There is a more reasonable explanation for the violent event than simply removing things from their context and imagining that elisha simple used a couple bears to kill some children who were mocking him. As he was walking up the path, some small boys came out of the city and harassed him, chanting, go up, baldy. From numerous examples where ages are specified in the old testament, we know. It relates the life story of solomon, during whose kingship ancient israel enjoys a time of security.
Who really wrote the biblical books of kings and the. Attacked by evil politics like creatures wicked rulers. The gospel, which is contained in the word of god, is the power of god. Like a roaring lion and a rushing bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people. Where in the bible does it say god sent two bears to murder. Jun 09, 2018 its in the second book of kings, chapter 2, verses 23 and 24. Wasnt elisha being cruel when he sent those bears against those children who were teasing him about being bald in 2 kings 2.
This book is the sequel to 1 and 2 samuel and begins by tracing solomons rise to kingship after the death of. The prophet elisha and bears attacking boys youtube. God sent two bears to rip apart 42 boys for making fun of a prophets bald head 2 kings 2. The tradition is that it was written by the prophet jeremiah. Elisha, little children, and the bears answers in genesis. Then two shebears came out of the woods and tore fortytwo of the children to pieces.
Aug 24, 2018 the book of kings 1 kings and 2 kings were written by prophet jeremiah name of the book. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them. This is being aired by permission of the holder litchfield associates, all rights. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled fortytwo of. Why would god allow two bears to maul little children for insulting elisha. Elsewhere scripture makes reference to the anger of a she bear robbed of her cubs hosea. Then he struck the water again, and it divided, and he walked over to the other side. Prophets and kings of judah and of israel part 1 a6b chart. Elisha was the son of shaphat, a wealthy landowner of abelmeholah. Bear scripture alphabet of animals online bible study tools.
May 01, 2010 its been awhile since the last installment of this series lots more to come, but this one should be fairly straightforward. Kings is the ninth book of the hebrew bible and the fourth book in the prophets neviim, the second section of the hebrew bible. The prophet must be justified, for he did it by divine impulse. First kings covers about 126 years of israels history. God would use several events to teach the people of israeleven those who were not faithful to the lordto respect this new kid on the block. Elijah makes his will, and leaves elisha his heir, now anointing him to be prophet in his room, more than when he cast his mantle upon him, 1 ki. It was through elisha that god spared jehoshaphat and the kings of israel and edom, along with their armies. Highlights from the book of first kings watchtower.
We should, however, examine scripture in context and compare. One of my favorites is the famous shebear incident of 2 kings 2. Bethel the center of jeroboams idolatrous worship 1ki 12. Then there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them verse 24. In chapter 14 of the book of the prophet jeremiah is found the lords word to the. Explaining elisha and the she bears to joe rogan and douglas murray. Elishas story is related in the book of kings second scroll, chapters 214 in the hebrew bible in judaism, part of the neviim. Kings, or in greek, was originally a book of the former prophets in hebrew scripture. Elisha, two bears, and fortytwo kids study resources. Introduction 23 then he went up from there to bethel. This book is the sequel to 1 and 2 samuel and begins by tracing solomons rise to kingship after the death of david. He turned around, looked at them, and cursed them in the name of the lord.
She had been hurt herself by the guns, but she crawled along to her cubs, put her paw upon them, and tried to have them get up. According to this story, he was a prophet and a wonderworker of the northern kingdom of israel who was active during the reign of joram, jehu, jehoahaz, and jehoash joash. Why did god kill 42 lads merely for saying elisha was bald. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of the children. They were called the third and fourth books of kingdoms, although in the hebrew manuscript the title was called kings, exactly the same as we have in our english bible. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up fortytwo lads. Then two she bears came out of the woods and tore fortytwo of the boys to pieces. And two shebears came out of the woods and tore fortytwo of the boys. Summary of the books of kings the story of the bible. Of course, the relationship between the book of mormon and the bible is more than textual passages and beautiful prose.
We recoil in horror at the idea of bears mauling a. The book of kings is the ninth book of the hebrew bible or the eleventh and twelfth books of the christian old testament. It concludes the deuteronomistic history, a history of israel also comprising the books of joshua and judges and the book of samuel, which biblical commentators believe was written to provide a theological explanation for the destruction of. And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the lord. Berean study bible then he turned around, looked at them, and called down a curse on. Joe rogan makes fun of biblical stories in episode 1084 of his podcast. The book was divided into the two books of first kings and second kings in the historical books of the greek septuagint old testament, and continues as such in the latin vulgate and our christian old testament of the bible. The goal of these books is not primarily historical but rather. Chapter 2 page 315 the second book of the kings the.
Highlights from the book of first kings watchtower online. The books of kings were originally one book in the ancient hebrew manuscripts, and the writers of the septuagint divided them. But elisha replied, as the lord lives and as your soul lives, i will not leave you. Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of moses. Local tradition places the site of this story near the town of deir dibwan and is called, the lair of the two bears, about 1. Its in the second book of kings, chapter 2, verses 23 and 24. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled fortytwo of the boys. Many years ago, i had an atheist question me on the passage in 2 kings 2. The king james bible and the book of mormon religious.
For others a historical collection of religious stories. We hear it from the lips of the servant of jehoram, as well as from the king of judahthe word of the lord is with elisha 2 kings 3. As he was going up the road, some young people came out of the city. Hosea bible study outlinecontents by chapter and verse. God sends two bears to rip up 42 little children for making fun of elishas bald head. Elijah, being greatly pleased with the constancy of elishas affection and attendance, bade him ask what he should do for him, what blessing he should leave him at. Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, rather than a fool in his folly. This includes the death of david to the death of jehoshaphat, or about 960 to 834 bc. If this suggests that the book of ruth is an anomaly, i propose to show that, on the contrary, its thematic connections with the rest of the bible are much stronger than we generally perceive. For many, it is a source of spiritual understanding and ethical guidance. Here we take a look at the weird passage in 2 kings 2 where the prophet elisha curses a group of boys and bears come out of the woods to attack them.
Elisha turned around, glared at them, and cursed them in the name of the lord. As he was walking up the path, some small boys came out of the city and harassed him. The books of first and second kings were originally one book in the hebrew bible, but were later divided into two books. This book became the basis of a series of reforms, which made josiah, according to his own scribes, the best king ever. Where in the bible does it say god sent two bears to. Who really wrote the biblical books of kings and the prophets. Agnostic bible is a site dedicated to reading and exploring the bible from a reasoned perspective. The vital question of concern to most here is the age of these little children. Nov 22, 2017 the book of 2 kings read by alexander scourby. It concludes the deuteronomistic history, a history of israel also comprising the books of joshua and judges and the book of samuel, which biblical commentators believe was written to provide a theological explanation for the destruction of the kingdom of judah by babylon in.
The book of 2 kings kjv audio bible full by alexander. Who was the writer of the book of kings in the bible. Its been awhile since the last installment of this series lots more to come, but this one should be fairly straightforward. Elisha turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the lord. Highlights from the book of first kings when the righteous become many, the people rejoice. Two she bears bears perhaps robbed of their whelps came out of an adjacent wood, and presently killed fortytwo children, v. Prophet hoseas wife and children, hope of restoration for unfaithful israel, ephraim, return to god. On its face, the book of ruth is a short selfcontained story, unconnected to the narrative sequence from genesis through kings. Books of kings, two books of the hebrew bible or the protestant old testament that, together with deuteronomy, joshua, judges, and 1 and 2 samuel, belong to the group of historical books deuteronomic history written during the babylonian exile c. Explaining elisha and the she bears to joe rogan and douglas. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up. The bible mentions the bears specifically as female and to lay into a large crowd of men, killing 42, they must have been hopping mad about something. In most english bibles, it is divided into first kings and second kings, but this division is late. Elisha is one of a line of men whom god used to save his people.
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