What is the meaning of 2 Kings 4:42? Now a man from Baal-shalishah “Now a man from Baal-shalishah…” (2 Kings 4:42a) • The narrative shifts from royal courts to a nameless believer in a small town, showing God notices faithful individuals wherever they live (cf. 1 Kings 17:8-16; Luke 21:1-4). • Baal-shalishah lay in the drought-stricken northern kingdom; the backdrop is the famine noted in 2 Kings 4:38. Even in scarcity, the Lord stirs hearts to generosity. Came to the man of God “…brought the man of God…” (4:42a) • Elisha, called “man of God,” represents God’s presence among His people (1 Samuel 9:6; 2 Kings 1:9-13). • Approaching the prophet is an act of worship, acknowledging that all provision ultimately belongs to the Lord (Psalm 24:1). • This visitor trusts that placing his gift in God’s hands will multiply its impact—an Old Testament echo of principles Jesus later affirms (Matthew 10:42). With a sack of twenty loaves of barley bread “…twenty loaves of barley bread…” (4:42b) • Barley was the grain of the poor (Judges 7:13) yet is the same bread Jesus used in feeding the five thousand (John 6:9). God delights to use humble means to display His power (1 Corinthians 1:27). • Twenty small loaves could scarcely feed a hundred men (v. 43), underscoring that the coming miracle is God-wrought, not humanly engineered. From the firstfruits “…from the firstfruits, along with some new grain in his sack.” (4:42b) • Firstfruits offerings were commanded in Exodus 23:19 and Leviticus 23:10-14: the earliest, best portion belongs to the Lord. • Giving before one’s own needs are met demonstrates faith (Proverbs 3:9-10). The man expects God to supply what remains, a pattern echoed in 2 Chronicles 31:5 and Malachi 3:10. • Romans 11:16 reminds believers that when the first portion is holy, the whole batch is blessed—an idea about to be vividly proven. “Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha “‘Give it to the people to eat,’ said Elisha.” (4:42c) • Elisha immediately redirects the gift outward, confident the Lord will multiply it (v. 43-44). His command anticipates Jesus’ identical words in John 6:11. • The prophet models leadership that releases resources rather than hoarding them (Acts 20:35). • God’s supply proves more than sufficient: “They ate and had some left, according to the word of the LORD” (4:44), foreshadowing the abundance believers have in Christ (Ephesians 3:20). summary 2 Kings 4:42 reveals a simple farmer honoring God with his firstfruits during famine, trusting that even modest gifts become miraculous in God’s hands. Elisha receives the offering and, acting on God’s word, shares it with others, illustrating that obedience and generosity unlock divine provision. The scene anticipates Christ’s feedings of the multitudes and reminds us today that when we place our earliest and best before the Lord, He not only meets the immediate need but multiplies it for the blessing of many. |
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