2 Kings 2:23

Bethel (of Palestine)

²¹ and Elisha went out to the spring, cast the salt into it, and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘I have healed this water. No longer will it cause death or unfruitfulness.’”

²² And the waters there have been healthy to this day, according to the word spoken by Elisha.

From there, Elisha went up to Bethel, and as he was walking up the road, a group of boys came out of the city and jeered at him, chanting, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”

²⁴ Then he turned around, looked at them, and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Suddenly two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.

²⁵ And Elisha went on to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: From there, Elisha went up to Bethel, and as he was walking up the road, a group of boys came out of the city and jeered at him, chanting, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”
KJV: And he went up from thence unto Beth-el: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
WEB: He went up from there to Bethel. As he was going up by the way, some youths came out of the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldy! Go up, you baldy!”
ASV: And he went up from thence unto Beth-el; and as he was going up by the way, there came forth young lads out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou baldhead; go up, thou baldhead.
DARBY: And he went up from thence to Bethel, and as he went up by the way, there came forth little boys out of the city, and mocked him, and said to him, Go up, bald head; go up, bald head!
BLB: And he went up from there to Bethel, and he was going up the road, and some little youths came from the city and mocked him and said to him, “Go up, baldhead! Go up, baldhead!”

ÅB: Derfra gikk han opp til Betel, og mens han gikk opp etter veien, kom det noen smågutter ut fra byen; de spottet ham og ropte til ham: Kom her opp, din snauskalle! Kom her opp, din snauskalle!
OTB: Derfra dro Elisja opp til Betel. Mens han gikk langs veien, kom noen gutter ut av byen og hånet ham, og sa, «Gå opp, du flintskalle! Gå opp, du flintskalle!»
B1930: Derfra gikk han op til Betel, og mens han gikk opefter veien, kom det nogen smågutter ut fra byen; de spottet ham og ropte til ham: Kom her op, din snauskalle! Kom her op, din snauskalle!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

2 Chronicles 36:16
But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy.
Read in context
Job 19:18
Even little boys scorn me; when I appear, they deride me.
Read in context
Job 30:1
“But now they mock me, men younger than I am, whose fathers I would have refused to entrust with my sheep dogs.
Read in context
Amos 5:5
Do not seek Bethel or go to Gilgal; do not journey to Beersheba, for Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will come to nothing.
Read in context
Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Read in context
Genesis 21:9
But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking her son,
Read in context
Psalms 31:18
May lying lips be silenced— lips that speak with arrogance against the righteous, full of pride and contempt.
Read in context
Hosea 10:5
The people of Samaria will fear for the calf of Beth-aven. Indeed, its people will mourn with its idolatrous priests— those who rejoiced in its glory— for it has been taken from them into exile.
Read in context