Font Size
2 Kings 2:15-22
New International Version
2 Kings 2:15-22
New International Version
15 The company(A) of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit(B) 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(C) of the Lord has picked him up(D) 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(E) 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(F) 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(G) to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken.
2 Kings 2:15-22
New American Standard Bible
2 Kings 2:15-22
New American Standard Bible
Elisha Succeeds Elijah
15 Now when (A)the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah has settled on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him. 16 Then they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men; please let them go and search for your master, in case (B)the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley.” But he said, “You shall not send anyone.” 17 Yet when (C)they urged him until he was ashamed to refuse, he said, “Send them.” So they sent fifty men; and they searched for three days, but did not find him. 18 They returned to him while he was staying in Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”
19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold now, the site of the city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land [a]is unfruitful.” 20 And he said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt [b]in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went out to the spring of water and (D)threw salt [c]in it and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have [d]purified these waters; there shall not come from there death or [e]unfruitfulness any longer.’” 22 So the waters have been [f]purified to this day, in accordance with the word of Elisha which he spoke.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Kings 2:19 Lit causes miscarriages
- 2 Kings 2:20 Lit there
- 2 Kings 2:21 Lit there
- 2 Kings 2:21 Lit healed
- 2 Kings 2:21 Lit anything causing miscarriages
- 2 Kings 2:22 Lit healed
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.