2 Kings 2:21

21 he went out to the well of waters, and sent salt into it, and said, The Lord saith these things, I have healed these waters, and neither death, nor barrenness, shall be more in them. (he went to the well of water, or to the spring, and put the salt into it, and said, The Lord saith these things, I have healed this water, and no more shall there be death, or barrenness, in it.)

2 Kings 2:21 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 2:21

And he went forth unto the spring of the waters
The fountain from whence they flowed, the head of them:

and cast the salt in there;
which was an unlikely means of making bad water good, since that makes it brackish, and not so drinkable, and what makes ground barren; but this method, contrary to nature, was taken, that the miracle might appear the greater; or, as the Jews express it, be a miracle within a miracle:

and said, thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters;
he did not pretend to heal them in his own name, and by his own power, but in the name and by the power of the Lord, to whom he would have it ascribed:

there shall not be from thence any more death, or barren land;
or miscarrying; no more noxious and mortal diseases should be got by drinking them, nor any abortions occasioned by them in women, cattle, and fruit trees, as had been.

2 Kings 2:21 In-Context

19 Therefore the men of the city said to Elisha, Lo! the dwelling of this city is full good, as thou thyself, lord, seest; but the waters be most evil, and the land is barren.
20 And he said, Bring ye to me a new vessel, and put ye salt into it. And when they had brought it to him,
21 he went out to the well of waters, and sent salt into it, and said, The Lord saith these things, I have healed these waters, and neither death, nor barrenness, shall be more in them. (he went to the well of water, or to the spring, and put the salt into it, and said, The Lord saith these things, I have healed this water, and no more shall there be death, or barrenness, in it.)
22 Therefore the waters were healed till into this day, by the word of Elisha, which he spake.
23 Forsooth Elisha went up from thence into Bethel; and when he went up by the way, little children went out of the city, and scorned him, and said, Go up, thou bald one! go up, thou bald one! (Go away, O bald one! go away, Baldy!)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.