And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

2 KINGS 7:19KJV
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2 Kings 7:19 (KJV)

What does 2 Kings 7:19 mean?

2 Kings 7:19 describes how a royal official doubted the prophet Elisha’s promise that God would provide abundant food during a famine, questioning whether even God could make such a thing happen. Elisha responds that the official will witness the miracle with his own eyes but will not get to eat any of the food himself.

The verse takes place during a severe famine in Samaria. Elisha, the man of God, had just prophesied relief from the famine, but the king’s officer (the “lord”) responded with disbelief, asking if God could open “windows in heaven” to make it possible. Elisha’s reply highlights both the certainty of God’s promise and the consequence of doubting it.

The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 7:19

  • “windows” (אֲרֻבָּה, ’arubbah): This word refers to openings or windows, often imagined as literal windows in the sky through which God could pour out blessings. The official’s use of this word shows he is mocking the idea that God could provide food in such an impossible way.
  • “see” (רָאָה, ra’ah) and “eat” (אָכַל, ’akal): Elisha’s words use these verbs to draw a sharp contrast — the official will “see” the fulfillment but will not “eat” or benefit from it. This underlines the idea that disbelief can lead to missing out on God’s provision.

Why 2 Kings 7:19 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the official’s punishment is not simply for questioning Elisha, but for doubting God’s power to provide, even in desperate circumstances.
  • The exchange highlights a recurring theme in the Bible: God’s ability to act beyond human expectations, and the consequences of disbelief.
  • The verse sets up the fulfillment that follows, where the official does indeed see the miracle but dies before he can partake, emphasizing the reliability of God’s word through the prophet.

Where else these words appear

“windows” Hebrew H699 · used in 9 verses

  • Genesis 7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
  • 2 Kings 7:2 Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
  • Isaiah 60:8 Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?

“lord” Hebrew H7991 · used in 19 verses

  • Exodus 14:7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
  • 2 Kings 7:17 And the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate: and the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said, who spake when the king came down to him.
  • 2 Chronicles 8:9 But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no servants for his work; but they were men of war, and chief of his captains, and captains of his chariots and horsemen.