ELISHA BEGINS HIS MINISTRY
Key verse: 15
NIV
12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots(A) and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore(B) it in two.
13 Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the cloak(C) that had fallen from Elijah and struck(D) the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.
15 The company(E) of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit(F) of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 “Look,” they said, “we your servants have fifty able men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit(G) of the Lord has picked him up(H) and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.”
“No,” Elisha replied, “do not send them.”
17 But they persisted until he was too embarrassed(I) to refuse. So he said, “Send them.” And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find him. 18 When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”
Healing of the Water
19 The people of the city said to Elisha, “Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.”
20 “Bring me a new bowl,” he said, “and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.
21 Then he went out to the spring and threw(J) the salt into it, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.’” 22 And the water has remained pure(K) to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken.
Elisha Is Jeered
23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered(L) at him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!” 24 He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse(M) on them in the name(N) of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. 25 And he went on to Mount Carmel(O) and from there returned to Samaria.
Cross references
- 2 Kings 2:12 : 2Ki 6:17; 13:14
- 2 Kings 2:12 : S Ge 37:29
- 2 Kings 2:14 : S 1Ki 19:19
- 2 Kings 2:14 : ver 8
- 2 Kings 2:15 : S 1Sa 10:5
- 2 Kings 2:15 : S Nu 11:17
- 2 Kings 2:16 : S 1Ki 18:12
- 2 Kings 2:16 : Ac 8:39
- 2 Kings 2:17 : S Jdg 3:25
- 2 Kings 2:21 : S Ex 15:25; 2Ki 4:41; 6:6
- 2 Kings 2:22 : Ex 15:25
- 2 Kings 2:23 : S Ex 22:28; 2Ch 30:10; 36:16; Job 19:18; Ps 31:18
- 2 Kings 2:24 : S Ge 4:11
- 2 Kings 2:24 : S Dt 18:19
- 2 Kings 2:25 : S 1Ki 18:20
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! (A)The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more.
Then he took hold of his own clothes (B)and tore them in two pieces. 13 And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, (C)the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.
Elisha Succeeds Elijah
15 Now when (D)the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 And they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and seek your master. It may be that (E)the Spirit of the Lord has caught him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.” 17 But when they urged him (F)till he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men. And for three days they sought him but did not find him. 18 And they came back to him while he was staying at Jericho, and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”
19 Now the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.” 20 He said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went to the spring of water and (G)threw salt in it and said, “Thus says the Lord, I have healed this water; from now on neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it.” 22 So the water has been healed to this day, according to the word that Elisha spoke.
23 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 up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” 24 And he turned around, and when he saw them, (H)he cursed them in the name of the Lord. And two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys. 25 From there he went on to (I)Mount Carmel, and from there he returned (J)to Samaria.
Read full chapterCross references
- 2 Kings 2:12 : ch. 13:14
- 2 Kings 2:12 : [1 Kgs. 11:30]
- 2 Kings 2:14 : [See ver. 8 above]; [Ex. 14:21; Josh. 3:16]
- 2 Kings 2:15 : [See ver. 3 above]; ch. 4:1, 38; 5:22; 6:1; 9:1; 1 Kgs. 20:35
- 2 Kings 2:16 : See 1 Kgs. 18:12
- 2 Kings 2:17 : ch. 8:11
- 2 Kings 2:21 : [ch. 4:41; Ex. 15:25]
- 2 Kings 2:24 : [Neh. 13:25]
- 2 Kings 2:25 : Josh. 19:26; 1 Kgs. 18:19, 20
- 2 Kings 2:25 : [ch. 3:11]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
Elisha witnessed the glory of the Lord when Elijah was taken up to heaven. He tore his clothes and began his new life. He picked up Elijah’s cloak, returned to the Jordan and asked, “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” He struck the waters, just as Elijah had, and the waters parted. The God of Elijah was present., and the spirit of Elijah indeed was resting now on Elisha. The accompanying prophets wanted to search for Elijah, thinking the Lord may have taken him to a mountain or valley somewhere. But Elisha told them not to go. The Lord was now ministering through Elisha.
Elisha came to a town that was situated in a wonderful place, but whose water was foul. Elisha brought healing to the water and to the town. The Lord worked through Elisha to bring healing and life.
There were some who made fun of the prophet and mocked him. Elisha rebuked them for disrespecting his God. Elisha came to restore honor to the God of Israel. He had received a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. He used it for the restoration of God’s people.
Prayer: Lord, help me to carry on the work of God. Help me to serve God’s purpose and pray for the healing and restoration of our nation.
One Word: Minister with God’s Spirit
