2 Kings 2:24

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

²³ 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!”

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: 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.
KJV: 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.
WEB: He looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in the LORD’s name. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of those youths.
ASV: And he looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in the name of Jehovah. And there came forth two she-bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two lads of them.
DARBY: And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of Jehovah. And there came forth two she-bears out of the wood, and tore forty-two children of them.
BLB: And he turned around and looked at them, and he cursed them in the name of YHWH. And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled of them forty-two youths.

ÅB: Da han så vendte seg om og fikk se dem, lyste han forbannelse over dem i Herrens navn; da kom det to bjørner ut av skogen og sønderrev to og førti av barna.
OTB: Han snudde seg, så på dem, og forbannet dem i Herrens navn. Da kom to bjørner ut av skogen og rev i hjel førtito av guttene.
B1930: Da han så vendte sig om og fikk se dem, lyste han forbannelse over dem i Herrens navn; da kom det to bjørner ut av skogen og sønderrev to og firti av barna.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Acts 13:9–11
Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked directly at Elymas
Read in context
Acts 5:5
On hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. And great fear came over all who heard what had happened.
Read in context
Hosea 13:8
Like a bear robbed of her cubs I will attack them, and I will tear open their chests. There I will devour them like a lion, like a wild beast would tear them apart.
Read in context
Acts 5:9
“How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?” Peter replied. “Look, the feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”
Read in context
Amos 7:17
Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword. Your land will be divided by a measuring line, and you yourself will die on pagan soil. And Israel will surely go into exile, away from their homeland.’”
Read in context
Nehemiah 13:25–27
I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God and said, “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves!
Read in context
1 Kings 13:24
As he went on his way, a lion met him on the road and killed him, and his body was left lying in the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside it.
Read in context
Exodus 20:5
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
Read in context