And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.
Parallel translations
- WEB When the containers were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another container.” He said to her, “There isn’t another container.” Then the oil stopped flowing.
- BSB When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another.” But he replied, “There are no more jars.” Then the oil stopped flowing.
- NKJV Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased.
- NASB When the containers were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another container.” But he said to her, “There are no more containers.” Then the oil stopped.
- NLT Soon every container was full to the brim! “Bring me another jar,” she said to one of her sons. “There aren’t any more!” he told her. And then the olive oil stopped flowing.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The oil keeps flowing until every borrowed vessel is full, then stops when there are no more. God's supply matched her faith and capacity to receive.
Overview
The miracle ceases only when the containers run out, not the oil, showing the limit was hers, not God's. Had she gathered more jars, more would have been filled. The detail underscores that God gives generously according to the faith that prepares for Him. It pictures the inexhaustible riches available in God, restricted only by our small expectations.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Matt 14:20And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
- 2 Kgs 13:19And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.
- Luke 6:19And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.
- Matt 15:37And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.
- Matt 13:58And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
- 2 Kgs 4:43–44And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the LORD, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof.
- Josh 5:12And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
- John 6:12When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
- 2 Chr 6:12–13And he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands:
- Matt 9:29Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
- 1 Kgs 17:14For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.
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Christ at the center
Amid the long decline toward exile, the promise to David's house refuses to die; the flickering lamp kept burning anticipates the coming King who will not fail or be cut off.
How 2 Kings 4:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.