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Easy-to-Read Version

2 Kings 2:19

The men of the city said to Elisha, "Sir, you can see this city is in a nice place, but the water is bad. That is why the land cannot grow crops."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Elisha;   Jericho;   Miracles;   Water;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Cities;   Water;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Elisha;   Jericho;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Evil;   Kings, First and Second, Theology of;   Miracle;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Heaven;   Prophet;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Jericho;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Elisha;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Elisha;   Naught;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Jericho;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Miracles;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Elisha;   Jericho;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Elijah;   Jericho;   Joab;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Jer'icho;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Barren;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Jericho;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Barren;   Elisha;   Good;   Naught;   Poison;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Salt;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The men of the city said to Elisha, “My lord can see that even though the city’s location is good, the water is bad and the land unfruitful.”
Hebrew Names Version
The men of the city said to Elisha, Behold, we pray you, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees: but the water is bad, and the land miscarries.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
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 Century Version
The people of the city said to Elisha, "Look, master, this city is a nice place to live as you can see. But the water is so bad the land cannot grow crops."
New English Translation
The men of the city said to Elisha, "Look, the city has a good location, as our master can see. But the water is bad and the land doesn't produce crops."
Amplified Bible
Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "Look, this city is in a pleasant place, as my lord [Elisha] sees; but the water is bad and the land is barren."
New American Standard Bible
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."
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the men of the citie saide vnto Elisha, Beholde, we pray thee: the situation of this citie is pleasant, as thou, my lorde, seest, but the water is naught, and the ground baren.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "Behold now, the habitat of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful."
Contemporary English Version
One day the people of Jericho said, "Elisha, you can see that our city is in a good spot. But the water from our spring is so bad that it even keeps our crops from growing."
Complete Jewish Bible
The men of the city said to Elisha, "My lord can see that this is a pleasant city to live in; but the water is bad, so that the ground is causing miscarriages."
Darby Translation
And the men of the city said to Elisha, Behold now, the situation of the city is good, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the land is barren.
George Lamsa Translation
And the men of the city said to Elisha, Behold, the situation of the city is pleasant, as our lord sees; but the water is bad and the ground is barren.
Good News Translation
Some men from Jericho went to Elisha and said, "As you know, sir, this is a fine city, but the water is bad and causes miscarriages."
Lexham English Bible
The men of the city said to Elisha, "Please now, the location of the city is good, as my master can see, but the water is bad and the land unproductive."
Literal Translation
And the men of the city said to Elisha, Behold, now, the site of the city is good, as my lord sees, but the waters are bad; and the ground causes barrenness.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the men of the cite sayde vnto Eliseus: Beholde, there is good dwellynge in this cite, as my lorde seyth, but the water is euell, and the londe vnfrutefull.
American Standard Version
And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, we pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is bad, and the land miscarrieth.
Bible in Basic English
Now the men of the town said to Elisha, You see that the position of this town is good; but the water is bad, causing the young of the cattle to come to birth dead.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the men of the citie saide vnto Elisa: beholde sir, the dwelling of this citie is pleasaunt, as thou thy selfe seest: but the water is naught, & the grounde barren.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the men of the city said unto Elisha: 'Behold, we pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth; but the water is bad, and the land miscarrieth.
King James Version (1611)
And the men of the city said vnto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is nought, and the ground barren.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the men of the city said to Elisaie, Behold, the situation of the city is good, as our lord sees; but the waters are bad, and the ground barren.
English Revised Version
And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, we pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the land miscarrieth.
Berean Standard Bible
Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "Please note, our lord, that the city's location is good, but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor the men of the citee seiden to Elisee, Lo! the dwellyng of this cite is ful good, as thou thi silf, lord, seest; but the watris ben ful yuele, and the lond is bareyn.
Young's Literal Translation
And the men of the city say unto Elisha, `Lo, we pray thee, the site of the city [is] good, as my lord seeth, and the waters [are] bad, and the earth sterile.'
Update Bible Version
And the men of the city said to Elisha, Look, we pray you, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees: but the water is bad, and the land miscarries.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the men of the city said to Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city [is] pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water [is] bad, and the ground barren.
World English Bible
The men of the city said to Elisha, Behold, we pray you, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees: but the water is bad, and the land miscarries.
New King James Version
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."
New Living Translation
One day the leaders of the town of Jericho visited Elisha. "We have a problem, my lord," they told him. "This town is located in pleasant surroundings, as you can see. But the water is bad, and the land is unproductive."
New Life Bible
Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "See, it is pleasing to live in this city, as my lord sees. But the water is bad. And the land does not bring fruit."
New Revised Standard
Now the people of the city said to Elisha, "The location of this city is good, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Lo! we pray thee, the situation of the city, is good, as, my lord, seeth, - but, the waters, are bad, and, the land, apt to miscarry.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the men of the city, said to Eliseus. Behold the situation of this city is very good, as thou, my lord, seest: but the waters are very bad, and the ground barren.
Revised Standard Version
Now the men of the city said to Eli'sha, "Behold, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful."
THE MESSAGE
One day the men of the city said to Elisha, "You can see for yourself, master, how well our city is located. But the water is polluted and nothing grows."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "Behold now, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful."

Contextual Overview

19 The men of the city said to Elisha, "Sir, you can see this city is in a nice place, but the water is bad. That is why the land cannot grow crops." 20 Elisha said, "Bring me a new bowl and put salt in it." They brought the bowl to Elisha. 21 Then he went out to the place where the water began flowing from the ground. Elisha threw the salt into the water and said, "The Lord said, ‘I am making this water pure! From now on this water will not cause any more death or keep the land from growing crops.'" 22 The water became pure and is still good today. It happened just as Elisha had said. 23 Elisha went from that city to Bethel. He was walking up the hill to the city, and some boys were coming down out of the city. They began making fun of him. They said, "Go away, you bald-headed man! Go away, you bald-headed man!" 24 Elisha looked back and saw them. He asked the Lord to cause bad things to happen to them. Then two bears came out of the forest and attacked the boys. There were 42 boys ripped apart by the bears. 25 Elisha left Bethel and went to Mount Carmel and from there he went back to Samaria.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

my Lord seeth: Numbers 12:11, 1 Kings 18:7, 1 Kings 18:13, 1 Timothy 5:17

the water: Exodus 7:19, Exodus 15:23, Joshua 6:17, Joshua 6:26, 1 Kings 16:34

barren: Heb. causing to miscarry, Exodus 23:26, Deuteronomy 28:2-4, Deuteronomy 28:11, Deuteronomy 28:15-18, Hosea 9:14

Reciprocal: Joshua 16:1 - the water 2 Kings 2:15 - bowed 2 Kings 4:16 - my lord Ezekiel 47:8 - the waters James 3:12 - so Revelation 8:10 - the fountains

Cross-References

Genesis 1:28
God blessed them and said to them, "Have many children. Fill the earth and take control of it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the air. Rule over every living thing that moves on the earth."
Genesis 2:4
This is the story about the creation of the sky and the earth. This is what happened when the Lord God made the earth and the sky.
Genesis 2:8
Then the Lord God planted a garden in the East, in a place named Eden. He put the man he made in that garden.
Genesis 2:20
The man gave names to all the tame animals, to all the birds in the air, and to all the wild animals. He saw many animals and birds, but he could not find a companion that was right for him.
Genesis 2:22
The Lord God used the rib from the man to make a woman. Then he brought the woman to the man.
Genesis 2:23
And the man said, "Finally! One like me, with bones from my bones and a body from my body. She was taken out of a man, so I will call her ‘woman.'"
Genesis 6:20
Two of every kind of bird, animal, and creeping thing will come to you so that you might keep them alive.
Genesis 9:2
Every animal on earth, every bird in the air, every animal that crawls on the ground, and every fish in the sea will be afraid of you. All of them will be under your control.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the men of the city said unto Elisha,.... 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 q; not only trees cast their fruit, which it watered, but women became abortive that drank of it, as Josephus says r, 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.

q משכלת "orbans", Montanus, Vatablus; "facit abortum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. r De Bello Jud. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The 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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 2:19. The water is naught, and the ground barren. — The barrenness of the ground was the effect of the badness of the water.


 
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