2 Kings 4:2

1 Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!”

“How can I help you?” asked Elisha. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She answered, “Your servant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”

3 “Go,” said Elisha, “borrow jars, even empty ones, from all your neighbors. Do not gather just a few.

4 Then go inside, shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour oil into all these jars, setting the full ones aside.”

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
“How can I help you?” asked Elisha. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She answered, “Your servant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”
KJV
And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.
WEB
Elisha said to her, “What should I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She said, “Your servant has nothing in the house, except a pot of oil.”
ASV
And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me; what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thy handmaid hath not anything in the house, save a pot of oil.
DARBY
And Elisha said to her, What shall I do for thee? Tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thy handmaid has not anything at all in the house but a pot of oil.
BLB
And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant [has] not anything in the house except but a jar of oil.”
ÅB
Elisa sa til henne: Hva kan jeg gjøre for deg? Si meg: Hva har du i huset? Hun svarte: Din tjenerinne har intet annet i huset enn en krukke med salve-olje.
OTB
Elisja svarte henne, "Hvordan kan jeg hjelpe deg? Fortell meg, hva har du i huset ditt?" Og hun svarte, "Din tjenestekvinne har ingenting i huset bortsett fra en krukke med olje."
B1930
Elisa sa til henne: Hvad kan jeg gjøre for dig? Si mig: Hvad har du i huset? Hun svarte: Din tjenerinne har intet annet i huset enn en krukke med salve-olje.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 1 Kings 17:12

    But she replied, “As surely as the LORD your God lives, I have no bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. Look, I am gathering a couple of sticks to take home and prepare a meal for myself and my son, so that we may eat it and die.”

    Read in context
  • James 2:5

    Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?

    Read in context
  • Matthew 15:34

    “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.”

    Read in context
  • 2 Kings 2:9

    After they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken away from you?” “Please, let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.

    Read in context
  • John 6:5–7

    When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?”

    Read in context
  • Acts 3:6

    But Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!”

    Read in context
  • 2 Corinthians 6:10

    sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

    Read in context
  • 2 Kings 6:26–27

    As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, “Help me, my lord the king!”

    Read in context