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2 Kings 4:39

37 She came in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out.

38 When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. As the sons of the prophets were sitting at his feet, he said to his attendant, “Put on the large pot and boil some stew for the sons of the prophets.”

One of them went out to the field to gather herbs, and he found a wild vine from which he gathered as many wild gourds as his garment could hold. Then he came back and cut them up into the pot of stew, though no one knew what they were.

40 And they poured it out for the men to eat, but when they tasted the stew they cried out, “There is death in the pot, O man of God!” And they could not eat it.

41 Then Elisha said, “Get some flour.” He threw it into the pot and said, “Pour it out for the people to eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
One of them went out to the field to gather herbs, and he found a wild vine from which he gathered as many wild gourds as his garment could hold. Then he came back and cut them up into the pot of stew, though no one knew what they were.
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.
WEB
One went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered a lap full of wild gourds from it, and came and cut them up into the pot of stew; for they didn’t recognize them.
ASV
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.
DARBY
Then one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered from it his lap full of wild colocynths, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage; for they did not know them.
BLB
And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and he found a vine of the field, and he gathered from it gourds of the field—the fullness of his garment—and he came and sliced [them] into the pot of stew, though they knew not.
ÅB
Da gikk en av dem ut på marken for å sanke urter, og han fant en vill slyngplante og sanket av den ville gresskar, sin kappe full, og da han kom inn, skar han dem opp i matgryten; for de kjente ikke til dem.
OTB
Da gikk en ut på marken for å samle urter, og fant en vill vinranke, og samlet fra den et fang fullt av ville gresskar, og kom og skar dem opp i gryten med stuing, selv om de ikke visste hva det var.
B1930
Da gikk en av dem ut på marken for å sanke urter, og han fant en vill slyngplante og sanket av den ville gresskar, sin kappe full, og da han kom inn, skar han dem op i matgryten; for de kjente ikke til dem.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Isaiah 5:4

    What more could I have done for My vineyard than I already did for it? Why, when I expected sweet grapes, did it bring forth sour fruit?

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  • Jeremiah 2:21

    I had planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. How could you turn yourself before Me into a rotten, wild vine?

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  • Matthew 15:13

    But Jesus replied, “Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by its roots.

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  • Hebrews 12:15

    See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many.

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