2 Kings 2:23-24

[ServantOfYHWH]

"From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some youths came out of the town and jeered at him. "Go on up, you baldhead!" they said "Go on up, you baldhead!" He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths." 2 Kings 2:23-24

Let me just start out by saying, I don't question God or what He does, but I'm confused by these verses. I'm just looking for answers, as I'm a bit confused as to what happened. Any insight on this would be helpful and much appreciated! Thanks and God bless

 

[louis]

Odd...

Hi, just some thoughts on this...

The root word used in the original scripture is not the same for the first reference to children as it is for the last reference where they are torn apart by the bears.

The first reference:
The children that are mentioned here: original word is
na‛ar (nah'-ar)
meaning - a boy (as active), (...) by implication a servant; also (by interchange of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age): - babe, boy, child, damsel [from the margin], lad, servant, young (man).

The last reference:
yeled
yeh'-led
meaning - something born, that is, a lad or offspring: - boy, child, fruit, son, young man (one).

Could it be that what taunted and what got torn up are not the same thing?

Also, if I may throw in some of my own conjecture: Could it be that these "children" were a reference to small demonic types of things? Why else would God allow them to be slain like that?

Both dictionary information bits above come from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance by James Strong, S.T.D., LL.D., 1890.

 

[ServantOfYHWH]

Hi, just some thoughts on this...

The root word used in the original scripture is not the same for the first reference to children as it is for the last reference where they are torn apart by the bears.

The first reference:
The children that are mentioned here: original word is
na‛ar (nah'-ar)
meaning - a boy (as active), (...) by implication a servant; also (by interchange of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age): - babe, boy, child, damsel [from the margin], lad, servant, young (man).

The last reference:
yeled
yeh'-led
meaning - something born, that is, a lad or offspring: - boy, child, fruit, son, young man (one).

Could it be that what taunted and what got torn up are not the same thing?

Also, if I may throw in some of my own conjecture: Could it be that these "children" were a reference to small demonic types of things? Why else would God allow them to be slain like that?

Both dictionary information bits above come from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance by James Strong, S.T.D., LL.D., 1890.

Thank you for sharing this Brother [: It helped!

-Why else would God allow them to be slain like that?-

I don't think we have the full story? Or maybe they weren't innocent, I'm really not sure, I'm not really worried as I know whatevers done by the LORD is righteous and comepletely just. I'm just trying to understand better what happened, and why. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, their certainly something to meditate on!

 

[louis]

Well, thank YOU for making me aware of this piece of scripture. I've never seen it before :embarasse.

 

[ServantOfYHWH]

Well, thank YOU for making me aware of this piece of scripture. I've never seen it before :embarasse.

Don't you be embarassed brother! Not everyone is a Biblical scholar, and not everyone knows every single scripture verse, God does not look at how much you know but your heart, and how much you seek Him. I haven't read every book in the Bible either, and there's still alot of Scripture I have not seen.

I think we should realize that Elisha was a powerful man of God, and we all know we are not to insult or speak against God's anointed, maybe this was to show us what happens when someone does so?

 

[SpiritLedEd]

Could it be that these "children" were a reference to small demonic types of things? Why else would God allow them to be slain like that?

There were a lot of childrern involved (42 were mauled) and they were showing extreme disrespect to Elisha. Since his ministry was just beginning, this situation had to be dealt with harshly so that people would know that he was truly a prophet sent by God.

SLE