2 Kings 4:38 - Exposition

And Elisha came again to Gilgal ; i.e. revisited Gilgal, where he had been previously with his master ( 2 Kings 2:1 ), either casually, or perhaps on one of his regular circuits (Keil) to visit the schools of the prophets. And there was a dearth in the land —probably the dearth again mentioned in 2 Kings 8:1 — and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him. Some translate "the sons of the prophets dwelt with him " (Vulgate, Luther, Bishop Hersley); but our version is probably correct. The LXX . give ἀκάθηντο ; and Ezekiel 8:1 ; Ezekiel 16:1 ; Ezekiel 33:31 ; with Zechariah 3:8 , show that ישׁבים לפני may have the meaning of "sitting in the presence of a person." And he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot— i.e. the one great pot that there would be in the house— and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets. Even in a famine there would be some vegetables produced on which life might be sustained.