Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 4

The first grain of the harvest

2 Kings 4:42

In Israel, grain grows through the winter. The first grain harvest is the grain called barley, and begins in April. The wheat harvest is a few weeks later. The Bible teaches that the first grain is holy; it belongs to God (Leviticus 23:9-17). God’s law directed Israel’s people to give the first part of their harvests to the priests (Numbers 18:12-13; Deuteronomy 18:4-5). The priests and their families would eat that food.

However, the religion of the true God was no longer the official religion in northern and central Israel. At the time of Jeroboam, the priests left their homes in those parts of Israel (2 Chronicles 11:13-16). Jeroboam appointed other priests; they did not belong to Aaron’s family, which God had chosen to be Israel’s priests.

So, the farmer from Baal Shalishah decided to bring his harvest gift to Elisha. Elisha was a prophet, a holy man who served the true God. It seems that Elisha was still at Gilgal, 30 miles (50 kilometres) from Baal Shalishah.

That gift was a very special gift at a time when harvests across Israel were failing (1 Kings 4:38; 1 Kings 8:1). The farmer was truly grateful that, in such a difficult year, God had given him some grain. So, although the gift was small, both he and Elisha considered it a very precious gift.

Elisha accepted it on God’s behalf. However, he would not accept it for himself alone. There were a hundred men there, with their families, who served Israel’s God. They prayed and studied God’s law with Elisha – so, Elisha declared that they must all benefit from this wonderful gift. They all would taste and know how good God is (Psalm 34:8).

Next part: God increases the food, to satisfy all the men (2 Kings 4:43-44)

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