The account of Elisha and the bears (2 Kings 2:23-25) is often misunderstood as a story about a “petty” prophet overreacting to children. In its historical and theological context, however, it represents a high-stakes spiritual confrontation at the beginning of Elisha’s ministry. Let’s read verses and get some understanding.
2 Kings 2:23-25 KJV
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.
First of all let’s address the fact that these were not little children as we would suppose by the text. Rather the Hebrew phrase na‘arim qetanimm is often translated as “little children,” but it specifically refers to young adult males or adolescents, not toddlers. The word na’ar is used in the Bible for Solomon when he became king and for Joseph at age 17. The fact that there were over 42 young men suggests a coordinated, hostile mob or “street gang” rather than a few stray kids.
Their insults were not just about hair; they were a direct challenge to Elisha’s divine authority as the successor to Elijah. Since Elijah had just “gone up” (ascended) to heaven in a whirlwind, they were likely mocking this miracle, essentially telling Elisha to “go up” (die or leave) like his master. “Baldhead” was a term of extreme contempt, sometimes implying a curse or associated with lepers, who were outcasts. They were calling Elisha a fraudulent “usurper” of Elijah’s mantle.
Bethel was the center of idolatrous calf-worship in the Northern Kingdom. These young men likely came from families invested in paganism. By mocking God’s prophet at the city gates, they were staging a pagan demonstration to block the Word of God from entering their territory.
Why is this important today? In our modern digital age, we frequently witness the open mockery of God and sacred things. In online spaces, countless insults are hurled at anyone who attempts to speak the truth. This same spirit of derision often manifests at a local level when a man of God stands to preach the Word, only to have the message or the messenger ridiculed and torn apart.
Such mockery is rarely about intellectual disagreement; rather, it is a symptom of a deeper refusal to respect anything sacred. This fulfills the apostolic warning found in Jude 1:18, which states that in the last time, there would be mockers who follow their own ungodly lusts.
While we may not see physical bears emerge from the woods to devour mockers today, as occurred in the days of Elisha, the modern consequences can be even more severe. Physical destruction is one thing, but the spiritual damage caused by a hardened heart is a far greater tragedy.
We must pay close attention to not only what we say, but why we say it and what it may result in. Let us pray as the psalmist: Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips (Psalm 141:3 NKJV).
Galatians 6:7-8 KJV
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Matthew 10:28 KJV
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
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