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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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“He went up from there to Bethel; and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, “Go away, baldhead! Go away, baldhead!” After Elisha had settled the matters concerning his disciples in Jericho, he moved to his dwelling place in Bethel, and during his journey the facts, which the Scripture places here, happened to him. It seems that the impudence of the children resulted from the teaching of their parents, because they were iniquitous and hostile to Elijah and all his disciples. And we may also think that they had been sent by their masters to repeat what they had learned. The word proclaimed according to Elisha by the disciples of Elijah, their fellow citizens, with regard to the ascension of their master grieved the people of Bethel a great deal. That is why, I suppose, those children did not only mention his baldness but also found further insults, which they said before him to outrage his fame, so that nobody might believe his word, if he repeated in Bethel what he had told and about which he had convinced many people in Jericho. In fact, they had meditated on this evil thought and said, “This is the reason for his coming.” Now, Elisha, even though he was upset by the effrontery of the children, was much more enraged by the craftiness and the iniquities of their parents, and he corrected both by a harsh and terrible sentence: he punished the former, so that they might not add to their iniquity by growing up to adulthood; the latter, so that they might be corrected and cease from their wickedness. He, who had blessed the children of Jericho and benefited them to the highest degree for their faith, because, after seeing that he had divided the Jordan through his word, they had said that the spirit of Elijah rested on Elisha, decreed this bitter sentence against the people of Bethel. Indeed, the people of Bethel did not believe, when they heard from children of prophets who were in their city, the news of the ascension of Elijah.“Then two she-bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.” On the day the Lord sent Elijah to anoint Elisha, he said that he would have taken revenge through him on the children of Israel, who had revolted against him, that is, those who escaped from the sword of Hazael and Jehu, Elisha would have caused to perish. This is, therefore, the beginning of the punishment: the word pronounced against the iniquitous began to be fulfilled.
Now according to the letter, dearly beloved, we are to believe, as we mentioned above, that blessed Elisha was aroused with God’s zeal to correct the people, rather than moved by unwholesome anger, when he permitted the Jewish children to be torn to pieces. His purpose was not revenge but their amendment, and in this fact, too, the passion of our Lord and Savior was plainly prefigured. Just as those undisciplined children shouted to blessed Elisha, “Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead,” so at the time of the passion the insane Jews with impious words shouted to Christ the true Elisha, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” What does “Go up, you baldhead” mean except: Ascend the cross on the site of Calvary? Notice further, brothers, that just as under Elisha forty-two boys were killed, so forty-two years after the passion of our Lord two bears came, Vespasian and Titus, and besieged Jerusalem. Also consider, brothers, that the siege of Jerusalem took place on the Paschal solemnity. Thus, by the just judgment of God the Jews who had assembled from all the provinces suffered the punishment they deserved, on the very days on which they had hung the true Elisha, our Lord and Savior, on the cross. Indeed, at that time, that is, in the forty-second year after the passion of our Lord, the Jews as if driven by the hand of God assembled in Jerusalem according to their custom to celebrate the Passover. We read in history that three million Jews were then gathered in Jerusalem; eleven hundred thousand of them are read to have been destroyed by the sword of hunger, and one hundred thousand young men were led to Rome in triumph. For two years that city was besieged, and so great was the number of the dead who were cast out of the city that their bodies equaled the height of the walls. This destruction was prefigured by those two bears that are said to have torn to pieces forty-two boys for deriding blessed Elisha. Then was fulfilled what the prophet had said, “The boar from the forest lays it waste, and the beasts of the field feed on it,” for as was indicated, after forty-two years that wicked nation received what it deserved from the two bears, Vespasian and Titus.
Cursed them: This curse, which was followed by so visible a judgment of God, was not the effect of passion, or of a desire of revenging himself; but of zeal for religion, which was insulted by these boys, in the person of the prophet; and of a divine inspiration: God punishing in this manner the inhabitants of Bethel, (the chief seat of the calf worship,) who had trained up their children in a prejudice against the true religion and its ministers.
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Summary
The account in 2 Kings 2:24 vividly details a severe divine judgment at the very outset of Elisha's prophetic ministry. Following the dramatic ascension of his mentor Elijah, Elisha was confronted and mocked by a group of youths near Bethel. In response, Elisha invoked a curse upon them in the name of the LORD, which resulted in two she-bears emerging from the nearby woods and attacking forty-two of the young men. This powerful and immediate incident served to unequivocally validate Elisha's newly established prophetic authority and underscored the grave consequences of disrespecting God's anointed servants and, by extension, God Himself.
Context
Literary Context
This event immediately follows the pivotal moment of Elijah's fiery ascension into heaven, as recorded in 2 Kings 2:11. Elisha, having witnessed this extraordinary departure and having received the mantle of Elijah, along with a "double portion" of his spirit as requested in 2 Kings 2:9, was now journeying alone, signifying the official commencement of his independent prophetic ministry. The preceding narratives establish Elisha's divine legitimation and the transfer of prophetic power, making the subsequent judgment at Bethel a clear demonstration of the authority and power now resident in him through the Spirit of the LORD. The incident at Bethel is thus a foundational narrative, solidifying Elisha's standing as God's true prophet in the eyes of a potentially skeptical and rebellious nation. It sets the tone for the rest of his ministry, indicating that God would powerfully defend His chosen messenger.
Historical & Cultural Context
Elisha was traveling from Jericho towards Bethel, a city with a complex and deeply problematic spiritual history. While Bethel was once a significant site for Abraham and Jacob, where God revealed Himself (Genesis 12:8 and Genesis 28:19), it had long since become a notorious center of idolatry. King Jeroboam I had set up one of his golden calves there to prevent the northern tribes from worshipping in Jerusalem, thereby establishing a rival, apostate religious system (1 Kings 12:29-30). This historical backdrop suggests that the youths' mockery was not merely an act of childish mischief but potentially a manifestation of the pervasive spiritual rebellion and profound disrespect for Yahweh and His prophets prevalent in the northern kingdom. Their taunt, "Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!" could have been a sarcastic challenge, ridiculing Elisha's appearance and perhaps mocking Elijah's recent ascension, implying Elisha should "go up" too, thereby removing himself from their presence. Such an act, in the cultural context of respecting elders and divine messengers, was a profound insult and a direct challenge to Elisha's authority, and by extension, to God Himself.
Key Themes
This incident powerfully establishes the theme of Divine Authority and Protection for God's chosen messengers. Elisha's curse was not a personal outburst of anger but an invocation of God's righteous judgment, demonstrating that the LORD actively defends and stands behind His true prophets. This served as a crucial validation of Elisha's ministry at its outset, particularly in a nation prone to idolatry and spiritual skepticism, where the legitimacy of Yahweh's prophets was constantly under assault. Furthermore, the severity of the judgment underscores the theme of Consequences for Disrespecting God's Messengers. In ancient Israel, a prophet was considered God's direct representative, and to mock or despise them was tantamount to mocking God Himself, a profound act of rebellion against divine sovereignty. This principle is echoed in the New Testament, where Jesus states that rejecting His disciples is equivalent to rejecting Him (Luke 10:16). Finally, the event highlights God's Holiness and Justice. While seemingly harsh to modern sensibilities, this dramatic display of divine power was necessary in a time of widespread spiritual apostasy to underscore the gravity of sin, the seriousness of rejecting divine truth, and the absolute need for reverence towards the Holy God of Israel. It serves as a stark warning against challenging the established divine order and the representatives of the LORD.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root signifies "to be (causatively, make) light, literally (swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively (easy, trifling, vile, etc.); abate, make bright, bring into contempt, (ac-) curse, despise, (be) ease(-y, -ier), (be a, make, make somewhat, move, seem a, set) light(-en, -er, -ly, -ly afflict, -ly esteem, thing), [idiom] slight(-ly), be swift(-er), (be, be more, make, re-) vile, whet." In this context, Elisha is not merely expressing personal anger but is acting as an agent of God, invoking a divine judgment that makes the mockers "light" or "vile" in God's sight, leading to their contempt and punishment. This is a formal, prophetic act, distinguishing it from a casual outburst.
This word, derived from a root meaning "to move slowly," refers to "the bear (as slow)." While the KJV specifies "she bears," the Hebrew simply indicates "bears." The use of bears as instruments of divine judgment is striking, highlighting God's sovereignty over creation and His ability to use even wild animals to execute His will. The ferocity of bears, especially when provoked or protecting cubs, makes them formidable agents of destruction, underscoring the severity of the divine response.
This term, derived from the root "to be born," refers to "something born, i.e. a lad or offspring; boy, child, fruit, son, young man (one)." This word is crucial for understanding the nature of the offenders. While it can refer to young boys, it more broadly encompasses adolescents, youths, or even young men up to the age of military service or early adulthood. Given their aggressive, mob-like behavior and their ability to confront and mock Elisha, these were clearly not toddlers or infants, but individuals old enough to be morally accountable for their deliberate and profound disrespect towards a prophet of God.
Verse Breakdown
"And he turned back, and looked on them,"
Elisha's deliberate action of turning and looking suggests a moment of solemn recognition of the offense. It was not a hasty or accidental encounter, but a direct confrontation where Elisha acknowledged the gravity of their mockery and the challenge it posed to his divine commission. This pause indicates intentionality and the weight of the moment.
"and cursed them in the name of the LORD."
This is the pivotal action. Elisha does not curse them by his own power or out of personal vindictiveness, but "in the name of the LORD." This phrase signifies that Elisha is acting as God's representative, with God's authority, and that the curse is a divine pronouncement, not a human one. It underscores that the offense was ultimately against God, and the judgment was God's righteous response, not Elisha's personal vengeance.
"And there came forth two she bears out of the wood,"
The immediate and precise fulfillment of the curse demonstrates God's direct intervention. The bears are not a random occurrence but a divinely dispatched instrument of judgment, emerging specifically "out of the wood," implying a natural yet supernaturally directed event. The number "two" adds to the specificity and intentionality of the judgment, highlighting the precise and controlled nature of God's retribution.
"and tare forty and two children of them."
The verb "tare" (from the Hebrew bâqaʻ, meaning "to cleave; generally, to rend, break, rip or open") conveys the violent and destructive nature of the attack. The specific number "forty and two" further emphasizes the precision and scale of the divine judgment, indicating a significant portion of the mocking group suffered the consequences. This was a severe and undeniable act of divine retribution, serving as a powerful public lesson.
Literary Devices
The passage employs several potent literary devices that amplify its message. Divine Retribution is the most prominent, as the immediate and severe consequence directly follows the prophetic curse, unequivocally demonstrating God's active involvement in upholding His authority and protecting His messengers. The sudden appearance of the bears functions as powerful Symbolism, where these wild animals become instruments of divine judgment, representing the untamed and fearsome power of God unleashed against those who defy Him. There is also a subtle Irony in the youths' taunt "Go up!" (referencing Elijah's ascension). While they mockingly challenge Elisha to ascend, it is they who are "taken away" by a violent, divinely orchestrated event, highlighting the reversal of their intended insult and the unexpected, severe consequences of their irreverence. The vivid imagery of the bears "tearing" the youths serves to heighten the dramatic impact and underscore the severity and finality of the judgment.
Theological and Thematic Connections
The incident at Bethel profoundly underscores the sanctity of God's name and the sacred office of His prophet. It reveals a God who is not distant or indifferent to the treatment of His chosen representatives, but one who actively intervenes to uphold His authority and defend His truth, particularly at the inception of a new prophetic era. This judgment, though severe, served as a foundational warning against spiritual rebellion and a crucial validation of Elisha's ministry in a nation steeped in idolatry. It teaches that disrespecting God's messengers is tantamount to disrespecting God Himself, and that such contempt carries grave consequences. The event also highlights God's justice, which, while often merciful and patient, can also be swift and decisive when His holiness is affronted and His authority challenged. This Old Testament account serves as a stark reminder of the gravity of rejecting divine revelation and the serious implications of treating God's anointed ones with contempt.
Reflection and Application
While the specific circumstances of 2 Kings 2:24 are unique to a particular historical and theological context—the establishment of a prophet's authority in a rebellious nation—it offers timeless principles for contemporary believers. It calls us to a profound reverence for God and His Word, and by extension, to respect those who faithfully represent Him and teach His truth. This passage reminds us that God's justice, though sometimes expressed in ways that challenge our modern sensibilities, is always righteous and serves a divine purpose, often to establish foundational truths or to correct widespread spiritual rebellion. It encourages us to take seriously the warnings of Scripture and to cultivate a heart of humility and submission to divine authority. Ultimately, believers can find assurance that God defends His servants and His truth, even when faced with ridicule or opposition. This account challenges us to consider our own attitudes towards spiritual authority and the seriousness with which we treat God's Word and His messengers, recognizing that contempt for God's truth, however subtle, can have profound spiritual implications.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Was God's judgment on the "children" too harsh?
The term translated "children" (Hebrew yeled or its plural yeladim, though the Strong's provided is for the singular yeled) typically refers to youths, adolescents, or even young men, not toddlers or infants. These were individuals old enough to be morally accountable for their actions. Their mockery was not innocent teasing but a deliberate, aggressive, and public act of contempt for Elisha and, by extension, for the God he represented. In the context of ancient Israel, where prophets were God's direct representatives, such an act was a profound challenge to divine authority, especially at the critical juncture of Elisha's ministry. The severity of the judgment served as a powerful and immediate validation of Elisha's prophetic office and a stark warning against disrespecting God's anointed servants in a nation prone to spiritual rebellion and idolatry (see 1 Kings 12). This was a public demonstration of God's holiness and His commitment to upholding His covenant and the authority of His Word, particularly in a period where such authority was frequently challenged.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While 2 Kings 2:24 depicts a severe act of divine judgment in the Old Testament, it ultimately points to the greater authority and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Elisha, as a prophet, acted as God's representative, and the judgment validated his divine commission, foreshadowing the ultimate authority vested in the Son of God. Jesus, the true Prophet, Priest, and King, possesses inherent divine authority far surpassing that of Elisha. He did not need to invoke a curse for bears to appear; His very word commanded nature (e.g., stilling the storm in Mark 4:39) and demons (Mark 1:27). The rejection of Elisha by the youths finds its ultimate parallel in the rejection of Christ by His own people, who mocked Him, spit on Him, and ultimately crucified Him (e.g., Matthew 27:29-31). However, unlike the immediate judgment on Elisha's mockers, Christ's response to His persecutors was one of profound mercy, praying, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). This highlights the shift from the Old Covenant's emphasis on immediate justice for covenant violations to the New Covenant's revelation of God's ultimate mercy and grace, where the curse of sin was borne by Christ on the cross (Galatians 3:13). Yet, the principle of divine judgment for persistent rejection remains, as those who ultimately reject Christ and His saving grace will face a final, eternal judgment, far more severe than any earthly consequence (John 3:18). Thus, this passage serves as a stark reminder of God's holiness and the gravity of rejecting His messengers, ultimately leading us to appreciate the immeasurable grace offered through Christ, who absorbed the divine wrath we deserved and offers salvation to all who believe.