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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

2 Kings 2:19-22

2 KINGS—NOTE ON 2 Kings 2:19 the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful. Jericho was ideal for settlement because of a permanent spring which watered the land around it. Now, however, the water supply had become contaminated. (The city had been rebuilt under the shadow of Joshua’s curse; see Joshua 6:26; 1 Kings 16:34). The use of salt here is symbolic; the water was healed by supernatural means: Thus says the LORD, I have healed this water.

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See also 2 Kings 2:19-22 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 2 Kings 2:19. _THE WATER_ IS _NAUGHT, AND THE GROUND BARREN._] The barrenness of the ground was the effect of the badness of the water....

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    THE WATER IS NAUGHT - i. e. “bad.” AND THE GROUND BARREN - Translate “and the land apt to miscarry.” The stream was thought to be the cause of untimely births, abortions, and the like, among the catt...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    II. THE PROPHET ELISHA 1. The Beginning of His Ministry CHAPTER 2:12-25 _ 1. The mantle used (2 Kings 2:12)_ 2. The sons of the prophets (2 Kings 2:15) 3. The healing of Jericho's waters (2 Kin

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    2 KINGS 1:1 TO 2 KINGS 2:25. LAST DAYS AND ASCENSION OF ELIJAH: ELISHA ESTABLISHED AS HIS SUCCESSOR. Here we have perhaps a third Elijah narrative, in which the prophet is represented as playing a par...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Elisha heals the noxious water at Jericho (Not in Chronicles) 19. _And the men of the city_ These are the ordinary inhabitants. From the sons of the prophets they would gather that Elisha was now gift...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 359 ELISHA HEALING THE SPRING WITH A CRUSE OF SALT 2 Kings 2:19. The men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    B. THE HEALING OF THE NOXIOUS WATER 2:19-22 TRANSLATION (19) And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray you, the dwelling of the city is good as my master sees; but the waters are vile...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND THE MEN OF THE CITY SAID UNTO ELISHA, BEHOLD, I PRAY THEE, THE SITUATION OF THIS CITY IS PLEASANT, AS MY LORD SEETH: BUT THE WATER IS NAUGHT, AND THE GROUND BARREN._ The situation of this city i...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    ELIJAH'S TRANSLATION TO HEAVEN The great service rendered to Israel by the prophet whose life is here closed was the stand which he made for the religion of Jehovah when its supremacy was threatened b...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THIS CITY] Jericho (2 Kings 2:18). THE WATER] not of the Jordan but of an affluent of it, the modern Ain es Sultan....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE LAST KINGS OF *ISRAEL AND *JUDAH BOOK OF 2 KINGS _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 2 GOD TAKES ELIJAH TO HEAVEN * God had promised Elijah that Elisha would continue his work (1 Kings 19:16). In this c...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    (19-25) Elisha, as prophet, heals the waters of Jericho, and curses the scorners of Beth-el....

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THE MEN OF THE CITY. — Not “the sons of the prophets,” but the citizens make this trial of the prophet’s miraculous powers. THE SITUATION OF THIS (Heb.,_ the_) CITY IS PLEASANT (Heb.,_ good_). — Jeri...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ אַנְשֵׁ֤י הָ עִיר֙ אֶל ־אֱלִיש

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    ELISHA 2 Kings 2:1 "He did wonders in his life, and at death even his works were marvelous. For all this the people repented not." - Sir 48:14-15 AT this point we enter into the cycle of supernatur...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    ELIJAH'S SPIRIT ON ELISHA 2 Kings 2:13 We, too, may have a double portion of Elijah's spirit, but everything depends on the purity of our hearts. Only the pure in heart can see, and if we can see int...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    There is something pathetic and even weird in these final movement's of Elijah, as we see him accompanied by Elisha, and watched by the prophets. It would seem as though he tried to escape into loneli...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Barren, owing to the salt or bituminous waters. Some think that they were muddy and of a loathsome smell. The fountain is still to be seen very abundant and excellent, watering the plain on the west...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Here Elisha enters upon his ministry. And a lovely service it was to heal the barren and corrupt waters of Jericho. Like the waters of Marah the appointed remedy cast in by the Lord's command became e...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    It has been already remarked that the mission, or, at any rate, the proper ministry of Elijah closed with his own complaint against the children of Israel. God took him at his word. He pleaded against...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    And now we reach the end of the troubles and afflictions of this precious and faithful servant of God. And, if we do not find in his case the calmness of the ascension of Jesus, who, while blessing Hi...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND THE MEN OF THE CITY SAID UNTO ELISHA,.... The inhabitants of Jericho, perceiving him to be a prophet, and endowed with a power of working miracles: BEHOLD, I PRAY THEE, THE SITUATION OF THIS CITY...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city [is] pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water [is] naught, and the ground barren. Ver. 19. _Behold, I pray t...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _The water is naught, and the ground barren_ Either it was so originally, at least as to that part of the city where the college of the prophets was; or it became so from the curse of God inflicted up...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Elijah, taking his leaue of Elisha, with his mantle diuideth Iordan, 9 and granting Elisha his request, is taken vp by a fierie charet into heauen. 12 Elisha, diuiding Iordan with Elijahs mantle,...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And the men of the city, probably the magistrates or the influential citizens, SAID UNTO ELISHA, BEHOLD, I PRAY THEE, THE SITUATION OF THIS CITY IS PLEASANT, on a beautiful oasis, noted for its splend...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Elisha's Miraculous Powers...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    Though in 1 Kings 19:21 we read of Elisha following Elijah and becoming his servant, yet Elisha is not mentioned as identified with Elijah when Elijah later gave messages to Ahab (1 Kings 21:17) and t...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    BARREN: _ Heb._ causing to miscarry...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    19-25 Observe the miracle of healing the waters. Prophets should make every place to which they come better for them, endeavouring to sweeten bitter spirits, and to make barren souls fruitful, by the...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Either it was so orignally, at least as to that part of the city where the college of the prophets was, for it is not necessary to understand this of the whole territory; or it became so from the curs...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    2 Kings 2:19 men H582 city H5892 said H559 (H8799) Elisha H477 situation H4186 city H5892 pleasant H2896 lord...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    B. THE ‘HEALING' OF JERICHO'S SPRING (2 KINGS 2:19). The new beginning for Israel resulting from Elisha' entry into the land over the Jordan results the men of Jericho asking him to ‘heal' a spring of...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    SECTION 7. ELISHA ENTERS CANAAN TO TAKE POSSESSION OF IT FOR YHWH AND MOAB'S REBELLION AGAINST ISRAEL IS PUT DOWN WITH TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES (2 KINGS 2:1 TO 2 KINGS 3:27). In our view the entry of Elish...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    2 Kings 2:1 The account of Elijah's translation suggests: I. That the life of man is absolutely at the disposal of the Lord. (1) God knows when our work is done. (2) We are taken from a lower to a h...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Translation of Elijah. Faith of Elisha. Theological students and their unbelief. Elisha's miracle. CHARACTERS: God, Holy Spirit, Elisha, Elijah. CONCLUSION: Those who know they are soon go...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    2 Kings 2:1. _When the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven._ The LXX read, ως εις τον ουρανον, _as into heaven._ They mean to say, that he did not ascend higher than paradise, as in John 3:13. 2 Kin...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And the men of the city said unto Elisha._ THE BITTER WATERS SWEETENED-ELISHA THE HEALER Jericho, a city of high antiquity, was one of the most important in the land of Palestine. Its walls were so...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.— 2 Kings 2:20. A NEW CRUSE—“A symbol of the renewing power of the Word of God” (_Keil_). 2 Kings 2:21. DEATH OR BARREN _LAND;_ death or _abortion_. HOMILETICS OF...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION 2 KINGS 2:1 THE REMOVAL OF ELIJAH FROM EARTH, AND SOME EARLY MIRACLES OF ELISHA. The great prophet of Israel was to have a departure from earth as marv

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And so it came to pass, when the LORD would take Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal (2 Kings 2:1). So the time is come when Elijah is going to depart the earth...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 16:34; 1 Kings 18:13; 1 Kings 18:7; 1 Timothy 5:17;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Barren — Either it was so originally, at least, as to that part of the city where the college of the prophets was: or, it became so from the curse of God inflicted upon it, when Hiel rebuilt it. Howev...

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