King James Version

2 Kings 4:38

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.

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Hebrew

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וֶאֱלִישָׁ֞עveelishaand Elishaאֱלִישָׁעconjunction, noun, proper name — “and Elisha”H477Elisha, the famous prophetElisha.שָׁ֤בshavagainשׁוּבverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “again”, a completed actionH7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again,…הַגִּלְגָּ֨לָה֙hagilgalahthe Gilgal. See also H1019גִּלְגָּלdefinite article, noun, proper name, directional ending — “the Gilgal. See also H1019”H1537Gilgal, the name of three places in PalestineGilgal. See also H1019 (בֵּית הַגִּלְגָּל).וְהָרָעָ֣בveharaavand the hungerרָעָבconjunction, definite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and the hunger”, the ordinary formH7458hunger (more or less extensive)dearth, famine, [phrase] famished, hunger.בָּאָ֔רֶץbaaretsin earthאֶרֶץpreposition, with the article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “in earth”, the ordinary formH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.וּבְנֵי֙uveneand sonבֵּןconjunction, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “and son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […הַנְּבִיאִ֔יםhanviimthe prophetנָבִיאdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the prophet”, the ordinary formH5030a prophet or (generally) inspired manprophecy, that prophesy, prophet.יֹשְׁבִ֖יםyoshevimdwellיָשַׁבverb, qal, participle, absolute — “dwell”, a verb used as a describing wordH3427properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry(make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, r…לְפָנָ֑יוlefanayvto a- foreפָּנִיםpreposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…לְנַעֲר֗וֹlenaarvoto boyנַעַרpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to boy”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5288(concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a servant; also (by interch. of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age)babe, boy, child, damsel (from the margin), lad, servant, young (man).שְׁפֹת֙shefotbringשָׁפַתverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “bring”, a commandH8239to locate, i.e. (generally) hang on or (figuratively) establish, reducebring, ordain, set on.הַסִּ֣ירhasirthe potסִירdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the pot”, the ordinary formH5518a pot; also a thorn (as springing up rapidly); by implication, a hookcaldron, fishhook, pan, (wash-)pot, thorn.הַגְּדוֹלָ֔הhagdolahthe greatגָּדוֹלdefinite article, adjective, adjective, feminine, singular, absolute — “the great”, the ordinary formH1419great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent[phrase] aloud, elder(-est), [phrase] exceeding(-ly), [phrase] far, (man of) great (man, matter, thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble, proud thing, [idiom] sore, ([idiom]) very.וּבַשֵּׁ֥לuvasheland boilבָּשַׁלconjunction, verb, piel, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “and boil”, a commandH1310properly, to boil up; hence, to be done in cooking; figuratively to ripenbake, boil, bring forth, roast, seethe, sod (be sodden).נָזִ֖ידnazidpottageנָזִידnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “pottage”, the ordinary formH5138something boiled, i.e. souppottage.לִבְנֵ֥יlivneto sonבֵּןpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “to son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […הַנְּבִיאִֽיםhanviimthe prophetנָבִיאdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the prophet”, the ordinary formH5030a prophet or (generally) inspired manprophecy, that prophesy, prophet.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

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.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

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.

Young’s Literal Translation

And Elisha hath turned back to Gilgal, and the famine [is] in the land, and the sons of the prophets are sitting before him, and he saith to his young man, 'Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of the prophets.'

World English Bible

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, “Get the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.”

Darby Translation

And Elisha came again to Gilgal. And 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 pottage for the sons of the prophets.

Douay-Rheims

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.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And Elisaie returned to Galgala: and a famine was in the land; and the sons of the prophets sat before him: and Elisaie said to his servant, Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of the prophets.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ Ἑλισαιὲ ἐπέστρεψεν εἰς Γάλγαλα· καὶ ὁ λιμὸς ἐν τῇ γῇ, καὶ υἱοὶ τῶν προφητῶν ἐκάθηντο ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ· καὶ εἶπεν Ἑλισαιὲ τῷ παιδαρίῳ αὐτοῦ, ἐπίστησον τὸν λέβητα τὸν μέγαν, καὶ ἕψε ἕψεμα τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν προφητῶν.