What is the meaning of 2 Kings 4:40? They poured it out for the men to eat • The servants ladle the stew to a hungry company of prophets during famine (2 Kings 4:38). • Their action shows confidence in Elisha’s simple command to “put on the large pot” (v. 38), echoing past acts where God’s servants obeyed before they saw provision (1 Kings 17:13–15; John 2:7–8). • Sharing food underscores community life in God’s family (Acts 2:46; Psalm 133:1). • Even in scarcity, the scene reminds us that God intends His people to expect sustenance (Psalm 37:19; Matthew 6:11). When they tasted the stew they cried out • The poison reveals itself at first taste; physical senses and spiritual alarm work together (Job 6:30; Hebrews 5:14). • Their immediate outcry models vigilance; we are told to “taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalm 34:8), which also means rejecting what is deadly. • The corporate cry shows mutual protection—no one keeps silent while others suffer (Galatians 6:2; 1 Corinthians 12:26). "There is death in the pot, O man of God!" • They name the threat honestly: death. Sin and error are likewise lethal when mixed into daily life (Romans 6:23; James 1:15). • Calling Elisha “man of God” acknowledges the Lord as their true rescuer (2 Kings 1:10; Psalm 18:6). • Turning instantly to God’s prophet anticipates New-Covenant dependence on Christ when confronted by death (John 11:25–26; 2 Corinthians 1:10). And they could not eat it • Hunger remains, yet wisdom forbids consuming what kills—a picture of refusing corrupt teaching or compromise (1 Timothy 4:6; 2 John 10). • The halted meal heightens the need for divine intervention; the next verse will supply it through a simple ingredient, just as God often fixes what we cannot (2 Kings 4:41; Exodus 15:25). • Genuine faith waits for safe provision instead of forcing a harmful substitute (Proverbs 3:5–6; John 6:27). summary The verse marks the moment danger is discovered: obedient servants pour stew, sharp discernment identifies poison, the community cries to God’s representative, and they wisely refuse the lethal meal. The snapshot teaches watchfulness, honesty about threats, reliance on godly authority, and patient trust that the Lord will turn death to life—as He soon does in the very next line. |
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