SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:19
¶ Y los hombres de la ciudad dijeron a Eliseo: He aquí el asiento de esta ciudad es bueno, como mi señor ve; mas las aguas son malas, y la tierra enferma.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 2:19
Verse 19. The water is naught, and the ground barren.] The barrenness of the ground was the effect of the badness of the water.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 19. And the men of the city said unto Elisha , etc.] 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 is pleasant, as my lord seeth ; in a plain, surrounded with gardens and orchards, with vineyards, oliveyards, and groves of palm trees, and other odoriferous ones: but the water is naught, and the ground barren ; that is, that part of it where this water was, or ran, for from thence it became barren; or “caused to miscarry”, as the word signifies f16 ; not only trees cast their fruit, which it watered, but women became abortive that drank of it, as Josephus says f17 , and so cattle. Abarbinel thinks it was so from the times of Joshua, being cursed by him; but, if so, it would not have been inhabited again; rather this was owing to a new curse, upon its being rebuilt; though this might affect only a small part of the ground, not the whole, as before observed.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 19-25 - Observe the miracle of healing the waters. Prophets should make ever place to which they come better for them, endeavouring to sweete 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 ap emblem of the effect produced by the grace of God on the sinful hear of man. Whole families, towns, and cities, sometimes have a ne appearance through the preaching of the gospel; wickedness and evi have been changed into fruitfulness in the works of righteousness which are, through Christ, to the praise and glory of God. Here is curse on the youths of Bethel, enough to destroy them; it was not curse causeless, for it was Elisha's character, as God's prophet, tha they abused. They bade him "go up," reflecting on the taking up of Elijah into heaven. The prophet acted by Divine impulse. If the Holy Spirit had not directed Elisha's solemn curse, the providence of God would not have followed it with judgment. The Lord must be glorified a a righteous God who hates sin, and will reckon for it. Let youn persons be afraid of speaking wicked words, for God notices what the say. Let them not mock at any for defects in mind or body; especiall it is at their peril, if they scoff at any for well doing. Let parent that would have comfort in their children, train them up well, and d their utmost betimes to drive out the foolishness that is bound up in their hearts. And what will be the anguish of those parents, at the da of judgment, who witness the everlasting condemnation of their offspring, occasioned by their own bad example, carelessness, or wicke teaching __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
ויאמרו 559 אנשׁי 376 העיר 5892 אל 413 אלישׁע 477 הנה 2009 נא 4994 מושׁב 4186 העיר 5892 טוב 2896 כאשׁר 834 אדני 113 ראה 7200 והמים 4325 רעים 7451 והארץ 776 משׁכלת׃ 7921
