³⁵ Prepare expertly blended incense from these; it is to be seasoned with salt, pure and holy.

¹⁹ The men of the city said to Elisha, “My lord can see that even though the city’s location is good, the water is bad and the land unfruitful.”^(A)

²⁰ He replied, “Bring me a new bowl and put salt in it.”^(B)

After they had brought him one, ²¹ Elisha went out to the spring, threw salt in it,^(C) and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. No longer will death or unfruitfulness result from it.’” ²² Therefore, the water still remains healthy today according to the word that Elisha spoke.

²³ From there Elisha went up to Bethel.^(D) As he was walking up the path, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him,^(E) chanting, “Go up, baldy! Go up, baldy!”

⁶ Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt,^(A) so that you may know how you should answer each person.^(B)