2 Kings 2:23

Bethel (of Palestine)

²¹ And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.

²² So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.

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.

²⁴ And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.

²⁵ And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence 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, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.
Read in context
Job 19:18
Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me.
Read in context
Job 30:1
But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.
Read in context
Amos 5:5
But seek not Beth-el, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beer-sheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Beth-el shall come to nought.
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
And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
Read in context
Psalms 31:18
Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.
Read in context
Hosea 10:5
The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Beth-aven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it.
Read in context