KJV King James Version
And he went up from thence unto Bethel: 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 bald head; go up, thou bald head.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
2 Kings 2:23
And he went up from thence unto Bethel: 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 bald head; go up, thou bald head.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
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! Go up, you baldhead!”
WEB World English Bible
He went up from there to Bethel. As he was going up by the way, some youths came out of the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldy! Go up, you baldhead!”
ASV American Standard Version
And he went up from thence unto Beth-el; and as he was going up by the way, there came forth young lads out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou baldhead; go up, thou baldhead.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
And he goeth up thence to Beth-El, and he is going up in the way, and little youths have come out from the city, and scoff at him, and say to him, ‘Go up, bald-head! go up, bald-head!’
Surrounding context — 2 Kings 2
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 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].
22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.
23 And he went up from thence unto Bethel: 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 bald head; go up, thou bald head.
24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
25 And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
וַיַּ֥עַלH5927 · a.lahto ascend: riseמִשָּׁ֖םH8033 · shamthereבֵּֽית־H1008 · bet-elBethelאֵ֑לH1008 · bet-elBethelוְה֣וּא׀H1931 · huhe/she/itעֹלֶ֣הH5927 · a.lahto ascend: riseבַדֶּ֗רֶךְH1870 · de.rekhway: conductוּנְעָרִ֤יםH5288 · na.aryouthקְטַנִּים֙H6996 · qa.tansmallיָצְא֣וּH3318 · ya.tsato come out: comeמִן־H4480 · minfromהָעִ֔ירH5892 · irexcitementוַיִּתְקַלְּסוּ־H7046 · qa.lasto mockבוֹ֙H9033 · ohimוַיֹּ֣אמְרוּH559 · a.marto sayל֔וֹH9033 · ohimעֲלֵ֥הH5927 · a.lahto ascend: riseקֵרֵ֖חַH7142 · qe.re.achbaldעֲלֵ֥הH5927 · a.lahto ascend: riseקֵרֵֽחַ׃H7142 · qe.re.achbald
Cross-references
2 Chronicles 36:16But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till [there was] no remedy.Job 19:18Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me.Job 30:1But now [they that are] younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.Psalm 31:18Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.Genesis 21:9And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.Matthew 27:29-31And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put [it] upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!Psalm 35:15But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: [yea], the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew [it] not; they did tear [me], and ceased not:Proverbs 22:15Foolishness [is] bound in the heart of a child; [but] the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.Amos 5:5But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought.Isaiah 3:5And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.Hosea 4:15Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, [yet] let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.Galatians 4:29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.Hosea 10:15So shall Bethel do unto you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.Proverbs 20:11Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work [be] pure, and whether [it be] right.Hebrews 11:36And others had trial of [cruel] mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:Amos 7:13But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it [is] the king’s chapel, and it [is] the king’s court.Hosea 10:5The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof [that] rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it.Ecclesiastes 11:10Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth [are] vanity.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
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