18. When they returned to Elisha in Jericho, where he was staying, he said to them, “Did I not tell you not to go?”
19. The inhabitants of the city complained to Elisha, “The site of the city is fine indeed, as my lord can see, but the water is bad and the land sterile.”
20. Elisha said, “Bring me a new bowl and put salt into it.” When they had brought it to him,
21. he went out to the spring and threw salt into it, saying, “Thus says the Lord: I have purified this water. Never again shall death or sterility come from it.”
22. And the water has stayed pure even to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken.
23. From there Elisha went up to Bethel. While he was on the way, some little boys came out of the city and jeered at him: “Go away, baldy; go away, baldy!”
24. The prophet turned and saw them, and he cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the children to pieces.
25. From there he went to Mount Carmel, and returned to Samaria from there.