Skip to main content

Elisha Purifies the Poisoned Stew

Illustration of Elisha Purifies the Poisoned Stew
'There is death in the pot!' the prophets cried over a poisonous stew - so Elisha threw in meal, and it became wholesome to eat.

During a famine, Elisha's servant gathered wild gourds into a pot of stew for the company of prophets, but as they began to eat they cried out, 'O thou man of God, there is death in the pot,' for the gourds were poisonous. Elisha called for meal, cast it into the pot, and said, 'Pour out for the people, that they may eat,' and there was no harm in it. The small miracle shows God's care for his servants' daily needs and Elisha's power to turn what brought death into wholesome food.

0:00

Details

Category
Provision
Testament
Old Testament
Performed by
Elisha

Key Chapters

Key Passages

There Is Death in the Pot

2 Kings 4:38-41

A38nd Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets.

39 And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not. 40 So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, O thou man of God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eat thereof. 41 But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot.

Did You Know?

1

The prophets cried, 'O man of God, there is death in the pot!'

2

Wild gourds had made the famine stew poisonous.

3

Elisha threw in meal and it became safe to eat.

4

It shows God's care for his servants' ordinary daily needs.