King James Bible

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2 Kings

4

:

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.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
And one a Adjective H259 אֶחָ֣ד e·chad
Analysis:

One: God

Refers to HaShem (God), Who is One. This number can also refer to unity. The first place the number "one" occurs is in Genesis 1:5. There one reads, "And there was an evening and there was a morning— one day". Later on in this same book of Genesis, it is stated concerning the man and his wife, "And they became one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). It is very significant that in both of these examples there was a multiplicity for the subject. In the first example, the evening and the morning became one day and in the second example, it was Adam and Eve who became one flesh.

One of the most famous passages in the Torah concerning HaShem is Deuteronomy 6:4 which states, "Hear O Israel the Lord your God the Lord is One." The question that a person must ask himself is what is the connection between the use of the Hebrew word אחד "one" which identifies a multiplicity being one and the fact that the Lord God of Israel is One? The answer is that the Hebrew word אחד can relate to the concept for one as in "unification". There is another Hebrew word that would have been possible to be used if the author wanted to refer to an absolute oneness or singleness. This is the Hebrew word יחיד. In fact, there is a well-known prayer in Judaism which states, "אחד ואין יחיד כיחודו". This phrase should be translated as, "(God is) One and there is no singularity as His singularity." The idea that is being expressed in this prayer is that the Lord God of Israel is One; but not an absolute One; rather there is a uniqueness and a complexity to His Oneness.

The number one is frequently employed to express in the Scriptures one object, such as one man or one tabernacle. This usage would be the simple or common purpose that the number one or for that matter any number, would appear in a Biblical text. Often the appearance of a number does not contain any of the significance that Hebrew numerology might offer. Therefore, the reader must always consider when coming across a verse which contains a number, that the number only expresses an amount and no additional significance. 

Because the number one is often associated with God, there is a unique phenomenon in the Scriptures concerning this number. Sometimes the number one is employed to express a unique relationship that the object has to HaShem. For example,

"And it will be one day, it will be known to HaShem..." Zechariah 14:7

In the text above, Zechariah could have stated simply, "And it will be a day…" The fact that the prophet said "one day" is to convey that this day is uniquely related to God. Similarly, it is stated by the prophet Ezekiel in chapter 37, "one King", "one nation" and "one Shepherd" (see Ezekiel 37:22, 24). Each of these objects—King, nation and Shepherd—has a connection to HaShem. The King and Shepherd is Messiah Yeshua, the Son of God and the one nation is Israel, the people of God.

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016

went out after Verb H3318 וַיֵּצֵ֨א vai·ye·tze
into the field country Noun H7704 הַשָּׂדֶה֮ has·sa·deh
to gather gather Verb H3950 לְלַקֵּ֣ט le·lak·ket
herbs herb Noun H219 אֹרֹת֒ o·rot
and found be able Verb H4672 וַיִּמְצָא֙ vai·yim·tza
a wild country Noun H7704 שָׂדֶ֔ה sa·deh,
vine vine Noun H1612 גֶּ֣פֶן ge·fen
and gathered gather Verb H3950 וַיְלַקֵּ֥ט vay·lak·ket
his lap apparel Noun H899 בִגְדֹ֑ו vig·dov;
full all along Noun H4393 מְלֹ֣א me·lo
thereof wild country Noun H7704 שָׂדֶ֖ה sa·deh
gourds gourd Noun H6498 פַּקֻּעֹ֥ת pak·ku·'ot
and came abide Verb H935 וַיָּבֹ֗א vai·ya·vo
and shred bring forth Verb H6398 וַיְפַלַּ֛ח vay·fal·lach
[them] into the pot caldron Noun H5518 סִ֥יר sir
of pottage pottage Noun H5138 הַנָּזִ֖יד han·na·zid
for they knew acknowledge Verb H3045 יָדָֽעוּ׃ ya·da·'u.

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
King James Bible 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.
Hebrew Greek English And Then one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, vine and gathered thereof wild gourds from it his lap full, full of wild gourds, and came and shred sliced them into the pot of pottage: stew, for they knew them not.did not know what they were.
New American Standard Bible 1995 And Then one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, vine and gathered thereof wild gourds from it his lap full, full of wild gourds, and came and shred sliced them into the pot of pottage: stew, for they knew them not.did not know what they were.