וְאִ֨ישׁ בָּ֜א מִבַּ֣עַל שָׁלִ֗שָׁה וַיָּבֵא֩ לְאִ֨ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֜ים לֶ֤חֶם בִּכּוּרִים֙ עֶשְׂרִֽים־לֶ֣חֶם שְׂעֹרִ֔ים וְכַרְמֶ֖ל בְּצִקְלֹנ֑וֹ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר תֵּ֥ן לָעָ֖ם וְיֹאכֵֽלוּ׃
Ein Mann kam in jenen Tagen von Baal-Salisa und brachte dem Gottesmann [als Geschenk] Brot von Erstlingsfrucht, zwanzig Gerstenbrote und frische Ähren in seiner Tasche. [Der Prophet] befahl: Gib es den Männern, dass sie essen.
Rashi
Betulmei: Bread. For loaves of bread. "Twenty loaves of barley bread" (II Kings 4:22), is translated [in the Targum] as, "twenty tulmin of bread,
Depths of Yonah
Human nature craves to follow the herd and not to differ from societal norms. It takes an enormous devotion to truth to have the courage to deviate from the societal norm. Moreover, Chazal (cited by Rashi to Melachim II 9:1) report that Yonah was a disciple of the prophet Elisha. It is clear from Melachim II 4:42-43, 5:21-26, and 6:1-7 that the students of Elisha lived in dire poverty. To be a devotee of Elisha required a deep devotion to truth no matter what the cost, a devotion Yonah took too far.
Da'at Zekenim
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What shall we bring to the man. Targum Yonoson renders, 'If he accepts money, what shall we bring to the man?' Shaul was not familiar with Shmuel's habits and thought that he would ask for remuneration.3 It seems that in those days it was customary to bring gifts in this type of situation; as in II Melachim 4:42. They thought that perhaps Shmuel might demand some form of remuneration for his prophecies just as diviners seek gifts from those for whom they predict the future.—Radak
Rav Hirsch
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כרמל — i. e., broken whilst the husk (כר) is yet full (מלא) (according to this כרמל is a word compounded of כר and מל) — when the crop is yet fresh and full in its stalks; for this reason the fresh ears are called כרמל. Similar is, (2 Kings 4:42) “and full ears of corn (כרמל) in the husk thereof”.