II KINGS 2:23-25: THE BOYS AND THE BEARS

The meaning of “maul:” This verb indicates a severe mauling, but not necessarily killing.

Read this story in practically any translation and you can't help but be disturbed by this violent response of God to some mere teasing by some little boys. It has caused a lot of problems for both believers and unbelievers because it appears to be a classic case of overkill, literally. However, here are eight mitigating factors to take into account before we attempt to pass judgment on God's or Elisha's actions.

1. The age of the boys: KJV calls them “little children,” which is very misleading. The Hebrew word can refer to youths anywhere from 12 to 30 years old. Solomon called himself a “little child” after he was married and had been crowned king. “Little” can also mean insignificant, immature, or worthless.

2. The large number of them: There were at least 42, which was a large number for such a small town. This indicates that they might have been organized for the express purpose of harassing Elisha. So we are talking about a mob or gang of street thugs.

3. Their intent to harm Elisha: One early textual variation for verse 23 says that they not only jeered at him but also started to stone him.

4. The nature of their insult: “Baldhead” was an extreme curse since baldness (especially in one as young as Elisha [about 25 years old] was rare and Elisha probably wore a hat anyway which would have concealed any baldness he had. They may actually be accusing him of being cursed by God with leprosy, since a leper had to shave his head. Another possibility is that they are referring to Elisha's “head” or “Master” (Elijah) having left him alone.

5. The meaning of “go up:” “Go up” is same verb that started this chapter, referring to Elijah's miraculously being taken up into heaven. Basically the youth are saying, “Get out of here and disappear like Elijah supposedly did.” That reflects the low state of belief of the town, Bethel, where they came from.

6. The setting near Bethel and Mt. Carmel: Beth-el had set up a rival worship center after the kingdom split in two, and worshiped a golden calf. It is felt by some commentators that the young men may have actually served as prophets or priests associated with the shrine at Beth-el. If so, then Elisha's action in cursing the men is equivalent to Elijah's confrontation with false prophets on Mt. Carmel and their subsequent death by heavenly fire. Note the prominent mention of Mt. Carmel at the end of the story.

7. Vengeance or divine justice?: Elisha's curse is not a case of him taking personal vengeance for an insult on himself. He invokes God's judgment out of concern for God's honor. God follows through as a harsh lesson to the town to repent before it is too late for the rest of them.

8. The meaning of “maul:” This verb indicates a severe mauling, but not necessarily killing.