2 Kings 4:43

But his servant asked, “How am I to set twenty loaves before a hundred men?” “Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha, “for this is what the LORD says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.’”

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Elisha answers his servant’s practical objection, just after a man from Baal-shalishah brought twenty barley loaves to the prophet. The words — The Hebrew אֶתֵּ֣ן ('e.Ten) literally means "will I put" or "will I give," capturing the servant’s doubt about distribution. The phrase לִ/פְנֵ֖י (li/f.Nei) means "before" or "in front of," marking the physical act of setting the food out for the crowd. The thread — The text records Elisha’s command and the promised outcome, which parallels the New Testament accounts of limited food being multiplied to satisfy crowds (Luke 9:13; Matthew 14:20; John 6:9). Why it lands — It requires the reader to obey a divine command that contradicts visible scarcity, treating the text’s explicit promise as the basis for action rather than a guarantee of ease.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙va/i.Yo.merand/ he said מְשָׁ֣רְת֔וֹme.Sha.re.T/oservant/ his מָ֚הmahwhat?אֶתֵּ֣ן'e.Tenwill I put זֶ֔הZehthis לִפְנֵ֖יli/f.Nei<to>/ before מֵ֣אָהMe.'aha hundred אִ֑ישׁ'Ishman וַיֹּ֗אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said תֵּ֤ןtengive [it]לָעָם֙la./'Amto the/ people וְיֹאכֵ֔לוּve./yo.Khe.luso/ they may eat כִּ֣יkifor כֹ֥הkhohthus אָמַ֛ר'a.Marhe says יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahweh אָכֹ֥ל'a.Kholthey will eat וְהוֹתֵֽר׃ve./ho.Terand/ they will have more than enough

King James Version

And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the Lord, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof.

Cross-references

Luke 9:13 But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.” “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered, “unless we go and buy food for all these people.”
Matthew 14:20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
John 6:9 “Here is a boy with five barley loaves and two small fish. But what difference will these make among so many?”
Matthew 16:8 Aware of their conversation, Jesus said, “You of little faith, why are you debating among yourselves about having no bread?
John 6:11 Then Jesus took the loaves and the fish, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted.
Matthew 14:16 “They do not need to go away,” Jesus replied. “You give them something to eat.”
Matthew 15:33 The disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could we find enough bread to feed such a large crowd?”
Matthew 15:37 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
Mark 6:37 But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.” They asked Him, “Should we go out and spend two hundred denarii to give all of them bread to eat?”
Luke 9:17 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.