2 Kings

2 Kings 4:2–7

2“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 empty jars from all your neighbors. Do not gather just a few. 4Then go inside, shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour oil into all these jars, setting the full ones aside.”

5So she left him, and after she had shut the door behind her and her sons, they kept bringing jars to her, and she kept pouring. 6When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another.”

But he replied, “There are no more jars.” Then the oil stopped flowing.

7She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil, and pay your debt. Then you and your sons can live on the remainder.”

Read all of 2 Kings 4

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

2 Kings 4:2

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Howמָ֣הmāhInterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
can Iאֶֽעֱשֶׂה־’e·‘ĕ·śeh-Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH6213 do, make
help youלָּ֔ךְlāḵPreposition; second person feminine singular
askedוַיֹּ֨אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Elishaאֱלִישָׁע֙’ĕ·lî·šā‘Noun - proper - masculine singularH477 Elisha
Tellהַגִּ֣ידִיhag·gî·ḏîVerb - Hifil - Imperative - feminine singularH5046 be conspicuous
meלִ֔יlîPreposition; first person common singular
whatמַה־mah-InterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
do you haveיֶּשׁ־yeš-AdverbH3426 being, substance, existence
in the houseבַּבָּ֑יִתbab·bā·yiṯPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singularH1004 house
She answeredוַתֹּ֗אמֶרwat·tō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularH559 utter, say
Your servantלְשִׁפְחָתְךָ֥lə·šip̄·ḥā·ṯə·ḵāPreposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singularH8198 maid, maid-servant
has nothingאֵ֣ין’ênAdverbH369 nothing, nought
in the houseבַּבַּ֔יִתbab·ba·yiṯPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singularH1004 house
butאִם־’im-ConjunctionH518 if
a jarאָס֥וּךְ’ā·sūḵNoun - masculine singular constructH610 flask
of oilשָֽׁמֶן׃šā·menNoun - masculine singularH8081 fat, oil

2 Kings 4:3

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Goלְכִ֨יlə·ḵîVerb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singularH1980 go, come, walk
saidוַיֹּ֗אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
borrowשַׁאֲלִי־ša·’ă·lî-Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singularH7592 ask, inquire
emptyרֵקִ֖יםrê·qîmAdjective - masculine pluralH7386 empty, vain
jarsכֵּלִ֥יםkê·lîmNoun - masculine pluralH3627 article, utensil, vessel
fromמִן־min-PrepositionH4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
your neighborsשִׁכְנָכֵיšiḵ·nå̄·ḵēNoun - masculine plural construct; second person feminine singularH7934 inhabitant, neighbour
Do notאַל־’al-AdverbH408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
gather just a fewתַּמְעִֽיטִי׃tam·‘î·ṭîVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person feminine singularH4591 be or become small, diminished, few

2 Kings 4:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then go insideוּבָ֗אתū·ḇāṯConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person feminine singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
shutוְסָגַ֤רְתְּwə·sā·ḡartConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person feminine singularH5462 shut, close
the doorהַדֶּ֙לֶת֙had·de·leṯArticle; Noun - feminine singularH1817 door
behind youבַּעֲדֵ֣ךְba·‘ă·ḏêḵPreposition; second person feminine singularH1157 separation
andוּבְעַד־ū·ḇə·‘aḏ-Conjunctive waw; PrepositionH1157 separation
your sonsבָּנַ֔יִךְbā·na·yiḵNoun - masculine plural construct; second person feminine singularH1121 son
and pourוְיָצַ֕קְתְּwə·yā·ṣaqtConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person feminine singularH3332 pour, cast, flow
oil intoעַ֥ל‘alPrepositionH5921 height
allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
theseהָאֵ֑לֶּהhā·’êl·lehArticle; Pronoun - common pluralH428 these
jarsהַכֵּלִ֖יםhak·kê·lîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH3627 article, utensil, vessel
setting the full onesוְהַמָּלֵ֖אwə·ham·mā·lêConjunctive waw, Article; Adjective - masculine singularH4392 full
asideתַּסִּֽיעִי׃tas·sî·‘îVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person feminine singularH5265 pull out or up, set out, journey

2 Kings 4:5

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So she leftוַתֵּ֙לֶךְ֙wat·tê·leḵConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularH1980 go, come, walk
himמֵֽאִתּ֔וֹmê·’it·tōwPreposition-m; Direct object marker; third person masculine singularH854 with
and after she had shutוַתִּסְגֹּ֣רwat·tis·gōrConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularH5462 shut, close
the doorהַדֶּ֔לֶתhad·de·leṯArticle; Noun - feminine singularH1817 door
behind herבַּעֲדָ֖הּba·‘ă·ḏāhPreposition; third person feminine singularH1157 separation
andוּבְעַ֣דū·ḇə·‘aḏConjunctive waw; PrepositionH1157 separation
her sonsבָּנֶ֑יהָbā·ne·hāNoun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singularH1121 son
theyהֵ֛םhêmPronoun - third person masculine pluralH1992 they, them
kept bringingמַגִּשִׁ֥יםmag·gi·šîmVerb - Hifil - Participle - masculine pluralH5066 draw near, approach
to herאֵלֶ֖יהָ’ê·le·hāPreposition; third person feminine singularH413 motion to
and sheוְהִ֥יאwə·hîConjunctive waw; Pronoun - third person feminine singularH1931 he, she
kept pouringמֵיצָקֶת׃mē·ṣå̄·qɛṯVerb - Hifil - Participle - feminine singularH3332 pour, cast, flow

2 Kings 4:6

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Whenוַיְהִ֣י׀way·hîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
all the jarsהַכֵּלִ֗יםhak·kê·lîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH3627 article, utensil, vessel
were fullכִּמְלֹ֣אתkim·lōṯPreposition-k; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH4390 be full, fill
she saidוַתֹּ֤אמֶרwat·tō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularH559 utter, say
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
her sonבְּנָהּ֙bə·nāhNoun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singularH1121 son
Bring meהַגִּ֨ישָׁהhag·gî·šāhVerb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singularH5066 draw near, approach
anotherעוֹד֙‘ō·wḏAdverbH5750 a going round, continuance
But he repliedוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
There are noאֵ֥ין’ênAdverbH369 nothing, nought
moreע֖וֹד‘ō·wḏAdverbH5750 a going round, continuance
jarsכֶּ֑לִיke·lîNoun - masculine singularH3627 article, utensil, vessel
Then the oilהַשָּֽׁמֶן׃haš·šā·menArticle; Noun - masculine singularH8081 fat, oil
stopped flowingוַֽיַּעֲמֹ֖דway·ya·‘ă·mōḏConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH5975 take one's stand, stand

2 Kings 4:7

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
She wentוַתָּבֹ֗אwat·tā·ḇōConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
and toldוַתַּגֵּד֙wat·tag·gêḏConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularH5046 be conspicuous
the manלְאִ֣ישׁlə·’îšPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singular constructH376 man
of Godהָאֱלֹהִ֔יםhā·’ĕ·lō·hîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH430 God
and he saidוַיֹּ֗אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Goלְכִי֙lə·ḵîVerb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singularH1980 go, come, walk
sellמִכְרִ֣יmiḵ·rîVerb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singularH4376 sell
the oilהַשֶּׁ֔מֶןhaš·še·menArticle; Noun - masculine singularH8081 fat, oil
and payוְשַׁלְּמִ֖יwə·šal·lə·mîConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Imperative - feminine singularH7999 be complete, sound
your debtנִשְׁיֵכִיniš·yē·ḵīNoun - masculine singular construct; second person feminine singularH5386 debt
Then youוְאַ֣תְּwə·’atConjunctive waw; Pronoun - second person feminine singularH859 thou
and your sonsבְּנֵיכִיbə·nē·ḵīConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; second person feminine singularH1121 son
can liveתִֽחְיִ֖יṯiḥ·yîVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singularH2421 live
on the remainderבַּנּוֹתָֽר׃פban·nō·w·ṯārPreposition-b, Article; Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singularH3498 remain over

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

2 Kings 4:2 1 Kings 17:12 · James 2:5 · 2 Kings 2:9 · John 6:5–7 · Matthew 15:34 · Acts 3:6

2 Kings 4:3 John 2:7 · John 16:24 · Psalm 81:10

2 Kings 4:4 Mark 8:5–9 · Matthew 6:6 · Mark 6:37–44 · Acts 9:40 · 1 Kings 17:19–20 · 2 Kings 4:32–33 · John 2:7–9 · Ephesians 3:20 · Mark 5:40 · John 6:11

2 Kings 4:5 Hebrews 11:7–8 · 2 Kings 5:11

2 Kings 4:6 Matthew 14:20 · 2 Kings 13:19 · Luke 6:19

2 Kings 4:7 2 Thessalonians 3:7–12

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.