I have to admit that I found this to be rather disturbing. I am hoping some of my Hebrew speaking brothers and sisters can shed some light on this. I cannot imagine bears chewing up kids to ever be God's will. Am I misunderstanding something here?
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Bears mauling children?!
- Thread starter Christy4Christ
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They were not children, that text you quoted has been mistranslated, they were youths probobly around the age of 18-20 or maybe a little more. The Talmud explains that Elisha did this becuase he saw no hope for them, however G-d later on punishes Elisha for dealing so harshly with them and so he learns forgiveness.
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Toney
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Good morning, Christy. As a balding man getting on in years, I am not sure I see the problem here.
George Bernard Shaw once wrote that in stories involving God and children, the kids take God for granted and criticize the other kids. Adults, as we might note, do the exact opposite.
I see three clues in the story. The Great Prophet, blessings be upon him, was on his way to Bethel, a hotbed of Baal-worship. His mentor, Elijah, had recently been carted off to Heaven in a fiery chariot. His name Elisha means G-d is salvation.
So, the taunt is basically, Go up to Heaven like your phony predecessor, you empty-headed skull. Not only an insult to Elisha, but to G-d Himself.
Yes. There is indeed a good lesson here.
George Bernard Shaw once wrote that in stories involving God and children, the kids take God for granted and criticize the other kids. Adults, as we might note, do the exact opposite.
I see three clues in the story. The Great Prophet, blessings be upon him, was on his way to Bethel, a hotbed of Baal-worship. His mentor, Elijah, had recently been carted off to Heaven in a fiery chariot. His name Elisha means G-d is salvation.
So, the taunt is basically, Go up to Heaven like your phony predecessor, you empty-headed skull. Not only an insult to Elisha, but to G-d Himself.
Yes. There is indeed a good lesson here.
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Elisha had just been handed over the office from Elijah. He was mourning the lose of his Rabbi. He had asked for a double portion of his spirit and may not have had full recognition of what that meant. Verse 12 shows us that even throughout the travels with Elijah the other prophets asked him if he knew that his master would be taken from him that day and go to the L-RD, he answered that he is aware of that but still he rents his garments in two when this happens?
The L-RD honored Elishas request of Elijah by allowing him to see him go to heaven from him so it was the L-RDs will that he have this. The other sons of the prophets did not see this and requested that fifty of them go and search for Elijah, Elisha tells them no, for he knows what happened to him, but they insist and he tells them to go and look, they seek him for three days and cannot find him.
Also one must understand the context that this is written in for next we see that the men of Jericho tell Elisha that the city is pleasant but the water supply in it is rotten. This means that the crops arent growing well and the people are getting sick. Elisha bids them to get him a cruse of this water and some salt. He then goes to the source of the water for the city and throws in the salt water and proclaims a blessing over it and announces that the L-RD has healed the waters and there shall be no more death or miscarrying again from them.
Now Elisha is on his way to Beth-El, and upon leaving the city, these youths come out after him
23 And he went up from thence unto Beth-el; and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him: 'Go up, thou baldhead; go up, thou baldhead.'
Now notice what they are saying, Go up, thou Baldhead In other words they are telling him to GET LOST!, get outta here!
Why would they do this? Most interpret this as there were little kids making fun of a bald man, but that is not what is happening here. One must question, what did Elisha do to make them so angry that they would want him to leave? If we look back to verses just preceding this we can see.
19 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. 20 And he said: 'Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein.' And they brought it to him. 21 And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast salt therein, and said: 'Thus saith the LORD: I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or miscarrying.' 22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.
Now what was making these waters bad? A study of ancient times and even into todays world will see that a citys water supply is a good way of getting to the people. Is this not something we all need to live? Good water? For ourselves, our animals and our crops? What better way to take control of a people than to contaminate their water supply. Now it could have been contaminated by other means but it also could have been a direct result of man made manipulation.
Now I must stop and explain that the word translated into English as Children is the Hebrew word naar this can mean anyone from a babe to-30 years old, hardly what we would consider a child. But this is Biblical reckoning and can be traced in other scriptures that I wont go into now.
So now we have basically a mob of youths coming after Elisha, who is traveling alone. They are angry apparently, as they are telling him to get lost, but why?
There is a Jewish tradition that tells of these youth that were making a profit selling pure water to the residents of the city. With Elishas miracle cure, they were all put out of business.
One should also consider that we are told that two bears came out and 42 of these youths were mauled. Now if 42 were mauled by two bears, how many confronted Elisha and threatened him in the first place?
Elisha rebukes them in the name of the L-RD and the L-RD sends two bears to protect his prophet, as he should have.
The L-RD honored Elishas request of Elijah by allowing him to see him go to heaven from him so it was the L-RDs will that he have this. The other sons of the prophets did not see this and requested that fifty of them go and search for Elijah, Elisha tells them no, for he knows what happened to him, but they insist and he tells them to go and look, they seek him for three days and cannot find him.
Also one must understand the context that this is written in for next we see that the men of Jericho tell Elisha that the city is pleasant but the water supply in it is rotten. This means that the crops arent growing well and the people are getting sick. Elisha bids them to get him a cruse of this water and some salt. He then goes to the source of the water for the city and throws in the salt water and proclaims a blessing over it and announces that the L-RD has healed the waters and there shall be no more death or miscarrying again from them.
Now Elisha is on his way to Beth-El, and upon leaving the city, these youths come out after him
23 And he went up from thence unto Beth-el; and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him: 'Go up, thou baldhead; go up, thou baldhead.'
Now notice what they are saying, Go up, thou Baldhead In other words they are telling him to GET LOST!, get outta here!
Why would they do this? Most interpret this as there were little kids making fun of a bald man, but that is not what is happening here. One must question, what did Elisha do to make them so angry that they would want him to leave? If we look back to verses just preceding this we can see.
19 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. 20 And he said: 'Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein.' And they brought it to him. 21 And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast salt therein, and said: 'Thus saith the LORD: I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or miscarrying.' 22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.
Now what was making these waters bad? A study of ancient times and even into todays world will see that a citys water supply is a good way of getting to the people. Is this not something we all need to live? Good water? For ourselves, our animals and our crops? What better way to take control of a people than to contaminate their water supply. Now it could have been contaminated by other means but it also could have been a direct result of man made manipulation.
Now I must stop and explain that the word translated into English as Children is the Hebrew word naar this can mean anyone from a babe to-30 years old, hardly what we would consider a child. But this is Biblical reckoning and can be traced in other scriptures that I wont go into now.
So now we have basically a mob of youths coming after Elisha, who is traveling alone. They are angry apparently, as they are telling him to get lost, but why?
There is a Jewish tradition that tells of these youth that were making a profit selling pure water to the residents of the city. With Elishas miracle cure, they were all put out of business.
One should also consider that we are told that two bears came out and 42 of these youths were mauled. Now if 42 were mauled by two bears, how many confronted Elisha and threatened him in the first place?
Elisha rebukes them in the name of the L-RD and the L-RD sends two bears to protect his prophet, as he should have.
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Is there anyone who objects to me using some of your responses in quote form as long as I do not mention the name? These are some great responses.
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The sons of the prophets are those who think themselves religous.The reason they said go on up ye bald man is because they were laghing at Elisha because he wasn't takin up also.People often think of the rapture as a good thing but it's those that are left behind who know who G-d is..2 men in a bed one takin the other left behind,the desciple asked where lord? where are they takin? the answer is wheresoever the body is there the vultures will gather to eat their flesh,likewise the wheat harvest,the tares and wheat grow together ,wait till the end and first bundle the tares and cast them in the fire. People in the end will go on up and the people left behind on this earth will be mocked at by the wicked that are left saying go on up ye bald head and for 42 months El;isha will rip and tare.that's my opinion,the 42000 of Ephraim who cannot say Shibboleth.
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The sons of the prophets were not the ones making fun, they were the ones asking Elisha if he was aware that Elijah would be "asending" that day. They were prophets and must have been told this of the L-RD.
Christy, I have already replied in that thread with my answer here. I would rather you just make a post thread here or PM asking then just copy our answers. If they are not yours, and you don't understand them completlely they could use them to try and trip you up, and that wouldn't be very good apologetics now would it?
I (speaking for myself) am happy to lend any of my understanding of the Tenach to a thread.
Shalom!
Christy, I have already replied in that thread with my answer here. I would rather you just make a post thread here or PM asking then just copy our answers. If they are not yours, and you don't understand them completlely they could use them to try and trip you up, and that wouldn't be very good apologetics now would it?
I (speaking for myself) am happy to lend any of my understanding of the Tenach to a thread.
Shalom!
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Yes, thats why I asked permission first. Toney responded to a PM giving me permission and so his is the only response I quoted. By the way you did a great job in there! I feel like you guys will get sick of me posting links to threads. Ultimately thats what I'd rather do I just don't want anyone to get sick of me.
Ultimately thats what I'd rather do I just don't want anyone to get sick of me.
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Zayit said:If G-d gave His word to the Jews first, where better to go to?
I have to say, I agree and this is why many times I find myself here asking certain questions. ALL of my OT questions are brought here and even many of my NT questions.
You are all very helpful, I am glad to consider you all friends. 
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There are also many threads right now that are meant to say that the "Christian God" isn't just because of all the things He did in the OT. How do they miss the fact that He is the the Jewish God and not just the "Christian God"?
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