2 Kings 4:39

39 et egressus est unus in agrum ut colligeret herbas agrestes invenitque quasi vitem silvestrem et collegit ex ea colocyntidas agri et implevit pallium suum et reversus concidit in ollam pulmenti nesciebat enim quid esset

2 Kings 4:39 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 4:39

And one went out into the fields to gather herbs
To put into the pottage, the gardens affording none in this time of dearth; or, however, being scarce, were at too great a price for the sons of the prophets to purchase them; and therefore one of them went out into the field to gather what common herbs he could:

and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full;
thought to be the same with coloquintida, the leaves of which are very like to a vine, of a very bitter taste, and a very violent purgative, which, if not remedied, will produce ulcerations in the bowels, and issue in death; some think the white brier or white vine is meant, the colour of whose berries is very inviting to look at, but very bitter and ungrateful, and it vehemently purges ^F2; the Arabs call a sort of mushroom that is white and soft by this name ^F3, but cannot be meant here, because it has no likeness to a wild vine:

and came and shred them into the pot of pottage;
cut or chopped them small, and put them into the pot:

for they knew them not;
what they were, the nature and virtue of them, being unskilful in botany.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 Vid. Scheuchzer. Physic. Sacr. vol. 3. p. 605, 606.
F3 Golius, col. 1817.

2 Kings 4:39 In-Context

37 venit illa et corruit ad pedes eius et adoravit super terram tulitque filium suum et egressa est

38 et Heliseus reversus est in Galgala erat autem fames in terra et filii prophetarum habitabant coram eo dixitque uni de pueris suis pone ollam grandem et coque pulmentum filiis prophetarum

39 et egressus est unus in agrum ut colligeret herbas agrestes invenitque quasi vitem silvestrem et collegit ex ea colocyntidas agri et implevit pallium suum et reversus concidit in ollam pulmenti nesciebat enim quid esset

40 infuderunt ergo sociis ut comederent cumque gustassent de coctione exclamaverunt dicentes mors in olla vir Dei et non potuerunt comedere

41 at ille adferte inquit farinam et misit in ollam et ait infunde turbae et comedat et non fuit amplius quicquam amaritudinis in olla