In fact, elisha performed twice as many miracles over his tenure as did elijah. Youre reading an english translation, and youre reading things into it that arent even in the translation let alone the original text. Elisha turned around, glared at them, and cursed them in the name of the lord. He has the capacity to bring life and blessing to those who recognize his. Nov 19, 20 one of the most bizarre parts of the bible. Why did god send shebears to tare kids in 2 kings 2 23. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. Nov 12, 2010 elisha turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the lord. Two she bears came out of the woods and tore all 42 of the boys apart. In fact, the same word described army men in 1 kings 20. The word baldhead was likely a reference to leprosy leviticus.
Concerning the prophet elisha, the text reads as follows. Home content index books of the bible 2 kings elisha baldhead. Heres what the historical and inspired book of 2nd kings says about it. Verses 1925 elisha had, in this respect, a double portion of elijahs spirit, that he wrought more miracles than elijah. Why did the prophet elisha curse the youths for making fun. A pair of she bears mauling a class of kindergartners 2 kings 2.
And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of. David cooper is the author of two poetry ebooks, glued to the sky and jfk. The story foreshadows boxoffice hit the revenant, in which leonardo dicaprio also comes off secondbest in an encounter with an irritable ursine. The story is one of a sequence of events narrated to emphasize that elisha was the legitimate successor to his prophetic predecessor, elijah.
The account of the 42 young men torn apart by two shebears is an importantalbeit tragicpart of gods agenda to teach the israelites to heed elisha. Christian education 2 kings 2 st johns lutheran school. Dec 06, 2015 jamie duguid on elisha and the she bears ii kings 2 posted on december 6, 2015 by jamesbradfordpate yesterday, derek rishmawy posted some comments about the troubling story in ii kings 2 about god sending she bears to maul young people who were mocking the prophet elisha. It is unlikely that these youths were younger than 12 years old. Dec 05, 2015 and he turned around, and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the lord. Elishas hair, then, represents the most outward expression of the lord in the bible, or the actual, literal stories themselves. Jan 29, 2016 i left out a few things, like the shebears mauling 42 youths here illustrated by gustave dore, the floating axehead and gehazi being cursed with leprosy, not only because they didnt contribute to my theme but simply to keep the hymn from becoming too tediously long. It involves the prophet elisha at the end of chapter 2, starting at verse 23. These were not little, innocent children who didnt know any better. Youths generally represent intelligence or the understanding of truth. Feb 29, 2008 the word baldhead was likely a reference to leprosy leviticus. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up fortytwo lads of their number. Jamie duguid on elisha and the shebears ii kings 2 james. From there he went on to mount carmel, and from there he returned to samaria.
And therefore, 2 when you make a deal with god, take it very, very seriously. Other things, like shebears mauling 42 youths for talking shit to the prophet elisha in 2 kings 2. At once two bears ran out of the woods and ripped to pieces 42 of the boys. So he turned around and looked at them, and pronounced a curse on them in the name of the lord. One should also take note of the woods part of this story found in this 2 kings 2 prophecy. Why did the prophet elisha curse the youths for making fun of his.
He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of. God would use several events to teach the people of israeleven those who were not faithful to the lordto respect this new kid on the block. Hence tim keller will always beat john macarthur in a smackdown. It might be interesting to compare them you go ahead. In the story of the bear rapture, the number of 2 bears and 42 youths will become important in the ultimate punchline of this prophecy see the bear rapture alert update section at the end of this article. The mauling of the fortytwo youths is a mainstay of the atrocities lists. Suddenly two female bears came out of the woods and mauled fortytwo of the young men.
Here is a blessing upon the waters of jericho, which was effectual. What is the biblical lesson in god killing 42 kids ii kings. Introduction 23 then he went up from there to bethel. I will post three different versions of the passage, since it is brief. Why would god allow two bears to maul little children for insulting elisha. Biblical scholars have shed new light on the story of elisha and the bears who mauled 42 youths in 2 kings 2. We recoil in horror at the idea of bears mauling a gaggle of preschoolers. The salty cee bears maul youths after ok, boomer comment. Apr 05, 20 this weeks barmy bible study features elisha and the shebears bit parts played by fortytwo little children. The setting of this event takes places shortly after elisha witnesses elijah being taken up to heaven by god in a whirlwind ii kings 2. Do you support gods decision of sending 2 bears to maul 42. And two shebears came out of the woods and tore fortytwo of the boys. Jamie duguid on elisha and the shebears ii kings 2.
Among other topics, jamie was disagreeing with the conservative christian argument. Contrary to the caricature, elisha was a young man, probably in his mid twenties, though obviously bald. One of my favorite bible stories comes from 2 kings 2. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of the children. Then two she bears came out of the woods and tore fortytwo of the boys to pieces. New living translation elisha turned around and looked at them, and he cursed them. But elisha said, as surely as the lord lives and as you live, i will not leave you. In fact, the bible mentions bears quite a few times as reference to someones power.
The bear, in many cultures, symbolizes ultimate power universe of symbolism. As god had stated, elisha became elijahs replacement as a. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled fortytwo of the youths. He has the capacity to bring life and blessing to those who recognize his authority, or death and. Then there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them verse 24. In the book of 2 kings, there is an intriguing narrative that has generated considerable controversy. Local tradition places the site of this story near the town of deir dibwan and is called, the lair of the two bears, about 1. Knowhy otl29a what should we make of the story of elisha. What is the point of the story of elisha, the 42 youths, and. Here it is presumably used in a negative way, showing people using intelligence and logic to attack the meaning of the bible. Elisha didnt control the actions of the bear, but we know god did.
Do you support gods decision of sending 2 bears to maul. The prophet elisha and bears attacking boys youtube. May 01, 2010 its been awhile since the last installment of this series lots more to come, but this one should be fairly straightforward. If the bible had been written by king leonidas and the rest of the spartans from 300, it would probably read pretty much the same as it does now. What is the biblical lesson in god killing 42 kids ii. It turns out, the bible is already chock full of ass kicking.
Many years ago, i had an atheist question me on the passage in 2 kings 2. But isnt it sad when attack comes from the people of god themselves. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and. Once again, the context will show that this is not an unreasonable act at all. Elisha mocked 23 from there, elisha went up to bethel, and as he was walking up the road, a group of boys came out of the city and jeered at him, chanting, go up, you baldhead. The sin of israel fell upon them in the form of two beasts bears and one youth died for every single month elijah and elisha had been interceding on behalf of israel for. Subsequently, the two brief episodes of the healing of the waters of jericho and the much misunderstood mauling of the youths who mock the prophet demonstrate elishas authority and prove that he is the legitimate prophetic heir of elijah. If you can somehow convince me that mauling children with bears is justified, then i will become a christian, i give you my word.
Because these young people of about 20 years of age or older the same term is used of solomon in 1 kings 3. Jamie duguid left an informative comment under dereks post about that story, from a different perspective. Sep 12, 2016 as a meaty novel of ideas and as a psychological multigenerational saga two shebears is a natural choice for book groups and is strongly recommended to a wide readership. The vital question of concern to most here is the age of these little children. In conclusion, this moment was orchestrated by the lord to ensure the people of israel understood that elisha would have the same power god gave to elijah in his day. King james bible and he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the lord. I doubt these forty two infidels survived the mauling they endured. Mar 16, 2009 their sin returned to them from their curses and two she bears came out of the woods and brutally attacked and probably killed the 42 youth.
What should we make of the story of elisha and the bears. This weeks barmy bible study features elisha and the shebears bit parts played by fortytwo little children. As god had stated, elisha became elijahs replacement as a prophet of god i kings 19. As elisha was walking from jericho to bethel, some little children saw him and mocked him, saying. The hebrew phrase for small boys refers to adolescents from 12 to 30 years old see i samuel 20. He could have just spanked them, but mauling them with bears was somehow necessary. Rather, it is a record of an insulting demonstration against gods prophet by a large group of young men. Some things, like the story of jael, are just plain entertaining from a literary point of view. Is the death penalty a fair punishment for mocking someone. Immediately two shebears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of them.
Barmy bible study a lesson on obedience and respect. Yesterday, derek rishmawy posted some comments about the troubling story in ii kings 2 about god sending shebears to maul young people who were mocking the prophet elisha. And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled fortytwo of the youths. This means that calling elisha bald is saying that the lord is not getting through into those actual, literal stories that the stories are empty, without real meaning. As a meaty novel of ideas and as a psychological multigenerational saga two shebears is a natural choice for book groups and is strongly recommended to a wide readership.
Elisha again demonstrates that he bears the spirit of elijah, which is the. Why did the prophet elisha curse the youths for making. What is the biblical lesson in god killing 42 kids ii kings 2. He turned around, looked at them, and cursed them in the name of the lord. Its been awhile since the last installment of this series lots more to come, but this one should be fairly straightforward. The sudden arrival of the two bears who mauled fortytwo youths to death. Two are recorded in these versesa miracle of mercy to jericho and a miracle of judgment to bethel, ps. In any case, 2 kings tells of a number of incidents where elisha is. Bethel the center of jeroboams idolatrous worship 1ki 12. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore. If the story is 100% true, the old testament god is cruel and malicious. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them. And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled fortytwo of the youths ii kings 2.
Our text for this evenings study can be found in the book of kings. And he turned around, and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the lord. The gospel, which is contained in the word of god, is the power of god unto salvation. As he was walking up the path, some small boys came out of the city. Why did god send shebears to tare kids in 2 kings 2 2324.
Sep 22, 2017 one of my favorite bible stories comes from 2 kings 2. Elisha turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the lord. As he was walking up the path, some small boys came out of the city and harassed him, chanting, go up, baldy. Finally, i delved into the actual punishment provided by the curse. Lines of fire, the translator of little promises by rachel eshed, a journalist at. Feb 27, 2010 in answer to a question about the shebears mauling the youths in kings, one answerer commented. The phrase go up likely was a reference to elijah, elishas mentor, being taken up to heaven earlier in 2 kings chapter 2 verses 1112. Elisha, little children, and the bears answers in genesis. The account of the 42 young men torn apart by two shebears is an importantalbeit tragicpart of gods. This is suicide and marital infidelity, and if anything events only get more cringeworthy as you go along. Second, the fact that the bears mauled 42 of the youths indicates that there. Biblical literalists have a peculiar position to take on this. A deadly burst of vengeance upon a troop of wanton youths.
Then two shebears came out of the woods and mauled fortytwo of the boys. What is the point of the story of elisha, the 42 youths. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled fortytwo of the boys. First of all, the word that is translated youths more accurately means teenagers or young adults. Jul 28, 2017 in the story of the bear rapture, the number of 2 bears and 42 youths will become important in the ultimate punchline of this prophecy see the bear rapture alert update section at the end of this article. He has the capacity to bring life and blessing to those who recognize his authority, or. We recoil in horror at the idea of bears mauling a. One of the most disturbing and incomprehensible accounts in the old testament concerns elisha and the bears who mauled those who jeered at him. But before you cluck at this books vulgar tendencies, dont forget that the bible in general, and the story of elisha and the two shebears in particular verses 23 and 24, here, is absolutely and perhaps intentionally barbaric as well. When he turned around and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the lord.
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