | God's word has power to heal and rescue from death. |
| Prov 12:18 | There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing. | Speaks to the idea of a transforming "word," contrasting poison with healing. |
| Isa 30:20-21 | Though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide Himself anymore, but your eyes will see your Teacher... And your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it." | God's guidance and provision even in difficult times. |
| Matt 14:19-21 | And He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. So they all ate and were filled, and they picked up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces. And those who ate were about five thousand men... | Jesus multiplies food to feed thousands, mirroring God's miraculous provision through His prophets. |
| Matt 15:37 | And they all ate and were satisfied. They picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, seven baskets full. | Jesus's feeding of the four thousand, again highlighting divine abundance. |
| Lk 10:19 | Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you. | Spiritual authority over harmful things, an echo of power over physical harm. |
| Jn 6:35 | Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst." | Jesus as the ultimate source of spiritual sustenance, purifying and sustaining. |
| Acts 3:6 | But Peter said, “I do not have silver and gold, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!” | Apostles performing miracles through faith in God's power, using simple words. |
| Rom 8:28 | And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. | God can turn even adverse circumstances (like poisonous food) into good. |
| 1 Cor 1:27 | But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong. | God uses simple means (flour) to demonstrate powerful divine acts. |
| 2 Cor 4:7 | But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves. | The prophet, an ordinary man, is an instrument through whom God's power is displayed. |
| Heb 2:14 | Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise partook of the same, that through death He might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil. | Christ's victory over the spiritual "death" that impacts humanity. |
| Jas 5:16 | Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. | Emphasizes the power of prayer and faith in bringing about miraculous healing and change. |
| 1 Jn 4:4 | Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. | God's power within His servants overcomes evil and harm. |
| Rev 22:2-3 | Through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. | Future complete removal of all "badness" and curses, universal healing and provision. |
2 Kings 4 verses
2 Kings 4 41 Meaning
The verse describes a divine miracle performed through the prophet Elisha, where deadly poison in a pot of stew is rendered harmless by the addition of flour. It illustrates God's power to intervene directly in ordinary situations, transforming that which is lethal into life-giving sustenance, and assuring the immediate safety and provision for the sons of the prophets during a famine.
2 Kings 4 41 Context
The setting for this event is Gilgal, a significant spiritual and historical location where the "sons of the prophets," a community of prophets-in-training, resided during a time of famine. Elisha had returned there, likely to oversee their well-being. Due to scarcity, one of these "sons" had unknowingly gathered poisonous wild gourds (likely a species of Citrullus colocynthis, bitter cucumber) and added them to the communal stew. The consumption of this stew resulted in immediate recognition of its deadly nature, as exclaimed, "O man of God, there is death in the pot!" (2 Ki 4:40). Elisha's subsequent command and action in verse 41 immediately follow this desperate cry, presenting God's direct and swift solution to a life-threatening crisis, continuing the pattern of miraculous provision and life-giving acts evident throughout Elisha's ministry.
2 Kings 4 41 Word analysis
- But he said: This refers to Elisha. It signifies his immediate and authoritative response to the urgent crisis, stemming from divine insight and authority.
- 'Then bring flour.' (וַיֹּאמֶר קְחוּ קֶמַח – va'yomer qeḥu qemaḥ):
- qeḥu (bring/take): An imperative verb, signaling a direct command that requires prompt obedience.
- qemaḥ (flour): A common, simple, everyday ingredient. Its use underscores that the miracle's efficacy does not lie in the inherent property of the flour but in God's power working through an ordinary element. Flour (grain) in the Bible often symbolizes life and provision, a powerful contrast to the "death" in the pot. This also parallels the unleavened bread offerings (Lev 2:1-2) which used fine flour.
- And he threw it into the pot: A decisive and simple action. This was not a complex ritual but a straightforward act of obedience and faith, signifying God's direct intervention rather than reliance on human magic or elaborate methods.
- and said, 'Pour out for the people, that they may eat.' (וַיֹּאמֶר צֶק לָעָם וְיֹאכֵלוּ – va'yomer tzeq la'am ve'yoḵelu):
- tzeq (pour out): Another imperative, indicating that the transformation was immediate and complete, allowing for immediate consumption. It shows Elisha's confidence in God's completed work.
- that they may eat: This phrase indicates the successful reversal of the death-threatening situation to one of life and sustenance.
- And there was nothing bad in the pot. (וְלֹא הָיָה דָּבָר רָע בַּקְּדֵרָה – ve'lo hayah davar ra ba'qqederah):
- lo (not), davar (thing/word), ra (evil/bad/harmful/poisonous): This is a strong negation: literally, "not a thing bad." The word "ra" denotes anything harmful, malicious, or evil. In this context, it unequivocally declares the complete absence of any poisonous or harmful substance.
- ba'qqederah (in the pot): Hebrew term for a cooking vessel. Emphasizes that the miraculous purification happened precisely where the problem existed, affecting the physical contents. This concludes the account by stating the undeniable efficacy of God's power.
- "Bring flour" vs. "threw it into the pot": This sequence highlights immediate obedience and active participation from the prophets, and Elisha's simple yet powerful action. The instruction is met with instant execution, symbolizing faith's promptness.
- "death in the pot" (2 Ki 4:40) to "nothing bad in the pot": This striking contrast, explicitly stated across two verses, powerfully demonstrates God's complete victory over that which threatened life, transforming a situation of imminent peril into one of divine provision and safety.
- "Pour out for the people, that they may eat" followed by "And there was nothing bad in the pot": This establishes the immediate consequence and verification of the miracle. Elisha gives the command to partake because the transformation is complete and reliable. It validates the divine intervention through experience.
2 Kings 4 41 Bonus section
- The Simplicity of the Miracle: Unlike many pagan rituals that involved elaborate ceremonies, this miracle's simplicity highlights that God's power does not depend on human theatrics or complex formulas but on His divine will and purpose. The ordinary means (flour) are made extraordinary by God's intervention.
- Elisha as a "Prophet of Life": This miracle is one of many performed by Elisha (healing the water at Jericho, the Shunammite's son, feeding 100 people) that emphasize life, healing, and provision, setting him apart as a clear instrument of YHWH's life-giving power, fulfilling the pattern of Elijah's ministry.
- Divine Sovereignty over Nature: The miracle shows God's absolute control over the chemical and physical properties of substances, turning poison into food by a divine decree. This is a subtle yet powerful polemic against any pagan deities who might be seen as limited to specific domains or powerless against such mundane yet deadly threats.
2 Kings 4 41 Commentary
This concise account vividly portrays God's power working through Elisha to reverse a potentially fatal situation with remarkable simplicity. The act of adding a common substance like flour was not a magical ritual but a demonstration of divine authority that transcends the natural properties of matter. The miracle emphasizes God's immediate care and practical provision for His people, even in seemingly minor, everyday needs. It underscores that God can take elements of danger or harm ("death in the pot") and, through His grace and the agency of His prophet, transform them into sources of life and nourishment ("nothing bad in the pot"). This miracle is a testament to the fact that God is sovereign over all circumstances, capable of turning curses into blessings, famine into provision, and despair into hope, through a simple word and obedient faith.