15
Now when the sons of the prophetswho were at Jerichoopposite* him saw him, they said, "The spirit of Elijahrests on Elisha." And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
16
They said to him, "Beholdnow, there are with your servantsfiftystrongmen, please let them go and search for your master; perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him on somemountainor into somevalley." And he said, "You shall not send."
19
Then the men of the citysaid to Elisha, "Behold now, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lordsees; but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful."
21
He went out to the spring of water and threwsalt in it and said, "Thussays the LORD, 'I have purifiedthesewaters; there shall not be from theredeath or unfruitfulnessanylonger.' "
23
Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, youngladscame out from the city and mocked him and said to him, "Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!"
24
When he lookedbehind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bearscame out of the woods and tore up forty-two*lads of their number.