2 Kings 2:23

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.

a. ASV: 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.

b. YLT: 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!'

c. Amplified Bible Classic: He went up from Jericho to Bethel. On the way, young [maturing and accountable] boys came out of the city and mocked him and said to him, Go up [in a whirlwind], you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!

d. Septuagint: And he went up thence to Baethel: and as he was going up by the way there came up also little children from the city, and mocked him, and said to him, Go up, bald-head, go up.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: He went up there to Beth-el. As he was going up on the road, some young lads came out from the city and mocked him, saying to him, “Go on up, Baldhead! Go on up, Baldhead!”

1. “And he went up from thence unto Bethel…”

a. [And as he] went up [Strong: 5927 ʻâlâh, aw-law'; a primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative:—arise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up); grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, (make) up, × mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work.] [The KJV translates Strong's H5927 in the following manner: (come, etc...) up (676x), offer (67x), come (22x), bring (18x), ascend (15x), go (12x), chew (9x), offering (8x), light (6x), increase (4x), burn (3x), depart (3x), put (3x), spring (2x), raised (2x), arose (2x), break (2x), exalted (2x), miscellaneous (33x).]

b. from there [to] [Strong: 8033 sham shawm a primitive particle (rather from the relative pronoun, 834); there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence:--in it, + thence, there (-in, + of, + out), + thither, + whither.]

c. Bethel [Strong: 1008 Bêyth-ʼÊl, bayth-ale'; from H1004 and H410; house of God; Beth-El, a place in Palestine:—Beth-el.] [The KJV translates Strong's H1008 in the following manner: Bethel (66x), non translated variable (4x).]

2. “...and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him…”

a. [and as] he [Strong: 1931 huw' hoo of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.]

b. [was] going up [Strong: 5927 ʻâlâh, aw-law'; a primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative:—arise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up); grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, (make) up, × mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work.] [The KJV translates Strong's H5927 in the following manner: (come, etc...) up (676x), offer (67x), come (22x), bring (18x), ascend (15x), go (12x), chew (9x), offering (8x), light (6x), increase (4x), burn (3x), depart (3x), put (3x), spring (2x), raised (2x), arose (2x), break (2x), exalted (2x), miscellaneous (33x).]

c. [by the] way [Strong: 1870 derek, deh'-rek; from H1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb:—along, away, because of, by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever).] [The KJV translates Strong's H1870 in the following manner: way (590x), toward (31x), journey (23x), manner (8x), miscellaneous (53x).]

d. [there] came forth [Strong: 3318 yâtsâʼ, yaw-tsaw'; a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.:—× after, appear, × assuredly, bear out, × begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence, out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out), going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out, lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, × scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring out, stand out, × still, × surely, take forth (out), at any time, × to (and fro), utter.] [The KJV translates Strong's H3318 in the following manner: ....out (518x), ....forth (411x), bring (24x), come (24x), proceed (16x), go (13x), depart (10x), miscellaneous (53x).]

e. little [Strong: 6996 qâṭân, kaw-tawn'; or קָטֹן qâṭôn; from H6962; abbreviated, i.e. diminutive, literally (in quantity, size or number) or figuratively (in age or importance):—least, less(-er), little (one), small(-est, one, quantity, thing), young(-er, -est).] [The KJV translates Strong's H6996 in the following manner: small (33x), little (19x), youngest (15x), younger (14x), least (10x), less (3x), lesser (2x), little one (2x), smallest (1x), small things (1x), young (1x).]

f. children [Strong: 5288 naʻar, nah'-ar; from H5287; (concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a servant; also (by interch. of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age):—babe, boy, child, damsel (from the margin), lad, servant, young (man).] [The KJV translates Strong's H5288 in the following manner: young man (76x), servant (54x), child (44x), lad (33x), young (15x), children (7x), youth (6x), babe (1x), boys (1x), young (1x).]

g. out of [Strong: 4480 min min or minniy {min-nee'}; or minney (constructive plural) {min-nay'}; (Isaiah 30:11); for 4482; properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses (as follows):--above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, X neither, X nor, (out) of, over, since, X then, through, X whether, with.]

h. [the] city [Strong: 5892 ʻîyr, eer; or (in the plural) עָר ʻâr; or עָיַר ʻâyar; (Judges 10:4), from H5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post):—Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.] [The KJV translates Strong's H5892 in the following manner: city (1,074x), town (7x), every one (2x), variant (6x).]

i. [and] mocked [him [Strong: 7046 qâlaç, kaw-las'; a primitive root; to disparage, i.e. ridicule:—mock, scoff, scorn.] [The KJV translates Strong's H7046 in the following manner: mock (2x), scorn (1x), scoff (1x).]

3. “...and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.”

a. [and] said [to him] [Strong: 559 ʼâmar, aw-mar'; a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):—answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, ×expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.] [The KJV translates Strong's H559 in the following manner: said (4,874x), speak (179x), answer (99x), command (30x), tell (29x), call (7x), promised (6x), miscellaneous (84x).]

b. Go up [Strong: 5927 ʻâlâh, aw-law'; a primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative:—arise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up); grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, (make) up, × mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work.] [The KJV translates Strong's H5927 in the following manner: (come, etc...) up (676x), offer (67x), come (22x), bring (18x), ascend (15x), go (12x), chew (9x), offering (8x), light (6x), increase (4x), burn (3x), depart (3x), put (3x), spring (2x), raised (2x), arose (2x), break (2x), exalted (2x), miscellaneous (33x).]

c. [thou] bald head [Strong: 7142 qêrêach, kay-ray'-akh; from H7139; bald (on the back of the head):—bald (head).] [The KJV translates Strong's H7142 in the following manner: bald (3x).]

d. go up [Strong: 5927 ʻâlâh, aw-law'; a primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative:—arise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up); grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, (make) up, × mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work.] [The KJV translates Strong's H5927 in the following manner: (come, etc...) up (676x), offer (67x), come (22x), bring (18x), ascend (15x), go (12x), chew (9x), offering (8x), light (6x), increase (4x), burn (3x), depart (3x), put (3x), spring (2x), raised (2x), arose (2x), break (2x), exalted (2x), miscellaneous (33x).]

e. [thou] bald head [Strong: 7142 qêrêach, kay-ray'-akh; from H7139; bald (on the back of the head):—bald (head).] [The KJV translates Strong's H7142 in the following manner: bald (3x).]

1). Enough time had passed in the life and ministry that the knowledge of Elijah’s snatching away was well known. What is striking is the mocking attitude that these youths demonstrated toward spiritual things. They were voicing their unbelief in the snatching away of Elijah, in spite of the fact it was witnessed by 50 eye witnesses (2 Kings 2:7). This same spirit is pronounced in our modern culture with the things of God being mocked in music and movies. Such things were foretold by the prophets.

a). Jude 14-18 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.

17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.