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Study This Verse
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
The miraculous healing of Jericho's waters marks a foundational moment in Elisha's prophetic ministry. Immediately following Elijah's dramatic ascension, Elisha confronts a city plagued by a corrupted water supply that causes "death or barren [land]." By divine command, he casts salt into the spring, declaring God's direct and permanent intervention to heal the waters. This powerful act not only validates Elisha's authority as God's chosen instrument of restoration but also profoundly demonstrates the Lord's sovereign ability to reverse desolation, bringing life and fruitfulness where there was once decay and sterility.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is strategically placed at the very inception of Elisha's public ministry, serving as his inaugural miracle after inheriting Elijah's mantle. The preceding narrative in 2 Kings 2 meticulously chronicles the transfer of prophetic authority, culminating in Elijah's dramatic ascent to heaven in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11). Immediately thereafter, Elisha is recognized by the "sons of the prophets" as Elijah's legitimate successor (2 Kings 2:15). His arrival in Jericho is met with an urgent plea from the city's inhabitants regarding their critical problem: despite its pleasant location, the water supply is "bad, and the ground barren" (2 Kings 2:19). Elisha's swift, decisive, and effective response to this pressing need not only establishes his divine credentials but also sets the compassionate and practical tone for his subsequent ministry, which is frequently characterized by life-giving interventions.
Historical & Cultural Context
Jericho, an ancient and strategically vital city, holds a profound place in Israel's history, notably as the first city conquered by Joshua after the Israelites entered the promised land (Joshua 6). It was famously placed under a severe curse by Joshua, declaring that anyone who rebuilt its foundations would do so at the cost of his firstborn and youngest sons (Joshua 6:26). While the city had indeed been rebuilt by Hiel of Bethel, tragically fulfilling the curse through the deaths of his sons (1 Kings 16:34), the persistent problem with its water supply, causing "death or barren [land]," could be interpreted by the populace as a lingering effect of this ancient curse or a general state of divine displeasure. In the arid climate of ancient Israel, a reliable and potable water source was not merely a convenience but an absolute necessity for human survival, agricultural productivity, and overall societal prosperity. A corrupted spring meant not only human suffering and disease but also the inability to sustain vital crops and livestock, inevitably leading to economic hardship and social decay. Thus, the prophet's intervention was a matter of existential importance for the community.
Key Themes
The healing of Jericho's waters powerfully illuminates several foundational biblical themes. Firstly, Divine Healing and Restoration stands paramount, showcasing God's active and immediate power to reverse conditions of decay, barrenness, and death, transforming them into vibrant sources of life and fruitfulness. This motif of divine reversal is pervasive throughout Scripture, where God consistently brings life from desolation, as beautifully articulated in the promise of God providing "beauty for ashes" (Isaiah 61:3). Secondly, the event unequivocally underscores Prophetic Authority and Succession. Elisha's authoritative declaration, "Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters," is not a mere magical incantation but a direct pronouncement of God's sovereign will, unequivocally validating his role as God's chosen instrument and confirming the legitimate transfer of Elijah's prophetic mantle. This inaugural miracle serves as a public and undeniable demonstration of God's endorsement of Elisha's ministry, much akin to how Moses's early miracles established his divine authority before Pharaoh and Israel (Exodus 4:1-9). Finally, the miracle profoundly signifies New Beginnings and Reversal of Curse. What was once a persistent source of affliction and a potential manifestation of a historical curse becomes, through divine intervention, a bountiful source of blessing. This transformation symbolizes God's profound desire to bring about comprehensive renewal and a fresh, life-giving start for His people and their land.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root signifies "to go out" or "to bring out" in a wide variety of applications. Here, it denotes Elisha's intentional and direct movement to the source of the problem. His "going forth" is an active, purposeful engagement, indicating that divine intervention often involves the prophet's physical presence and obedience to God's specific instructions, moving from a place of observation to a point of action.
This verb means "to mend (by stitching)," and figuratively, "to cure" or "to make whole." Its use here emphasizes that the transformation of the water is a complete, thorough, and lasting cure, not a temporary alleviation. The perfect tense "I have healed" underscores that the healing is a definitive, accomplished act, directly attributable to the immediate and sovereign power of the LORD, reversing a previously diseased or broken state.
Derived from the root "to die," this noun primarily refers to physical demise but also encompasses ruin and pestilence. In this context, "death" refers to the destructive and lethal effects of the corrupted water, leading to the loss of life (human, animal) and the failure of crops. It conveys the extreme severity of the problem, indicating that the water was not merely unpalatable but actively detrimental and ultimately fatal to all forms of life it touched, signifying a state of profound ruin.
This primitive root means "to miscarry" or "to suffer abortion," and by analogy, "to bereave" or "to make childless." Applied to the land, it describes a state of infertility, unproductiveness, or sterility, meaning the inability to yield crops or sustain life, resulting in desolation. It suggests a lack of fruitfulness and a condition of perpetual sterility, standing in stark contrast to God's original blessing of fruitfulness and multiplication for creation.
Verse Breakdown
"And he went forth unto the spring of the waters"
This clause highlights Elisha's deliberate and direct engagement with the very origin of the problem. He does not merely pray from a distance but physically goes to the source of the corrupted water, demonstrating a practical, hands-on approach to his prophetic ministry. This action signifies that divine intervention often meets human need at its root, requiring active participation from God's chosen instruments.
"and cast the salt in there"
The act of casting salt is the physical, symbolic medium through which God's power is channeled. Salt, while often associated with preservation or covenant, does not inherently possess the natural power to purify a large, poisoned spring. Its use here underscores that the power resides not in the substance itself, nor in Elisha's inherent abilities, but solely in the divine command and the prophet's obedient action. It is a simple, common element made extraordinary by God's will.
"and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters"
This is the pivotal declarative statement, unequivocally emphasizing that the healing is a direct, sovereign act of God. Elisha speaks not in his own name or authority but as God's mouthpiece, employing the authoritative prophetic formula "Thus saith the LORD." The use of the perfect tense, "I have healed," indicates a completed and definitive action, signifying that the healing is immediate and permanent, stemming directly from God's omnipotent will and power.
"there shall not be from thence any more death or barren [land]"
This final clause declares the comprehensive and lasting result of the miracle. The dire consequences of the corrupted water—namely, death and infertility—are permanently and entirely reversed. This promise signifies a complete and enduring restoration, ensuring that the water will no longer be a source of harm or desolation but a perpetual source of life and fruitfulness for the city and its surrounding land, demonstrating God's thoroughness and redemptive power in His work.
Literary Devices
The account of Elisha healing the waters of Jericho is profoundly rich in Symbolism. The "bad" water and "barren land" vividly symbolize the pervasive effects of sin and curse, representing spiritual desolation, unproductiveness, and the brokenness of creation under human rebellion. The act of casting salt, typically understood as a preserving agent or, paradoxically, a desolating agent (as in the salting of conquered cities), into the water to purify it is a striking example of Paradox. This paradox underscores that the healing power does not originate from the salt's natural properties but from the Divine Fiat—the authoritative word spoken through Elisha—demonstrating God's ability to work contrary to natural laws and human expectations. The narrative also employs powerful Contrast and Reversal, moving dramatically from a state of "death or barren [land]" to one of vibrant life and abundant fruitfulness, thereby highlighting God's transformative and redemptive power. Elisha's action exemplifies Prophetic Action, where a physical deed, combined with a divine declaration, serves as a tangible and visible sign of God's invisible power and sovereign will being enacted in the world.
Theological and Thematic Connections
The healing of Jericho's waters stands as a profound testament to God's absolute sovereignty over creation and His deep, abiding desire to bring life, order, and flourishing out of chaos, decay, and desolation. It reveals a God who is intimately concerned with the physical well-being of His people and the fruitfulness of their land, demonstrating His unparalleled capacity to intervene directly in the natural world to reverse conditions of curse and barrenness. This miracle serves as a powerful foreshadowing of God's ultimate and comprehensive plan of redemption, wherein all that is broken, corrupted, and barren will ultimately be made new and abundantly fruitful. It serves as a timeless reminder that no situation, however dire, long-standing, or seemingly insurmountable, is beyond the transformative reach of God's restorative power, and that His boundless grace can truly convert sources of death into springs of vibrant, sustaining life.
Reflection and Application
The miracle at Jericho offers profound and enduring encouragement for believers today, serving as a powerful reminder that God remains actively involved in the ongoing restoration of all things, encompassing both the physical and spiritual realms. Just as the literal waters of Jericho were miraculously transformed from a source of death and barrenness into a wellspring of life, so too can God bring profound healing and abundant fruitfulness to the "barren" or "dead" areas of our individual lives, our relationships, our communities, and indeed, our world. This might manifest as spiritual dryness, persistent emotional wounds, relational brokenness, or deeply entrenched societal injustices that appear utterly insurmountable. The narrative teaches us to discern and identify these areas of "death or barrenness" and, with unwavering faith, courageously invite God's transformative power into them. It also powerfully highlights that God frequently chooses to utilize simple, seemingly ordinary means—like a handful of salt in Elisha's hand—to accomplish truly extraordinary and supernatural results. This reminds us that our obedient participation, even in what may seem like small or insignificant acts, can become a potent conduit for divine power. We are therefore called to confidently declare God's truth into difficult and challenging circumstances, trusting implicitly that His word, spoken through His yielded people, carries the inherent authority to bring about lasting and redemptive change.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Elisha use salt to heal the water, when salt can sometimes make water undrinkable or land infertile?
Elisha's use of salt was not predicated on its inherent chemical properties to purify water, but rather served as a profoundly symbolic act of obedience to God's specific command. In ancient cultures, salt held diverse symbolic meanings; it could represent preservation, an unbreakable covenant, or, conversely, judgment and desolation (as seen in the practice of salting a conquered city to ensure its barrenness). In this particular context, the paradoxical use of salt underscores that the power to heal originated not from the substance itself, nor from Elisha's own abilities, but solely from the sovereign word of the LORD spoken through His prophet. The common, seemingly inadequate substance served as a tangible point of contact for an extraordinary divine intervention, emphasizing that God frequently chooses to work through humble or counter-intuitive means to powerfully display His omnipotence. It was a clear demonstration that God's authoritative word, not human wisdom or natural properties, was the true agent of miraculous transformation.
What exactly does "death or barren [land]" imply in this context?
The phrase "death or barren [land]" (KJV), often rendered as "miscarriages and barrenness" (NIV) or "causing death and unfruitfulness" (ESV), refers to a comprehensive and severe affliction caused by the corrupted water supply of Jericho. It implies far more than merely unpalatable water. "Death" most likely refers to the loss of human and animal life due to sickness, poisoning, or disease contracted from drinking the contaminated water. "Barren [land]" (from the Hebrew shakol) signifies infertility and unproductiveness, meaning that crops would either fail to grow, wither prematurely, or yield no harvest, and perhaps even livestock would suffer miscarriages or fail to reproduce. The problem was not simply discomfort but a profound and existential threat to the very existence, health, and prosperity of the community of Jericho. Therefore, the subsequent healing brought about a complete and comprehensive reversal of this multifaceted curse, ensuring abundant life and fruitfulness for the city and its surrounding territory.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
The physical healing of Jericho's corrupted waters by Elisha serves as a profound Old Testament type, powerfully pointing forward to the ultimate and spiritual healing brought by Jesus Christ. Just as the poisoned water brought "death or barren [land]," humanity's pervasive sin has corrupted the very wellsprings of spiritual life, leading inevitably to spiritual death and profound barrenness (Romans 6:23). Jesus, however, declares Himself to be the divine source of "living water" (John 4:10), promising that whoever drinks of it will never thirst again, and that from within them will flow "rivers of living water" (John 7:38). Through His sacrificial death on the cross and His glorious resurrection, Christ has decisively broken the curse of sin and death, transforming spiritual barrenness into abounding life and fruitfulness for all who believe (Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13). He is the ultimate fulfillment of God's restorative power, making all things new, not merely physically, but profoundly and eternally (Revelation 21:5). The miracle at Jericho thus foreshadows the comprehensive, life-giving, and redemptive work of the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), ushering in an era of spiritual vitality and abundant, everlasting life for all who place their faith in Him.