Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 2
The water in the spring near Jericho was bad. It caused illness and death. However, God can make bad water to be clean and good (Exodus 15:22-25). The leaders of Jericho had discovered that Elisha was a prophet, a holy man of God. So, they asked him to help them. He could ask God to act powerfully on their behalf.
God directed Elisha to go to the spring. There, he must carry out a simple ceremony. Then, Elisha would declare the message that God gave to him about that water.
So, Elisha asked for a new bowl. It needed to be new because Elisha was using it for a sacred purpose. He also requested some salt. He wanted the salt so that the people would think about its meaning. They would add salt to food so that the food would not become bad. That allowed them to keep the food for a long time. So, it was an act of God’s power to make that water good and to keep it clean.
That was how God cured the waters at Jericho. Elisha declared God’s message over the spring. As God had said, the waters remained good. Israel’s people continued to use those waters for a long time afterwards. The author of 2 Kings adds a note that the people in Jericho were still using water from that spring during his life.
God desires to do something similar in people’s lives too. He wants to change their lives by the power of his Spirit (John 1:12-13). Then, he wants to continue to work in their lives by his Spirit (Romans 8:9-11).
Next part: Young people at Bethel insult Elisha (2 Kings 2:23)
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