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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers 2 Kings 2:19–25. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Elisha had, in this respect, a double portion of Elijah's spirit, that he wrought more miracles than Elijah. Some reckon them in number just double. Two are recorded in these verses - a miracle of mercy to Jericho and a miracle of judgment to Bethel, Psa 101:1.
I.Here is a blessing upon the waters of Jericho, which was effectual to heal them.
Jericho was built in disobedience to a command, in defiance to a threatening, and at the expense of the lives of all the builder's children; yet, when it was built, it was not ordered to be demolished again, nor were God's prophets or people forbidden to dwell in it, but even within those walls that were built by iniquity we find a nursery of piety. Fools, they say, build houses for wise men to dwell in. Here the wealth of the sinner provided a habitation for the just. We find Christ at Jericho, Luk 19:1. Hither Elisha came, to confirm the souls of the disciples with a more particular account of Elijah's translation than their spies, who saw at a distance, could give them. Here he staid while the fifty men were searching for him. And,
1.The men of Jericho represented to him their grievance, Kg2 2:19. God's faithful prophets love to be employed; it is wisdom to make use of them during the little while that their light is with us. They had not applied to Elijah concerning the matter, perhaps because he was not so easy of access as Elisha was; but now, we may hope, by the influence of the divinity-school in their city, they were reformed. The situation was pleasant and afforded a good prospect; but they had neither wholesome water to drink nor fruitful soil to yield them food, and what pleasure could they take in their prospect? Water is a common mercy, which we should estimate by the greatness of the calamity which the want or unwholesomeness of it would be. Some think that it was not all the ground about Jericho that was barren and had bad water, but some one part only, and that where the sons of the prophets had their lodgings, who are here called the men of the city.
2.He soon redressed their grievance. Prophets should endeavour to make every place they come to, some way or other, the better for them, endeavouring to sweeten bitter spirits, and to make barren souls fruitful, by the due application of the word of God. Elisha will heal their waters; but,
(1.)They must furnish him with salt in a new cruse, Kg2 2:20. If salt had been proper to season the water, yet what could so small a quantity do towards it and what the better for being in a new cruse? But thus those that would be helped must be employed and have their faith and obedience tried. God's works of grace are wrought, not by any operations of ours, but in observance of his institutions.
(2.)He cast the salt into the spring of the waters, and so healed the streams and the ground they watered. Thus the way to reform men's lives is to renew their hearts; let those be seasoned with the salt of grace; for out of them are the issues of life. Make the tree good and the fruit will be good. Purify the heart and that will cleanse the hands.
(3.)He did not pretend to do this by his own power, but in God's name: Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters. He is but the instrument, the channel through which God is pleased to convey this healing virtue. By doing them this kindness with a Thus saith the Lord, they would be made the more willing hereafter, to receive from him a reproof, admonition, or command, with the same preface. If, in God's name, he can help them, in God's name let him teach and rule them. Thus saith the Lord, out of Elisha's mouth, must, ever after, be of mighty force with them.
(4.)The cure was lasting, and not for the present only: The waters were healed unto this day, Kg2 2:22. What God does shall be for ever, Ecc 3:14. When he, by his Spirit, heals a soul, there shall be no more death nor barrenness; the property is altered: what was useless and offensive becomes grateful and serviceable.
II.Here is a curse upon the children of Bethel, which was effectual to destroy them; for it was not a curse causeless.
At Bethel there was another school of prophets. Thither Elisha went next, in this his primary visitation, and the scholars there no doubt welcomed him with all possible respect, but the townsmen were abusive to him. One of Jeroboam's calves was at Bethel; this they were proud of, and fond of, and hated those that reproved them. The law did not empower them to suppress this pious academy, but we may suppose it was their usual practice to jeer the prophets as they went along the streets, to call them by some nickname or other, that they might expose them to contempt, prejudice their youth against them, and, if possible, drive them out of their town. Had the abuse done to Elisha been the first offence of that kind, it is probable that it would not have been so severely punished. But mocking the messengers of the Lord, and misusing the prophets, was one of the crying sins of Israel, as we find, Ch2 36:16. Now here we have,
1.An instance of that sin. The little children of Bethel, the boys and girls that were playing in the streets (notice, it is likely, having come to the town of his approach), went out to meet him, not with their hosannas, as they ought to have done, but with their scoffs; they gathered about him and mocked him, as if he had been a fool, or one fit to make sport with. Among other things that they used to jeer the prophets with, they had this particular taunt for him, Go up, thou bald head, go up, thou bald head. It is a wicked thing to reproach persons for their natural infirmities or deformities; it is adding affliction to the afflicted; and, if they are as God made them, the reproach reflects upon him. But this was such a thing as scarcely deserved to be called a blemish, and would never have been turned to his reproach if they had had any thing else to reproach him with. It was his character as a prophet that they designed to abuse. The honour God had crowned him with should have been sufficient to cover his bald head and protect him from their scoffs. They bade him go up, perhaps reflecting on the assumption of Elijah: "Thy master," they say, "has gone up; why dost not thou go up after him? Where is the fiery chariot? When shall we be rid of thee too?" These children said as they were taught; they had learned of their idolatrous parents to call foul names and give bad language, especially to prophets. These young cocks, as we say, crowed after the old ones. Perhaps their parents did at this time send them out and set them on, that, if possible, they might keep the prophet out of their town.
2.A specimen of that ruin which came down upon Israel at last, for misusing God's prophets, and of which this was intended to give them fair warning. Elisha heard their taunts, a good while, with patience; but at length the fire of holy zeal for God was kindled in his breast by the continued provocation, and he turned and looked upon them, to try if a grave and severe look would put them out of countenance and oblige them to retire, to see if he could discern in their faces any marks of ingenuousness; but they were not ashamed, neither could they blush; and therefore he cursed them in the name of the Lord, both imprecated and denounced the following judgment, not in personal revenge for the indignity done to himself, but as the mouth of divine justice to punish the dishonour done to God. His summons was immediately obeyed. two she-bears (bears perhaps robbed of their whelps) came out of an adjacent wood, and presently killed forty-two children, Kg2 2:24. Now in this,
(1.)The prophet must be justified, for he did it by divine impulse. Had the curse come from any bad principle God would not have said Amen to it. We may think it would have been better to have called for two rods for the correction of these children than two bears for the destruction of them. But Elisha knew, by the Spirit, the bad character of these children. He knew what a generation of vipers those were, and what mischievous enemies they would be to God's prophets if they should live to be men, who began so early to be abusive to them. He intended hereby to punish the parents and to make them afraid of God's judgments.
(2.)God must be glorified as a righteous God, that hates sin, and will reckon for it, even in little children. Let the wicked wretched brood make our flesh tremble for fear of God. Let little children be afraid of speaking wicked words, for God notices what they say,. Let them not mock any for their defects in mind or body, but pity them rather; especially let them know that it is at their peril if they jeer God's people or ministers, and scoff at any for well-doing. Let parents, that would have comfort in their children, train them up well, and do their utmost betimes to drive out the foolishness that is bound up in their hearts; for, as bishop Hall says, "In vain do we look for good from those children whose education we have neglected; and in vain do we grieve for those miscarriages which our care might have prevented." Elisha comes to Bethel and fears not the revenges of the bereaved parents; God, who bade him do what he did, he knew would bear him out. Thence he goes to Mount Carmel (Kg2 2:25), where it is probable there was a religious house fit for retirement and contemplation. Thence he returned to Samaria, where, being a public place, this father of the prophets might be most serviceable. Bishop Hall observes here, "That he can never be a profitable seer who is either always or never alone."
Historical interpretation
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What should we say about the merits of Elisha? His first praiseworthy deed was his wish to surpass his father in grace, expressed when he asked that more grace be given to him than he knew was found in him who possessed such grace. To be sure, he was greedy to make such a request, but worthy to receive merit. Because Elisha demanded more from his father than he had, his father enabled him to excel in his merits more than he would have otherwise been able to do. When this Elisha came to Jericho after the ascension of his master and was asked by the citizens to remain with them in the city, they said to him: “The location of this city is good, but the water is bad, even causing sterility.” Then Elisha ordered them to give him a clay vessel, and arriving at the source of the waters, he threw the salt kept in the vessel onto the waters and said: “This is what the Lord says: I have healed the waters. No longer will anyone die from them or become sterile. And the waters remain healed to this very day.” Consider then how great the merits of Elisha are! His first stay in the children’s city results in great fruitfulness, for when he removes the sterility of the waters, he enables the succession of heirs. By performing this one deed, he did not merely heal a single person or offer medicine to the house of one person, but restored the people of the entire city. If he had performed this act later, the sterility would have taken its course and the city would have remained without inhabitants once the entire population grew old. So when Elisha healed the waters he also healed the people. And when he blessed the source of the waters, he showed favor to the source of souls. For just as by his sanctifying act water issued forth from the hidden courses in the earth, so healthy offspring came forth from the hidden organs of the womb. Elisha not only blessed the streams that were still being held in the bowels of the springs, but also those that, though still saturated in the damp soil of the earth, would later flow forth little by little. So the Scripture says that Elisha gave his blessing at the source of the water in order that the prophet’s blessing might catch the trickling water before the bosom of the spring encompassed it. Since the holy apostle Paul says that “these things were happening to them as a symbol,” let us look into how this very symbol contains the truth. In other words, let us investigate what the city that suffers from sterility stands for, and what the clay vessel intends to communicate, and finally what it means that scattered salt brings the restoration of health. We read in the writings of the same apostle what is said about the church: “Rejoice, O barren one who does not give birth, break forth and shout you who do not beget children.” Based on this passage, the church is that sterile city, which prior to the arrival of Christ, was not able to produce sons for God while suffering from sterility because of the corruption of the water, that is, the sacrilege of the pagan nations. But when Christ came, assuming a human body as if a fragile vessel, he healed the vices of the waters, that is, “he cut off the sacrileges of the peoples,” and at once, the church, which had been sterile, began to be fruitful.
Let us see what these facts mean, dearly beloved. Elisha, as I have frequently suggested, is the type of our Lord and Savior. That bitter spring seems to signify Adam, from whom the human race has sprung. Before the coming of the true Elisha, that is, our Lord and Savior, the human race remained in barrenness and bitterness through the sin of the first man. Although that new vessel in which salt was thrown represents a type of the apostles, still we can fittingly accept in it the mystery of the Lord’s incarnation. Now salt is put there as wisdom, for we read, “Let all your speech be seasoned with salt.” Moreover, since Christ is not only “the power of God” but also “the wisdom of God,” the body of Christ like a new vessel was filled with the salt of divine wisdom when the Word was made flesh. Furthermore, the new vessel with salt was thrown into the bitter waters by Elisha, and they were changed into sweetness and fruitfulness. Similarly, the new vessel, that is, the incarnate Word, was sent by God the Father to recall the human race like bitter flowing waters to sweetness, to lead it to pure charity from evil habits and sterility of good works and to restore it to the fruitfulness of justice. Truly, brothers, does it not seem to you as though the new vessel full of the salt of divine wisdom was put into the water when Christ the Lord went down into the river to be baptized? Then all the waters were changed into sweetness and were sanctified by that new vessel, that is, the body of Christ. As a result, not only were the waters not sterile, but throughout the world by the grace of baptism they have produced a countless number of Christians like abundant fruit and an exceedingly rich harvest.Although we believe that this truth is fulfilled in things which are seen, still we know that it also takes place spiritually in all people. That the waters signify the people is mentioned in the Apocalypse: “The waters that you saw are peoples and nations.” Moreover, that the vessel with salt that was put in the water represents the apostles is very clearly indicated by our Lord in the Gospel when he says, “You are the salt of the earth.” Therefore, by his grace he made new apostles out of old people and filled them with the salt of his teachings and divine wisdom, sending them to the whole world as to the spring of the entire human race, to remove its barrenness and bitterness. Finally, from the time that the salt of divine wisdom is afforded to human hearts, all bitterness of relations or sterility in good works is known to be removed.
Therefore, dearly beloved, as we mentioned above, understand Christ our Lord in blessed Elisha and the human race in that spring. Recognize clearly the malice of the devil, which served the first man in what was bitter and sterile. In that new vessel that was put in the spring full of salt, devoutly think of Christ’s teaching seasoned with the salt of divine wisdom and through the apostles directed to the human race. We, too, dearly beloved, without any preceding good merits have received such great goods from the Lord through his generous graces and have merited to be changed from bitterness to sweetness, summoned from barrenness to the fruitfulness of good works.
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Summary
In 2 Kings 2:19, the citizens of Jericho appeal to the newly established prophet Elisha, highlighting a critical paradox: while their city boasts a geographically advantageous and aesthetically pleasing location, its vital water supply is contaminated, rendering the surrounding land infertile and unproductive. This urgent plea serves as the immediate catalyst for Elisha's inaugural public miracle, powerfully demonstrating his divine commission and God's sovereign power to transform barrenness into flourishing life, thereby solidifying Elisha's role as Elijah's legitimate successor and a conduit for profound divine restoration.
Context
Literary Context
This verse immediately follows the momentous ascension of Elijah into heaven and Elisha's reception of a "double portion" of his mentor's spirit, visibly symbolized by his retrieval of Elijah's fallen mantle. Elisha has already performed his first miracle—parting the Jordan River with the mantle, an act mirroring Elijah's earlier feat—which led to his recognition and affirmation by the "sons of the prophets" at Jericho (2 Kings 2:15). The community's direct appeal to Elisha regarding their dire water problem is a natural and crucial progression in the narrative. It signifies that the people acknowledge God's prophetic authority now resides unequivocally with him, transitioning the focus from the awe-inspiring spectacle of Elijah's departure to the practical, life-sustaining work that will characterize Elisha's ministry among the populace. This sets the stage for a series of miracles that underscore God's active involvement in the daily lives of His people.
Historical & Cultural Context
Jericho, situated in the fertile Jordan Valley, held immense historical significance as the first city conquered by Israel upon their entry into Canaan, famously falling after Joshua's miraculous trumpet blasts (Joshua 6). Following its destruction, Joshua pronounced a solemn curse on anyone who would rebuild its foundations, declaring they would lay its foundation with their firstborn and set up its gates with their youngest son (Joshua 6:26). While the city had indeed been rebuilt by Hiel of Bethel during the reign of Ahab, tragically fulfilling Joshua's curse (1 Kings 16:34), its natural advantages, including a warm climate and proximity to the Jordan River, still made it an attractive settlement. However, the persistent issue of contaminated water, despite the pleasant surroundings, highlights a fundamental problem that even a strategically located city could face. In ancient Near Eastern thought, such environmental maladies were often attributed to divine displeasure, a lingering spiritual malaise, or even the effects of a curse, making the people's appeal to a prophet understandable.
Key Themes
This verse introduces and reinforces several pivotal themes that permeate the book of 2 Kings and define Elisha's prophetic ministry. Firstly, it powerfully underscores the transition of prophetic authority from Elijah to Elisha, as the people instinctively turn to the new prophet for a solution to their existential problem, thereby affirming his divine commission and the continuity of God's work. Secondly, it highlights the theme of divine intervention in natural circumstances, demonstrating God's sovereign power to heal and restore creation, even in seemingly mundane yet vital situations like a city's water supply. This stands in stark contrast to the widespread spiritual barrenness and pervasive idolatry prevalent in Israel during this period, suggesting that God's redemptive power remains active and accessible. Finally, the description of "naught" water and "barren" ground serves as a potent symbol for the consequences of spiritual decay or lingering curses, portraying a land that, despite its inherent potential, cannot truly flourish without divine cleansing and renewal, echoing the broader spiritual and moral state of the northern kingdom of Israel under its ungodly kings. The need for a spiritual remedy for a physical problem is clear, mirroring the need for spiritual healing for the nation.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word refers to a "seat," "site," or "dwelling-place," implying the physical location and arrangement of the city. The men of Jericho describe their city's môwshâb as "pleasant," acknowledging its favorable geographical and strategic position. This term emphasizes the outward appearance and inherent advantages of Jericho's locale, setting up a stark contrast with its internal, life-threatening flaw.
This word is translated as "naught" in the KJV, but its broader meaning encompasses "bad," "evil," "worthless," or "harmful." When applied to the water, it signifies not merely an unpleasant taste, but a detrimental quality that actively causes illness, death, or sterility. This term often carries moral or spiritual connotations of corruption, but here it applies to the physical properties of the water, indicating its toxic and life-negating effects on the land and its inhabitants.
This primitive root properly means "to miscarry" or "to suffer abortion," and by analogy, "to bereave" or "make childless." When applied to the ground, as it is here, it indicates that the land is infertile, unable to produce crops, or causes miscarriages among livestock and perhaps even humans. This term powerfully emphasizes the severe impact of the water's contamination, leading to a perpetual state of loss, unproductivity, and a direct threat to the community's sustenance and future.
Verse Breakdown
"And the men of the city said unto Elisha"
This opening phrase immediately establishes the setting and the primary actors. The "men of the city" represent the community of Jericho, signifying their collective desperation and their recognition of Elisha's presence and, implicitly, his newly confirmed prophetic authority. Their direct appeal underscores their belief that a spiritual solution is required for their profound physical problem.
"Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city [is] pleasant, as my lord seeth"
The citizens begin their plea by respectfully acknowledging the obvious physical attractiveness and strategic advantages of Jericho. The phrase "as my lord seeth" is a deferential address, inviting Elisha to confirm their shared observation. This initial affirmation of the city's outward beauty serves to heighten the dramatic tension, setting up a stark contrast with the severe, hidden problem they are about to reveal.
"but the water [is] naught, and the ground barren"
This is the core complaint, directly articulating the critical and life-threatening problem. The strong adversative conjunction "but" introduces the severe contradiction: the city's pleasant exterior is undermined by a foundational flaw. The "naught" water is identified as the direct source of the problem, actively causing the "barren" ground. This highlights a fundamental issue that negates all other advantages, leading to a profound lack of productivity, health, and life for the community.
Literary Devices
The verse effectively employs Contrast to highlight the profound paradox of Jericho's situation. The outwardly "pleasant" appearance and advantageous "situation" of the city are set in stark opposition to the internal, devastating reality of "naught" water and "barren" ground. This juxtaposition powerfully emphasizes the severity of the problem, where superficial beauty masks a deep-seated, life-threatening flaw that undermines the very existence of the community. Furthermore, there is a strong element of Irony in Jericho's predicament. A city historically renowned for its lush palm trees and fertile valley location, a veritable oasis, is rendered unproductive and threatened by its most essential resource—water. This irony underscores the desperate need for divine intervention to rectify what appears to be a natural, yet debilitating, environmental curse. Finally, the verse serves as potent Foreshadowing, setting the immediate stage for Elisha's first major public miracle, which will establish his prophetic credibility and demonstrate the continuation of God's miraculous power through him, much like Elijah before him.
Theological and Thematic Connections
This passage powerfully illustrates the profound theological principle that outward appearances can be deeply deceptive, and that foundational issues, even if hidden or overlooked, can render all other advantages moot. Jericho's outwardly pleasant situation was fundamentally undermined by its poisoned water, symbolizing how life's blessings and apparent strengths can be negated by a core corruption or spiritual barrenness. The men's desperate appeal to Elisha demonstrates a profound understanding that some problems defy natural solutions and require supernatural intervention, acknowledging the prophet as God's appointed channel for healing and restoration. This aligns perfectly with God's consistent character as the one who brings life out of death, fruitfulness out of barrenness, and healing to brokenness, often through His chosen servants. The narrative underscores that God is concerned not only with the spiritual state of His people but also with their physical well-being and the flourishing of their environment, demonstrating His holistic redemptive purposes.
Reflection and Application
The dilemma faced by the men of Jericho resonates deeply with the universal human experience. We often find ourselves in situations that appear outwardly favorable—a promising career, a beautiful home, a seemingly perfect relationship, or even a thriving church—yet are plagued by an underlying, debilitating issue that saps life and productivity, leaving us feeling "barren" or unfulfilled. This verse challenges us to look beyond superficial appearances and honestly identify the "naught" waters in our own lives: perhaps bitterness, unforgiveness, unconfessed sin, a foundational brokenness from past trauma, or even a systemic injustice that prevents true flourishing. Just as Jericho's inhabitants sought a divine solution through God's prophet, we are called to bring our hidden barrenness and deep-seated problems to the Lord, trusting in His sovereign power to purify and restore. It reminds us that God desires to bring holistic healing not just to our spiritual lives but to every practical area, turning our barren ground into fruitful fields for His glory and the good of His kingdom.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was Jericho's water "naught" or bad, and was this related to Joshua's curse?
The text itself does not explicitly state the precise cause of the water's contamination, referring to it simply as "naught" (Hebrew: raʻ), meaning harmful, evil, or detrimental. While Jericho had indeed been rebuilt by Hiel of Bethel despite Joshua's ancient curse (Joshua 6:26 and 1 Kings 16:34), the lingering effects of that curse or a general state of divine displeasure could certainly be implied as contributing to the city's persistent environmental problems. The "naught" water and "barren" ground could be seen as a tangible manifestation of a spiritual malaise or a continuing consequence of disobedience and the breaking of covenant, highlighting the profound need for a prophetic act to bring true restoration that goes beyond mere physical rebuilding. Elisha's subsequent miracle would effectively reverse this curse-like condition, demonstrating God's power to overcome the effects of sin and judgment.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
The healing of Jericho's waters by Elisha, prompted by the complaint in this verse, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate cleansing and life-giving work of Jesus Christ. Elisha's symbolic act of throwing salt into the spring, thereby purifying the very source of the water, points profoundly to Christ as the true source of living water, who brings spiritual and physical healing from the inside out. Just as Jericho's pleasant exterior was marred by a fundamental, life-threatening flaw, humanity's outward appearance and accomplishments can mask a deep spiritual barrenness caused by sin and separation from God. Jesus, however, offers a radical and complete transformation, proclaiming, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water'" (John 7:37-38). He is the one who transforms the "naught" water of our fallen nature and the barrenness of our sin-cursed existence into an overflowing spring of eternal life (John 4:14), bringing abundant fruitfulness where there was only spiritual death and unproductivity. Through His atoning sacrifice and the indwelling of His Spirit, Christ cleanses the very source of our being, making all things new and fulfilling the glorious promise of a redeemed creation where "everything will live where the river goes" (Ezekiel 47:9).