2 Kings 2:15-22
Holman Christian Standard Bible
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.”(A)
He answered, “Don’t send them.”
17 However, they urged him to the point of embarrassment,(B) 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(C) 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.”(D)
20 He replied, “Bring me a new bowl and put salt in it.”(E)
After they had brought him one, 21 Elisha went out to the spring of water, threw salt in it,(F) 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.
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2 Kings 2:15-22
International Standard Version
Elisha is Recognized as Elijah’s Successor
15 As soon as the Guild of Prophets who lived adjacent to Jericho saw Elisha,[a] they began to announce, “The spirit[b] of Elijah is at rest on Elisha!” So they came out to meet him and they greeted him by bowing low to the ground in front of him.
16 Then they asked Elisha,[c] “Look! We have 50 valiant men here with your servant! Please let them go out and search for your master Elijah.[d] Perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up on a mountain or into a valley.”
Elisha responded, “Don’t bother searching.”
17 But they persisted until he was frustrated, so he said, “Send them out!” So they sent out the 50 men, and they looked around for three days but did not find Elijah.[e] 18 By the time they returned, Elisha[f] was living in Jericho. Then Elisha asked them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”
Elisha Cures the Waters of Jericho
19 The men who lived in the city addressed Elisha. “Look now,” they said, “our[g] city’s location is good, as you[h] have been observing, but the water springs[i] here are bad and the land isn’t sustaining crops.”
20 Elisha ordered them, “Bring me a new bowl and put some salt in it.” So they brought him what he had requested.[j]
21 Elisha went out to the springs, threw the salt into them, and declared, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have purified these waters. Neither death nor barrenness is to flow from them anymore.’” 22 As a result, the water springs[k] remain pure to this day, just as[l] Elisha had declared.
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- 2 Kings 2:15 Lit. him
- 2 Kings 2:15 Or Spirit
- 2 Kings 2:16 Lit. him
- 2 Kings 2:16 The Heb. lacks Elijah
- 2 Kings 2:17 Lit. him
- 2 Kings 2:18 Lit. he
- 2 Kings 2:19 Lit. The
- 2 Kings 2:19 Lit. as my Lord
- 2 Kings 2:19 Lit. the waters
- 2 Kings 2:20 The Heb. lacks what he had requested
- 2 Kings 2:22 Lit. the waters
- 2 Kings 2:22 Lit. as the word of
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