Commentaries:
Barnes' Notes
There was a dearth in the land - Rather, "The famine was in the land." The seven years' dearth of which Elisha had prophesied (marginal reference) had begun.
The sons of the prophets - See I Kings 20:35 note. They were sitting before him as scholars before their master, hearing his instructions.
Other Barnes' Notes entries containing 2 Kings 4:38:
1 Samuel 7:16
2 Kings 2:1
Jeremiah 1:13
Hosea 4:15
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