2 Kings 4:43,2 Kings 4:2

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 4:38-44

We have here Elisha in his place, in his element, among the sons of the prophets, teaching them, and, as a father, providing for them; and happy it was for them that they had one over them who naturally cared for their state, under whom they were well fed and well taught. There was a dearth in the land, for the wickedness of those that dwelt therein, the same that we read of, 2 Kgs. 8:1. It continued seven years, just as long again as that in Elijah's time. A famine of bread there was, but not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 4:43

And his servitor said ,.... His servant Gehazi very probably: what, should I set this before one hundred men ? for so many, it seems, the sons of the prophets were in this place; and these loaves being very small, no more, it is thought by some, than one man could eat, and the ears of corn but few, the servant suggests they would be nothing comparatively to such a company of men: he said again, give the people, that they may eat ; he insisted upon it that his orders should be obeyed:... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Kings 4:43

Thus saith the Lord , They shall eat , and shall leave thereof - It was God, not the prophet, who fed one hundred men with these twenty loaves, etc. This is something like our Lord's feeding the multitude miraculously. Indeed, there are many things in this chapter similar to facts in our Lord's history: and this prophet might be more aptly considered a type of our Lord, than most of the other persons in the Scriptures who have been thus honored. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 4:1-44

TYPICAL MIRACLES WROUGHT BY ELISHA . General introduction . The miracles of this chapter are all of them miracles of mercy. The first and last consist in the multiplying of food, and thus belong to the same class as our Lord's feeding the four and the five thousands, and Elijah's increasing the meal and oil of the widow of Zarephath ( 1 Kings 17:10-16 ). It serves no useful purpose to ask how miracles of this class were wrought. The inspired writers have not told us; and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 4:38-44

Ministries to man, good and bad. "And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land," etc. Elisha had returned to Gilgal, the seat of a school of the prophets; he had come thither once more on his yearly circuit, and during the famine, which prevailed in the land. As the students sat before their master, he discerned in their emaciated forms the terrible effects upon them of the famine. In the narrative we discover the action of several ministries, or events with which men... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 4:42-44

4. The feeding of a hundred men on twenty loaves . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 4:42-44

The loaves multiplied. I. THE PROPHET PROVIDED FOE . It was a time of famine. "But they that fear the Lord shall, not want any good thing." Elisha received a thank offering from the people—bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn. The objection to a paid ministry has no warrant in the Word of God . Old Testament and New alike encourage provision for the wants of God's ministers. Jesus said, "The laborer is worthy of his hire." Paul said, "They... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 4:42-44

The twenty barley loaves. This miracle foreshadows Christ's acts of multiplying the loaves ( Matthew 14:15-21 ; Matthew 15:32-39 , etc.). I. THE GIFT OF LOAVES . In a time of great need in the little society, there came a man from Baal-shalisha, bringing with him twenty barley loaves and a quantity of fresh corn. This welcome gift was: 1. Prompted by a religious motive . It was "bread of the firstfruits." The religious dues were ordinarily paid to priests and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 4:43

And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? The servant felt that the quantity was quite insufficient, and thought it absurd to invite a hundred men to sit down to a meal, which would not satisfy a fifth of the number; but Elisha repeated his command. He said again, Give the people, that they may eat. This time, however, he added an explanation of the proceeding: for thus saith the Lord, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof. God had supernaturally intimated... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 2 Kings 4:43

This miracle was a faint foreshadowing of our Lord’s far more marvelous feeding of thousands with even scantier materials. The resemblance is not only in the broad fact, but in various minute particulars, such as the distribution through the hands of others; the material, bread; the surprised question of the servant; and the evidence of superfluity in the fragments that were left (see the marginal references). As Elijah was a type of the Baptist, so Elisha was in many respects a type of our... read more

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