2 Kings 2:19

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Lo! we pray thee, the situation of the city, is good, as, my lord, seeth, - but, the waters, are bad, and, the land, apt to miscarry.

Parallel Translations

Update Bible Version
And the men of the city said to Elisha, Look, we pray you, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees: but the water is bad, and the land miscarries.

New Living Translation
One day the leaders of the town of Jericho visited Elisha. "We have a problem, my lord," they told him. "This town is located in pleasant surroundings, as you can see. But the water is bad, and the land is unproductive."

English Revised Version
And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, we pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the land miscarrieth.

New Century Version
The people of the city said to Elisha, "Look, master, this city is a nice place to live as you can see. But the water is so bad the land cannot grow crops."

New English Translation
The men of the city said to Elisha, "Look, the city has a good location, as our master can see. But the water is bad and the land doesn't produce crops."

Webster's Bible Translation
And the men of the city said to Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city [is] pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water [is] bad, and the ground barren.

World English Bible
The men of the city said to Elisha, Behold, we pray you, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees: but the water is bad, and the land miscarries.

Amplified Bible
Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "Look, this city is in a pleasant place, as my lord [Elisha] sees; but the water is bad and the land is barren."

English Standard Version
Now the men of the city said to Elisha, "Behold, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor the men of the citee seiden to Elisee, Lo! the dwellyng of this cite is ful good, as thou thi silf, lord, seest; but the watris ben ful yuele, and the lond is bareyn.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "Please note, our lord, that the city's location is good, but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful."

Contemporary English Version
One day the people of Jericho said, "Elisha, you can see that our city is in a good spot. But the water from our spring is so bad that it even keeps our crops from growing."

American Standard Version
And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, we pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is bad, and the land miscarrieth.

Bible in Basic English
Now the men of the town said to Elisha, You see that the position of this town is good; but the water is bad, causing the young of the cattle to come to birth dead.

Complete Jewish Bible
The men of the city said to Elisha, "My lord can see that this is a pleasant city to live in; but the water is bad, so that the ground is causing miscarriages."

Darby Translation
And the men of the city said to Elisha, Behold now, the situation of the city is good, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the land is barren.

Easy-to-Read Version
The men of the city said to Elisha, "Sir, you can see this city is in a nice place, but the water is bad. That is why the land cannot grow crops."

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the men of the city said unto Elisha: 'Behold, we pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth; but the water is bad, and the land miscarrieth.

King James Version (1611)
And the men of the city said vnto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is nought, and the ground barren.

New Life Bible
Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "See, it is pleasing to live in this city, as my lord sees. But the water is bad. And the land does not bring fruit."

New Revised Standard
Now the people of the city said to Elisha, "The location of this city is good, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful."

Geneva Bible (1587)
And the men of the citie saide vnto Elisha, Beholde, we pray thee: the situation of this citie is pleasant, as thou, my lorde, seest, but the water is naught, and the ground baren.

George Lamsa Translation
And the men of the city said to Elisha, Behold, the situation of the city is pleasant, as our lord sees; but the water is bad and the ground is barren.

Good News Translation
Some men from Jericho went to Elisha and said, "As you know, sir, this is a fine city, but the water is bad and causes miscarriages."

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the men of the city, said to Eliseus. Behold the situation of this city is very good, as thou, my lord, seest: but the waters are very bad, and the ground barren.

Revised Standard Version
Now the men of the city said to Eli'sha, "Behold, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful."

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the men of the citie saide vnto Elisa: beholde sir, the dwelling of this citie is pleasaunt, as thou thy selfe seest: but the water is naught, & the grounde barren.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the men of the city said to Elisaie, Behold, the situation of the city is good, as our lord sees; but the waters are bad, and the ground barren.

Christian Standard Bible®
The men of the city said to Elisha, “My lord can see that even though the city’s location is good, the water is bad and the land unfruitful.”

Hebrew Names Version
The men of the city said to Elisha, Behold, we pray you, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees: but the water is bad, and the land miscarries.

King James Version
And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren.

Lexham English Bible
The men of the city said to Elisha, "Please now, the location of the city is good, as my master can see, but the water is bad and the land unproductive."

Literal Translation
And the men of the city said to Elisha, Behold, now, the site of the city is good, as my lord sees, but the waters are bad; and the ground causes barrenness.

Young's Literal Translation
And the men of the city say unto Elisha, `Lo, we pray thee, the site of the city [is] good, as my lord seeth, and the waters [are] bad, and the earth sterile.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the men of the cite sayde vnto Eliseus: Beholde, there is good dwellynge in this cite, as my lorde seyth, but the water is euell, and the londe vnfrutefull.

THE MESSAGE
One day the men of the city said to Elisha, "You can see for yourself, master, how well our city is located. But the water is polluted and nothing grows."

New American Standard Bible
Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "Behold now, the site of the city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful."

New King James Version
Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "Please notice, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "Behold now, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful."

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "Behold now, the habitat of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful."

Contextual Overview

¹⁹ And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Lo! we pray thee, the situation of the city, is good, as, my lord, seeth, - but, the waters, are bad, and, the land, apt to miscarry. ²⁰ And he said - Bring me a new bowl, and put therein, salt. So they brought it unto him; ²¹ and he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast therein, saith, - and said - Thus, saith Yahweh, I have healed these waters; there shall come from thence, no longer, death or aptness to miscarry. ²² So the waters were healed, as they remain unto this day, - according to the word of Elisha which he spake. ²³ And he went up from thence, to Bethel, - and, as he was going up on the way, some lads, came forth, out of the city, and made mockery of him, and said to him, Go up, bald head! Go up, bald head! ²⁴ And, when he turned round and saw them, he cursed them, in the name of Yahweh, - and there came forth two she-bears out of the wood, and tare, of them, forty-two youths. ²⁵ And he went from thence, unto Mount Carmel, - and, from thence, he returned, to Samaria.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

my Lord seeth: Numbers 12:11, 1 Kings 18:7, 1 Kings 18:13, 1 Timothy 5:17

the water: Exodus 7:19, Exodus 15:23, Joshua 6:17, Joshua 6:26, 1 Kings 16:34

barren: Heb. causing to miscarry, Exodus 23:26, Deuteronomy 28:2-4, Deuteronomy 28:11, Deuteronomy 28:15-18, Hosea 9:14

Reciprocal: Joshua 16:1 - the water 2 Kings 2:15 - bowed 2 Kings 4:16 - my lord Ezekiel 47:8 - the waters James 3:12 - so Revelation 8:10 - the fountains

Cross-References

Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them, and God said to them Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, - and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the bird of the heavens, and over every living thing that moveth on the land.

Genesis 2:4
These are the geneses of the heavens and the earth when they were created, - in the day when Yahweh God made earth and heavens.

Genesis 2:8
And Yahweh God planted a garden in Eden, on the east, - and put there the man whom he had formed.

Genesis 2:20
So the man gave names to all the tame-beasts, and to the birds of the heavens, and to all the wild-beasts of the field, - but, for man, had there not been found a helper as his counterpart.

Genesis 2:22
And Yahweh God builded the rib which he had taken from the man, into a woman, and brought her in unto the man.

Genesis 2:23
And the man said, This, one, now, is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh! This, one shall be called Woman, for, out of a man, hath this one been taken.

Genesis 6:20
Of the bird after its kind and of the beast after its kind, and of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of each, shall come in unto thee. for keeping alive.

Genesis 9:2
and let the fear of you and the dread of you be upon every living creature of the earth, and upon every bird of the heavens, - over everything that moveth along on the ground, and over all the fishes of the sea, - into your hand, have they been given.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the men of the city said unto Elisha,.... The inhabitants of Jericho, perceiving him to be a prophet, and endowed with a power of working miracles:

behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth; in a plain, surrounded with gardens and orchards, with vineyards, oliveyards, and groves of palm trees, and other odoriferous ones:

but the water is naught, and the ground barren; that is, that part of it where this water was, or ran, for from thence it became barren; or "caused to miscarry", as the word signifies q; not only trees cast their fruit, which it watered, but women became abortive that drank of it, as Josephus says r, and so cattle. Abarbinel thinks it was so from the times of Joshua, being cursed by him; but, if so, it would not have been inhabited again; rather this was owing to a new curse, upon its being rebuilt; though this might affect only a small part of the ground, not the whole, as before observed.

q משכלת "orbans", Montanus, Vatablus; "facit abortum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. r De Bello Jud. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The water is naught - i. e. “bad.”

And the ground barren - Translate “and the land apt to miscarry.” The stream was thought to be the cause of untimely births, abortions, and the like, among the cattle, perhaps also among the people, that drank of it.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 2:19. The water is naught, and the ground barren. — The barrenness of the ground was the effect of the badness of the water.