2 Kings 2:15-25

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

15 Now when ¹the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite * him saw him, they said, "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha." And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

16 They said to him, "Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men, please let them go and search for your master; perhaps ²the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley." And he said, "You shall not send."

17 But when ³they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, "Send." They sent therefore fifty men; and they searched three days but did not find him.

18 They returned to him while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, "Did I not say to you, 'Do not go '?"

19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "Behold now, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful."

20 He said, "Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it." So they brought it to him.

21 He went out to the spring of water and ⁴threw salt in it and said, "Thus says the LORD, 'I have purified these waters; there shall not be from there death or unfruitfulness any longer.' "

22 So the waters have been purified to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.

23 Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, young lads came out from the city and ⁵mocked him and said to him, "Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!"

24 When he looked behind him and saw them, he ⁶cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two * lads of their number.

25 He went from there to ⁷Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

2 Kings 2:15-25 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 2

This chapter relates, how that Elisha accompanied Elijah to several places, and on the other side Jordan Elijah was taken up from him to heaven, which occasioned great lamentation in him, 2Ki 2:1-12, but having the mantle of Elijah, he divided the waters of Jordan, and passed over, 2Ki 2:13,14, and the sons of the prophets at Jericho, perceiving the spirit of Elijah on him, showed him great respect, and proposed sending men to seek his master, which they did in vain, 2Ki 2:15-18, when he healed the waters at Jericho, at the request of the men of it, 2Ki 2:19-22, and the chapter is concluded with the destruction of forty two children at Bethel by bears, who mocked him, 2Ki 2:23,24.

Cross References

• 1. 2 Kings 2:7
• 2. 1 Kings 18:12; Acts 8:39
• 3. 2 Kings 8:11
• 4. Exodus 15:25, 26; 2 Kings 4:41; 2 Kings 6:6
• 5. 2 Chronicles 36:16; Psalms 31:17, 18
• 6. Nehemiah 13:25-27
• 7. 1 Kings 18:19, 20; 2 Kings 4:25

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "causes barrenness"
• [b]. Lit "there"
• [c]. Lit "there"
• [d]. Lit "healed"
• [e]. Lit "barrenness"
• [f]. Lit "healed"
• [g]. Lit "them"