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2 Kings 2:13-25
Holman Christian Standard Bible
2 Kings 2:13-25
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Elisha Succeeds Elijah
13 Elisha picked up the mantle(A) that had fallen off Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the mantle Elijah had dropped and struck the waters. “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” he asked. He struck the waters himself, and they parted to the right and the left, and Elisha crossed over.
15 When the sons of the prophets from Jericho who were facing him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” They came to meet him and bowed down to the ground in front of him.
16 Then the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Since there are 50 strong men here with your servants, please let them go and search for your master. Maybe the Spirit of the Lord has carried him away and put him on one of the mountains or into one of the valleys.”(B)
He answered, “Don’t send them.”
17 However, they urged him to the point of embarrassment,(C) so he said, “Send them.” They sent 50 men, who looked for three days but did not find him. 18 When they returned to him in Jericho(D) where he was staying, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”
19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Even though our lord can see that the city’s location is good, the water is bad and the land unfruitful.”(E)
20 He replied, “Bring me a new bowl and put salt in it.”(F)
After they had brought him one, 21 Elisha went out to the spring of water, threw salt in it,(G) 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 remains healthy to this very day according to the word that Elisha spoke.
23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel.(H) As he was walking up the path, some small boys came out of the city and harassed him,(I) chanting, “Go up, baldy! Go up, baldy!” 24 He turned around, looked at them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord.(J) Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of the children. 25 From there Elisha went to Mount Carmel,(K) and then he returned to Samaria.(L)
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2 Kings 2:13-25
New International Version
2 Kings 2:13-25
New International Version
13 Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the cloak(A) that had fallen from Elijah and struck(B) the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.
15 The company(C) of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit(D) of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 “Look,” they said, “we your servants have fifty able men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit(E) of the Lord has picked him up(F) and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.”
“No,” Elisha replied, “do not send them.”
17 But they persisted until he was too embarrassed(G) to refuse. So he said, “Send them.” And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find him. 18 When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”
Healing of the Water
19 The people of the city said to Elisha, “Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.”
20 “Bring me a new bowl,” he said, “and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.
21 Then he went out to the spring and threw(H) the salt into it, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.’” 22 And the water has remained pure(I) to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken.
Elisha Is Jeered
23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered(J) at him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!” 24 He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse(K) on them in the name(L) of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. 25 And he went on to Mount Carmel(M) and from there returned to Samaria.
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