Bible Strands
2 Kings 2:19
Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please note, our lord, that the city’s location is good, as you can see. But the water is bad and the land is unfruitful.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The men of Jericho speak to Elisha after returning from their search, reporting that despite the city's favorable geography, the water is contaminated and the soil fails to produce.
The words — The Hebrew מוֹשַׁב (mo.Shav) refers specifically to the settled location or dwelling place of the city, while הִנֵּה (hi.neh) functions as a demonstrative particle meaning "here!" or "behold," used to point out the physical site.
The thread — The text's contrast between favorable terrain and barren output aligns with the biblical pattern where agricultural viability depends on divine action, as noted in Exodus 23:26 and the prosperity promises of Deuteronomy 28:2 and 28:11.
Why it lands — The verse records a direct appeal for intervention, requiring the reader to acknowledge that human evaluation of good conditions does not guarantee fruitfulness without supernatural restoration.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
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.
Cross-references
- Exodus 23:26 No woman in your land will miscarry or be barren; I will fulfill the number of your days.
- Deuteronomy 28:2 And all these blessings will come upon you and overtake you, if you will obey the voice of the LORD your God:
- Deuteronomy 28:11 The LORD will make you prosper abundantly—in the fruit of your womb, the offspring of your livestock, and the produce of your land—in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers to give you.
- Deuteronomy 28:15 If, however, you do not obey the LORD your God by carefully following all His commandments and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
- Exodus 7:19 And the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over their rivers and canals and ponds and all the reservoirs—that they may become blood.’ There will be blood throughout the land of Egypt, even in the vessels of wood and stone.”
- Exodus 15:23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink the water there because it was bitter. (That is why it was named Marah.)
- 1 Kings 16:34 In Ahab’s days, Hiel the Bethelite rebuilt Jericho. At the cost of Abiram his firstborn he laid its foundation, and at the cost of Segub his youngest he set up its gates, according to the word that the LORD had spoken through Joshua son of Nun.
- Numbers 12:11 and said to Moses, “My lord, please do not hold against us this sin we have so foolishly committed.
- Joshua 6:26 At that time Joshua invoked this solemn oath: “Cursed before the LORD is the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho; at the cost of his firstborn he will lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates.”
- 1 Kings 18:7 Now as Obadiah went on his way, Elijah suddenly met him. When Obadiah recognized him, he fell facedown and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?”