2 Kings 2:19

2 Kings 2:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)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."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please notice, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren.”

Context of 2 Kings 2:19

17Yet when they urged him until he was ashamed to refuse, he said, “Send them.” So they sent fifty men; and they searched for three days, but did not find him. 18They returned to him while he was staying in Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?” Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold now, the site of the city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful.” 20And he said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21Then he went out to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have purified these waters; there shall not come from there death or unfruitfulness any longer.’”

2 Kings 2:19 word by word

וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ אַנְשֵׁ֤י הָעִיר֙ אֶל־אֱלִישָׁ֔ע הִנֵּה־נָ֞א מוֹשַׁ֤ב הָעִיר֙ ט֔וֹב כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲדֹנִ֖י רֹאֶ֑ה וְהַמַּ֥יִם רָעִ֖ים וְהָאָ֥רֶץ מְשַׁכָּֽלֶת׃Read the interlinear

• Then the menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• of the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to Elishaאֱלִישָׁע'ĕlîyshâ‛ · ElishaH477
• Beholdהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
• now, the siteמוֹשָׁבmôshâb môshâb · seatH4186
• is pleasantטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• as my lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
• seesרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• but the waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
• is badרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: harmfulH7451
• and the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• isשָׁכֹלshâkôl · be bereavedH7921

Cross-references for 2 Kings 2:19

• Numbers 12:11Then Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, I beg you, do not hold us responsible for this sin by which we have turned out to be foolish, and by which we have sinned.
• 1 Kings 18:7Now as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him, and he recognized him and fell on his face and said, “Is it you, Elijah my master?”
• 1 Timothy 5:17The elders who lead well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.
• Exodus 7:19Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and extend your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, over their pools, and over all their reservoirs of water, so that they may become blood; and there will be blood through all the land of Egypt, both in containers of wood and in containers of stone.’”
• Exodus 15:23When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, because they were bitter; for that reason it was named Marah.
• Joshua 6:17But the city shall be designated for destruction, it and everything that is in it belongs to the Lord; only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent.
• 1 Kings 16:34In his days Hiel the Bethelite rebuilt Jericho; he laid its foundations with the loss of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates with the loss of his youngest son Segub, in accordance with the word of the Lord, which He spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.
• Exodus 23:26There will be no one miscarrying or unable to have children in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.
• Deuteronomy 28:2And all these blessings will come to you and reach you if you obey the Lord your God:
• Hosea 9:14Give to them, Lord--what will You give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dried-up breasts.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 2:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19The water is naught, and the ground barren - The barrenness of the ground was the effect of the badness of the water.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19The 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 cattle, perhaps also among the people, that drank of it.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-25Verses 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 word of God, which is like the salt cast into the water by Elisha. It was an apt emblem of the effect produced by the grace of God on the sinful heart of man. Whole families, towns, and cities, sometimes have a new appearance through the preaching of…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 2:19

• Elisha
• Jericho
• Miracles
• Water

In the dictionaries

• Elisha
• Double
• Elijah
• Heal
• Jericho
• Lord
• Mock
• Rest
• Barren; Barrenness
• Friend; Friendship

Commentaries on 2 Kings 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings