2 Kings 2:15-22

Expanded Bible

¹⁵ The ·groups [company; brotherhood; ^Lsons] of prophets at Jericho were watching from a distance and said, “·Elisha now has the spirit Elijah had [^LElijah’s spirit now rests on Elisha].” And they came to meet him, bowing down to the ground before him. ¹⁶ They said to him, “There are fifty ·strong [able] men with us. Please let them go and look for your ·master [lord]. Maybe the Spirit of the Lord has taken Elijah up and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.”

But Elisha answered, “No, don’t send them.”

¹⁷ When the ·groups [company; brotherhood; ^Lsons] of prophets had begged Elisha until he ·couldn’t refuse them anymore [was too embarrassed/ashamed to refuse], he said, “Send them.” So they sent fifty men who looked for three days, but they could not find him. ¹⁸ Then they came back to Elisha at Jericho where he was staying. He said to them, “I told you not to go, didn’t I?”

Elisha Makes the Water of Jericho Pure

¹⁹ The people of the city said to Elisha, “Look, ·master [lord], this city is ·a nice place to live [well/pleasantly situated/located] as you can see. But the water is so bad the land ·cannot grow crops [is unproductive/unfruitful].”

²⁰ Elisha said, “Bring me a new bowl and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.

²¹ Then he went out to the ·spring [water source] and threw the salt in it. He said, “·This is what the Lord says [^TThus says the Lord]: ‘I have ·healed [purified; made wholesome] this water. From now on it won’t cause death, ·and it won’t keep the land from growing crops [or unfruitfulness/unproductiveness/or miscarriage].’” ²² So the water has been ·healed [purified; made wholesome] to this day just as Elisha had said.