2 Kings 2:21

and Elisha went out to the spring, cast the salt into it, and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘I have healed this water. No longer will it cause death or unfruitfulness.’”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Elisha stands at the spring after the officials deliver a new bowl containing salt. He addresses the water source directly, announcing a divine pronouncement that halts its capacity to cause death or crop failure.

The words — מֶלַח (Me.lach) translates literally to "salt," the physical substance Elisha throws into the spring. וַ/יֹּאמֶר (va/i.Yo.mer) means "and he said," marking the shift from the thrown object to the prophetic declaration that follows.

The thread — The text describes Elisha’s physical action before recording the spoken promise that the waters will remain healthy. This pattern of material agents effecting purification parallels Moses casting wood into bitter waters at Exodus 15:25 and Elisha’s later use of flour to heal a poisoned pot at 2 Kings 4:41. The sustained use of salt also aligns with the command to season grain offerings with the "salt of the covenant" in Leviticus 2:13.

Why it lands — The text records the event before drawing its theological conclusion. It requires the reader to accept that prophetic speech, when enacted through tangible obedience, produces permanent environmental and agricultural stability.

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 he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.

Cross-references

Exodus 15:25 And Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a log. And when he cast it into the waters, they were sweetened. There the LORD made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there He tested them,
2 Kings 4:41 Then Elisha said, “Get some flour.” He threw it into the pot and said, “Pour it out for the people to eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.
Leviticus 2:13 And you shall season each of your grain offerings with salt. You must not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offering; you are to add salt to each of your offerings.
2 Kings 6:6 “Where did it fall?” asked the man of God. And when he showed him the place, the man of God cut a stick, threw it there, and made the iron float.
Revelation 21:4 ‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Revelation 22:2 down the middle of the main street of the city. On either side of the river stood a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
Mark 9:50 Salt is good, but if the salt loses its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
John 9:6 When Jesus had said this, He spit on the ground, made some mud, and applied it to the man’s eyes.
Matthew 5:11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.