2 Kings 2:22
And the waters there have been healthy to this day, according to the word spoken by Elisha.
And the waters
The phrase "the waters" refers to the water source of Jericho, which had been causing harm and barrenness to the land. In the Hebrew context, "waters" (מַיִם, mayim) often symbolize life, sustenance, and purification. Water is a recurring theme in the Bible, representing both physical and spiritual nourishment. The healing of these waters signifies a divine intervention that restores life and prosperity to the community.

have been healthy
The Hebrew word for "healthy" (רָפָא, rapha) means to heal or to make whole. This term is often used in the context of physical healing, but it also carries a spiritual connotation of restoration and renewal. The transformation of the waters from harmful to healthy is a testament to God's power to restore and renew His creation. It serves as a metaphor for spiritual healing and the restoration of relationships with God.

to this day
This phrase emphasizes the enduring nature of the miracle performed by Elisha. The phrase "to this day" (עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, ad hayom hazeh) is often used in the Old Testament to indicate the lasting impact of God's actions. It underscores the faithfulness of God in maintaining the blessings He bestows upon His people. The continued health of the waters serves as a perpetual reminder of God's intervention and the authority of His prophets.

according to the word
The phrase "according to the word" highlights the power and authority of the prophetic word. In Hebrew, "word" (דָּבָר, dabar) signifies not just a spoken utterance but also a matter or thing that is established. The fulfillment of Elisha's word demonstrates the reliability and divine backing of the prophetic message. It reinforces the belief that God's word, once spoken, will accomplish its intended purpose.

spoken by Elisha
Elisha, the successor of Elijah, is a prominent prophet in the Old Testament. His name means "God is salvation," reflecting his role as a messenger of God's saving power. The mention of Elisha underscores the continuity of God's work through His chosen prophets. Elisha's actions in healing the waters affirm his authority as a prophet and his close relationship with God. This miracle serves as an early testament to his ministry and the divine power working through him.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Elisha
A prophet and successor of Elijah, known for performing miracles and being a powerful voice for God in Israel.

2. Jericho
A city in the Jordan Valley, known for its historical significance and the miraculous fall of its walls during Joshua's conquest.

3. The Waters of Jericho
The water source in Jericho that was previously unhealthy and causing harm to the land and its people.

4. The Miracle of Healing the Waters
Elisha performs a miracle by purifying the waters of Jericho, making them healthy and life-sustaining.

5. The Word of the Lord
The authority and power behind Elisha's actions, emphasizing the divine source of the miracle.
Teaching Points
The Power of God's Word
Elisha's miracle demonstrates the transformative power of God's word. Just as the waters were healed, God's word can bring healing and restoration to our lives.

Faith and Obedience
Elisha's actions were based on faith and obedience to God's instructions. We are called to trust and obey God's word, even when the solution seems beyond our understanding.

God's Provision
The healing of the waters is a reminder of God's provision. In times of need, we can trust that God will provide for us in ways that are beyond our expectations.

Spiritual Cleansing
Just as the waters were purified, we are called to seek spiritual cleansing through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, the living water.

Legacy of Faith
Elisha's miracle left a lasting impact on Jericho. Our faith and actions can leave a positive legacy for future generations.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Elisha's miracle of healing the waters of Jericho demonstrate the power of God's word in our lives today?

2. In what ways can we apply the principle of faith and obedience seen in Elisha's actions to our own spiritual journey?

3. How does the account of the waters of Jericho connect with other biblical accounts of God's provision and miracles?

4. What are some areas in your life where you need God's healing and provision, and how can you seek His guidance and intervention?

5. How can we ensure that our faith and actions leave a positive legacy for those who come after us, similar to Elisha's impact on Jericho?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Joshua 6
The fall of Jericho, highlighting the city's historical and spiritual significance.

Exodus 15
The bitter waters of Marah made sweet, showing God's provision and power over nature.

John 4
Jesus as the living water, offering spiritual healing and eternal life.

James 5
The power of prayer and faith in bringing about healing and change.
The Proper Spirit for Theological StudentsD. Thomas 2 Kings 2:15-22
Cleansing the FountainL. A. Banks, D. D.2 Kings 2:19-22
Elisha Healing the Water, and the Means He UsedG. L. Glyn.2 Kings 2:19-22
The Bitter Waters Sweetened -- Elisha the HealerH. J. Howat.2 Kings 2:19-22
The Healing of the SpringJ. Orr 2 Kings 2:19-22
The Pleasant and the PainfulHomilist2 Kings 2:19-22
The Waters HealedC.H. Irwin 2 Kings 2:19-22
People
Elijah, Elisha
Places
Bethel, Gilgal, Jericho, Jordan River, Mount Carmel, Samaria
Topics
Elisha, Eli'sha, Healed, Purified, Saying, Spake, Spoke, Spoken, Sweet, Waters, Wholesome
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Kings 2:19-22

     1416   miracles, nature of

Library
The Translation of Elijah and the Ascension of Christ
'And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.'--2 KINGS ii. 11. 'And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.'--LUKE xxiv. 51. These two events, the translation of Elijah and the Ascension of our Lord, have sometimes been put side by side in order to show that the latter narrative is nothing
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Elijah's Translation and Elisha's Deathbed
And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.'--2 KINGS ii. 12. '...And Joash, the King of Israel, came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said. O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof.'--2 KINGS xiii. U. The scenes and the speakers are strangely different in these two incidents. The one scene is that mysterious translation on the further bank of the Jordan, when a mortal was swept up to heaven in a
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Chariot of Fire
'And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2. And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Beth-el. And Elisha said unto him, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. 80 they went down to Beth-el 3, And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Gentleness Succeeding Strength
'He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; 14. And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over. 15. And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Preparing to Depart
"And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven."--2 Kings 2:11. IT seems to me that the departure of Elijah from the world, though of course he did not "die" at all, may furnish us with a very good type of the decease of those saints who, although taken away on a sudden, are not without some previous intimation that in such a manner they will be
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 54: 1908

Whether Hope is a Help or a Hindrance to Action?
Objection 1: It would seem that hope is not a help but a hindrance to action. Because hope implies security. But security begets negligence which hinders action. Therefore hope is a hindrance to action. Objection 2: Further, sorrow hinders action, as stated above ([1361]Q[37], A[3]). But hope sometimes causes sorrow: for it is written (Prov. 13:12): "Hope that is deferred afflicteth the soul." Therefore hope hinders action. Objection 3: Further, despair is contrary to hope, as stated above [1362](A[4]).
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Jericho Itself.
We read, that this city was not only wasted by Joshua with fire and sword, but cursed also. "Cursed be he before the Lord, who shall rise up and build that city Jericho," Joshua 6:26. "Nor was another city to be built (says the Talmudists), which was to be called by the name of Jericho: nor was Jericho itself to be built, although to be called by another name." And yet I know not by what chance this city crept out of dust and rubbish, lived again, and flourished, and became the second city to Jerusalem.
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Consolations against the Fear of Death.
If in the time of thy sickness thou findest thyself fearful to die, meditate-- 1. That it argueth a dastardly mind to fear that which is not; for in the church of Christ there is no death (Isa. xxv. 7, 8), and whosoever liveth and believeth in Christ, shall never die (John xi. 26). Let them fear death who live without Christ. Christians die not; but when they please God, they are like Enoch translated unto God (Gen. v. 24;) their pains are but Elijah's fiery chariot to carry them up to heaven (2
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

The Country of Jericho, and the Situation of the City.
Here we will borrow Josephus' pencil, "Jericho is seated in a plain, yet a certain barren mountain hangs over it, narrow, indeed, but long; for it runs out northward to the country of Scythopolis,--and southward, to the country of Sodom, and the utmost coast of the Asphaltites." Of this mountain mention is made, Joshua 2:22, where the two spies, sent by Joshua, and received by Rahab, are said to "conceal themselves." "Opposite against this, lies a mountain on the other side Jordan, beginning from
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

The Baptist's Testimony.
"There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.... John beareth witness of Him, and crieth, saying, This was He of whom I said, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for He was before me. For of His fulness we all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Marcus Dods—The Expositor's Bible: The Gospel of St. John, Vol. I

Formation and History of the Hebrew Canon.
1. The Greek word canon (originally a straight rod or pole, measuring-rod, then rule) denotes that collection of books which the churches receive as given by inspiration of God, and therefore as constituting for them a divine rule of faith and practice. To the books included in it the term canonical is applied. The Canon of the Old Testament, considered in reference to its constituent parts, was formed gradually; formed under divine superintendence by a process of growth extending through
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Epistle vii. To Peter, Domitian, and Elpidius.
To Peter, Domitian, and Elpidius. Gregory to Peter, Domitian, and Elpidius, Bishops [1688] . I rejoice exceedingly that you welcomed with great joy the ordination of the most holy Cyriacus, my brother and fellow-priest. And since we have learnt from the preaching of Paul the apostle that If one member rejoice, all the members rejoice with it (1 Cor. xii. 26), you must needs consider with how great exultation I rejoice with you in this thing, wherein not one member, but many members of Christ have
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

The Upbringing of Jewish Children
The tenderness of the bond which united Jewish parents to their children appears even in the multiplicity and pictorialness of the expressions by which the various stages of child-life are designated in the Hebrew. Besides such general words as "ben" and "bath"--"son" and "daughter"--we find no fewer than nine different terms, each depicting a fresh stage of life. The first of these simply designates the babe as the newly--"born"--the "jeled," or, in the feminine, "jaldah"--as in Exodus 2:3, 6, 8.
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

A Holy Life the Beauty of Christianity: Or, an Exhortation to Christians to be Holy. By John Bunyan.
Holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever.'--[Psalm 93:5] London, by B. W., for Benj. Alsop, at the Angel and Bible, in the Poultrey. 1684. THE EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. This is the most searching treatise that has ever fallen under our notice. It is an invaluable guide to those sincere Christians, who, under a sense of the infinite importance of the salvation of an immortal soul, and of the deceitfulness of their hearts, sigh and cry, "O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Twelve Minor Prophets.
1. By the Jewish arrangement, which places together the twelve minor prophets in a single volume, the chronological order of the prophets as a whole is broken up. The three greater prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, stand in the true order of time. Daniel began to prophesy before Ezekiel, but continued, many years after him. The Jewish arrangement of the twelve minor prophets is in a sense chronological; that is, they put the earlier prophets at the beginning, and the later at the end of the
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

That Upon the Conquest and Slaughter of vitellius Vespasian Hastened his Journey to Rome; but Titus his Son Returned to Jerusalem.
1. And now, when Vespasian had given answers to the embassages, and had disposed of the places of power justly, [25] and according to every one's deserts, he came to Antioch, and consulting which way he had best take, he preferred to go for Rome, rather than to march to Alexandria, because he saw that Alexandria was sure to him already, but that the affairs at Rome were put into disorder by Vitellius; so he sent Mucianus to Italy, and committed a considerable army both of horsemen and footmen to
Flavius Josephus—The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem

Paul's Departure and Crown;
OR, AN EXPOSITION UPON 2 TIM. IV. 6-8 ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR How great and glorious is the Christian's ultimate destiny--a kingdom and a crown! Surely it hath not entered into the heart of man to conceive what ear never heard, nor mortal eye ever saw? the mansions of the blest--the realms of glory--'a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.' For whom can so precious an inheritance be intended? How are those treated in this world who are entitled to so glorious, so exalted, so eternal,
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.),
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

Links
2 Kings 2:22 NIV
2 Kings 2:22 NLT
2 Kings 2:22 ESV
2 Kings 2:22 NASB
2 Kings 2:22 KJV

2 Kings 2:22 Commentaries

Bible Hub
2 Kings 2:21
Top of Page
Top of Page