2 Kings 2:24
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.
Then he turned around
This phrase indicates a decisive action by Elisha. The Hebrew root for "turned around" is "panah," which often signifies a change in direction or focus. In this context, it underscores Elisha's authority and readiness to address the disrespect shown to him. Historically, prophets were revered figures, and turning to confront the mockers highlights the seriousness of their offense.

looked at them
The act of looking is more than a mere glance; it is an intentional and discerning gaze. The Hebrew word "ra'ah" implies seeing with understanding or insight. Elisha's look is one of judgment, perceiving the hearts and intentions of the boys. This reflects the biblical theme that God sees beyond outward appearances to the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

and called down a curse on them
The phrase "called down a curse" is significant in the Hebrew context, where words held immense power. The Hebrew word "qalal" means to make light of or to curse. Elisha's curse is not a personal vendetta but a divine judgment. In the ancient Near East, curses were understood as invoking divine justice, and Elisha, as a prophet, acts as God's mouthpiece.

in the name of the LORD
This phrase is crucial, as it signifies that Elisha's actions are not of his own volition but are sanctioned by God. The "name of the LORD" (YHWH) represents God's authority and power. Throughout Scripture, invoking God's name is a solemn act, reflecting the belief that God is actively involved in the affairs of humanity.

So two female bears
The mention of "two female bears" is specific and intentional. In the Hebrew text, "dubim" refers to bears, and the detail of them being female may imply heightened ferocity, as female bears are known to be fiercely protective. This detail underscores the seriousness of the judgment and the divine orchestration of events.

came out of the woods
The woods, or "ya'ar" in Hebrew, often symbolize untamed nature and the unknown. The sudden emergence of the bears from the woods signifies the unexpected and overwhelming nature of divine judgment. It serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty over creation and His ability to use it for His purposes.

and mauled forty-two of the boys
The number "forty-two" is specific and significant. In biblical numerology, numbers often carry symbolic meaning. The large number of boys affected highlights the gravity of the offense against God's prophet. The Hebrew word "baqa" means to tear or rend, indicating the severity of the attack. This serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of mocking God's messengers and, by extension, God Himself.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Elisha
A prophet of God and the successor of Elijah. He is the central figure in this passage, demonstrating the authority and power given to him by God.

2. The Youths
A group of young men who mocked Elisha, showing disrespect not only to him but also to God, whom Elisha represented.

3. The Bears
Two female bears that emerged from the woods as a direct response to Elisha's curse, serving as instruments of divine judgment.

4. Bethel
The location near where this event took place. Bethel was a center of idol worship at the time, which may have influenced the youths' disrespectful behavior.

5. The LORD
The God of Israel, whose name Elisha invoked when calling down the curse, emphasizing the divine authority behind the prophet's actions.
Teaching Points
Respect for God's Anointed
Elisha's experience teaches the importance of respecting those whom God has appointed as leaders and representatives. Disrespect towards them is seen as disrespect towards God Himself.

The Consequences of Mockery
The incident with the bears serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of mocking or belittling God's work and His messengers.

Divine Justice
God's justice may seem severe, but it is always righteous. This passage encourages believers to trust in God's wisdom and justice, even when it is difficult to understand.

The Power of Words
Elisha's curse, spoken in the name of the LORD, demonstrates the power of words, especially when aligned with God's will. Believers are reminded to use their words wisely and prayerfully.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the context of Bethel as a center of idol worship help us understand the behavior of the youths in this passage?

2. In what ways does this passage challenge us to consider our own attitudes towards spiritual leaders and authorities?

3. How can we apply the principle of respecting God's anointed in our daily interactions with others?

4. What does this passage teach us about the seriousness of our words and the potential impact they can have?

5. How can we reconcile the severity of God's judgment in this passage with His nature as loving and merciful, as seen in other parts of Scripture?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Leviticus 26:21-22
This passage outlines the consequences of disobedience to God, including wild animals being sent as a form of judgment, which parallels the event with the bears.

Proverbs 17:12
This proverb warns about the danger of encountering a bear, highlighting the severity of the judgment that befell the youths.

Matthew 18:6
Jesus speaks about the seriousness of causing others to sin, which can be related to the youths' mocking behavior and its consequences.
Elisha and the Naughty ChildrenW. Alonzo Griffiths.2 Kings 2:23-24
The Tearing of Forty and Two Children by Two She-BearsSunday Magazine2 Kings 2:23-24
RidiculeD. Thomas 2 Kings 2:23-25
The Mockers At BethelJ. Orr 2 Kings 2:23-25
People
Elijah, Elisha
Places
Bethel, Gilgal, Jericho, Jordan River, Mount Carmel, Samaria
Topics
Bears, Behind, Boys, Curse, Cursed, Death, Declareth, Female, Forest, Forth, Forty, Forty-two, Lads, Mauled, Rend, She-bears, Tare, Tore, Turning, Vile, Wood, Woods, Youths
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Kings 2:23-24

     5277   criminals
     5550   speech, negative
     5746   youth
     5893   insults

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

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