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Thursday, September 11th, 2025
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
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Wycliffe Bible

2 Kings 4:2

To whom Elisee seide, What wolt thou that Y do to thee? seie thou to me, what hast thou in thin hows? And she answeride, Y thin handmayde haue not ony thing in myn hows, no but a litil of oile, bi which Y schal be anoyntid.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Debtor;   Elisha;   Miracles;   Oil;   Poor;   Readings, Select;   Servant;   Widow;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible Stories for Children;   Children;   Elisha;   Home;   Human;   Limitations, Human;   Limited Resources;   Pleasant Sunday Afternoons;   Religion;   Stories for Children;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Miracles Wrought through Servants of God;   Oil;   Poor, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Miracle;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Elisha;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Miracle;   Orphan;   Poor and Poverty, Theology of;   Widow;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Hospitality;   Preaching;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Elijah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Elisha;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Oil;   Pottery in Bible Times;   Sons of the Prophets;   Vessels and Utensils;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Debt;   Marriage;   Medicine;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Feeding the Multitudes;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Miracles;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Gehazi;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Pot;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Oil;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Preaching;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Israel;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Debt;   Elisha;   Handmaid;   Oil;   Pot;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Slaves and Slavery;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Elisha asked her, “What can I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?”
Hebrew Names Version
Elisha said to her, What shall I do for you? tell me; what have you in the house? She said, Your handmaid has nothing in the house, except a pot of oil.
King James Version
And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.
English Standard Version
And Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?" And she said, "Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil."
New Century Version
Elisha answered, "How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?" The woman said, "I don't have anything there except a pot of oil."
New English Translation
Elisha said to her, "What can I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" She answered, "Your servant has nothing in the house except a small jar of olive oil."
Amplified Bible
Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have [of value] in the house?" She said, "Your maidservant has nothing in the house except a [small] jar of [olive] oil."
New American Standard Bible
So Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Elisha saide vnto her, What shall I do for thee? tell mee, what hast thou at home? And she sayd, Thine handmayd hath nothing at home, saue a pitcher of oyle.
Legacy Standard Bible
And Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your servant-woman has nothing in the house except a jar of oil."
Contemporary English Version
"Maybe there's something I can do to help," Elisha said. "What do you have in your house?" "Sir, I have nothing but a small bottle of olive oil."
Complete Jewish Bible
Elisha asked her, "What should I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" She answered, "Your servant has nothing in the house but a flask of oil."
Darby Translation
And Elisha said to her, What shall I do for thee? Tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thy handmaid has not anything at all in the house but a pot of oil.
Easy-to-Read Version
Elisha answered, "How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?" The woman said, "I don't have anything in the house except a jar of olive oil."
George Lamsa Translation
And Elisha said to her, What shall I do for you? Tell me, what have you in the house? And she said, Your handmaid has nothing in the house except a pot of oil.
Good News Translation
"What shall I do for you?" he asked. "Tell me, what do you have at home?" "Nothing at all, except a small jar of olive oil," she answered.
Lexham English Bible
Elisha asked her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" Then she said, "Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of olive oil."
Literal Translation
And Elisha said to her, What shall I do for you? Tell me. What do you have in the house? And she said, Your handmaid has nothing in the house except a pot of oil.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Eliseus sayde vnto her: What shal I do for the? Tell me, what hast thou in the house? She sayde: Thy handmayden hath nothinge in the house but a pitcher wt oyle.
American Standard Version
And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me; what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thy handmaid hath not anything in the house, save a pot of oil.
Bible in Basic English
Then Elisha said to her, What am I to do for you? say now, what have you in the house? And she said, Your servant has nothing in the house but a pot of oil.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Elisa saide vnto her: Tell me what I shall do for thee? What hast thou in thyne house? She saide: Thyne handemayde hath nothing at all in the house, saue a pitcher with oyle.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Elisha said unto her: 'What shall I do for thee? tell me; what hast thou in the house?' And she said: 'Thy handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.'
King James Version (1611)
And Elisha said vnto her, What shall I doe for thee? Tell mee, what hast thou in the house? And shee sayd, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, saue a pot of oyle.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Elisaie said, What shall I do for thee? tell me what thou hast in the house. And she said, Thy servant has nothing in the house, except oil wherewith I anoint myself.
English Revised Version
And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me; what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.
Berean Standard Bible
"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."
Young's Literal Translation
And Elisha saith unto her, `What do I do for thee? declare to me, what hast thou in the house?' and she saith, `Thy maid-servant hath nothing in the house except a pot of oil.'
Update Bible Version
And Elisha said to her, What shall I do for you? tell me; what do you have in the house? And she said, Your slave doesn't have anything in the house, save a pot of oil.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Elisha said to her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thy handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.
World English Bible
Elisha said to her, What shall I do for you? tell me; what have you in the house? She said, Your handmaid has nothing in the house, except a pot of oil.
New King James Version
So Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil."
New Living Translation
"What can I do to help you?" Elisha asked. "Tell me, what do you have in the house?" "Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil," she replied.
New Life Bible
Elisha said to her, "What can I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your woman servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil."
New Revised Standard
Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" She answered, "Your servant has nothing in the house, except a jar of oil."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Elisha said unto her - What shall I do for thee? tell me what thou, hast, in the house. And she said - Thy maid-servant hath, nothing at all, in the house, save a flask of oil.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Eliseus said to her: What wilt thou have me do for thee? Tell me, what hast thou in thy house? And she answered: I, thy handmaid, have nothing in my house but a little oil, to anoint me.
Revised Standard Version
And Eli'sha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?" And she said, "Your maidservant has nothing in the house, except a jar of oil."
THE MESSAGE
Elisha said, "I wonder how I can be of help. Tell me, what do you have in your house?" "Nothing," she said. "Well, I do have a little oil."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your maidservant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil."

Contextual Overview

1 Forsothe sum womman of the wyues of prophetys criede to Elisee, and seide, Thi seruaunt, myn hosebonde, is deed, and thou knowist that thi seruaunt dredde God; and lo! the creaunser, `that is, he to whom the dette is owid, cometh to take my two sones to serue hym. 2 To whom Elisee seide, What wolt thou that Y do to thee? seie thou to me, what hast thou in thin hows? And she answeride, Y thin handmayde haue not ony thing in myn hows, no but a litil of oile, bi which Y schal be anoyntid. 3 To whom he seide, Go thou, and axe bi borewyng of alle thi neiyboris voide vessels not fewe. 4 And entre, and close thi dore, whanne thou art with ynne, thou and thi sones; and putte ye therof in to alle these vessels; and whanne tho schulen be ful, thou schalt take awei. 5 Therfor the womman yede, and closide the dore on hir silf and on hir sones, thei brouyten vessels, and sche `heldide in. 6 And whanne the vessels weren fulle, sche seide to hir sone, Brynge thou yit a vessel to me. And he answeride, Y haue not. And the oyle stood. 7 Forsothe sche cam, and schewide to the man of God; and he seide, Go thou, sil thou the oile, and yelde to thi creauncer; forsothe thou and thi children lyue of the residue.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

What shall I: 2 Kings 2:9, 2 Kings 6:26, 2 Kings 6:27, Matthew 15:34, John 6:5-7, Acts 3:6, 2 Corinthians 6:10

save a pot of oil: 1 Kings 17:12, James 2:5

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 17:14 - The barrel of meal Proverbs 18:23 - poor Mark 8:8 - they took John 2:7 - Fill John 6:13 - and filled

Cross-References

Genesis 3:23
And the Lord God sente hym out of paradijs of likyng, that he schulde worche the erthe, of which he was takun.
Genesis 4:25
Also yit Adam knewe his wijf, and sche childide a sone, and clepide his name Seth, and seide, God hath put to me another seed for Abel, whom Cayn killide.
Genesis 4:26
But also a sone was borun to Seth, which sone he clepide Enos; this Enos bigan to clepe inwardli the name of the Lord.
Genesis 9:20
And Noe, an erthe tiliere, bigan to tile the erthe, and he plauntide a viner,
Genesis 37:13
Israel seide to Joseph, Thi britheren kepen scheep in Sichymys; come thou, Y schal sende thee to hem.
Genesis 47:3
whiche he axide, What werk han ye? Thei answeriden, We thi seruauntis ben kepers of scheep, bothe we and oure faderis;
Exodus 3:1
Forsothe Moises kepte the scheep of Jetro, `his wyues fadir, preest of Madian; and whanne he hadde dryue the floc to the ynnere partis of deseert, he cam to Oreb, the hil of God.
Psalms 127:3
the eritage of the Lord `is sones, the mede is the fruyt of wombe.
Amos 7:15
And the Lord took me, whanne Y suede the floc; and the Lord seide to me, Go, and profesie thou to my puple Israel.
Luke 11:51
fro the blood of the iust Abel to the blood of Zacharie, that was slayn bitwixe the auter and the hous. So Y seie to you, it schal be souyt of this generacioun.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Elisha said unto her, what shall I do for thee?.... Or can I do, being poor himself, and unable to relieve her out of his substance, and not knowing where to get anything for her; and so what could she expect from him? signifying, that he pitied her case, but all that he could do was to give her his best advice, and pray for her:

tell me what thou hast in thy house? that she could part with and dispose of, in order to pay her debt; and satisfy her creditor:

and she said, thine handmaid hath not anything in the house, save a pot of oil; that is, nothing of any value; she might have some things, some sort of household goods, though perhaps she had parted with most of them in her poverty; this was the most valuable thing she had.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A pot of oil - Or, “an anointing of oil” - so much oil, i. e., as would serve me for one anointing of my person. The word used occurs only in this passage.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 4:2. Save a pot of oil. — Oil was used as aliment, for anointing the body after bathing, and to anoint the dead. Some think that this pot of oil was what this widow had kept for her burial: see Matthew 26:12.


 
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