2 Kings 2:24

“And he turned back, and looked on them, etc.] With a stern countenance, thereby reproving them, and in order to intimidate them, and make them ashamed, and cause them to leave off, but to no purpose; they repeated their mockeries with great vehemence: and cursed them in the name of the Lord; moved thereunto, not from passion and a spirit of revenge, but by an impulse of the Spirit of God: and there came forth two she bears out of the wood; which are fiercest, and especially when bereaved of their whelps, as these might be; the wood seems to be near to Bethel, perhaps in the wilderness of Bethel, of which (see <060815>Joshua 8:15 18:12), and Reland f23 thinks it is the same with the wood of…”

“On this occasion only do we find Elisha a minister of vengeance. Perhaps it was necessary to show, at the outset of his career as a prophet, that he too, so mild and peaceful could, like Elijah, wield the terrors of God’s judgments (1 Kings 19:19 note). The persons really punished were, not so much the children, as the wicked parents 2 Kings 2:23, whose mouth-pieces the children were, and who justly lost the gift of offspring of which they had shown themselves unworthy. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Cursed them - Nor was this punishment too great for the offence, if it be considered, that their mocking proceeded from a great malignity of mind against God; that they mocked not only a man, and an ancient man, whose very age commanded reverence; and a prophet; but even God himself, and that glorious work of God, the assumption of Elijah into heaven; that they might be guilty of many other heinous crimes, which God and the prophet knew; and were guilty of idolatry, which by God's law deserved death; that the idolatrous parents were punished in their children; and that, if any of these children were more innocent, God might have mercy upon their souls, and then this death was not a misery,…”

“cursed them: Kg2 1:10-12; Gen 9:25; Deu 28:15-26; Jdg 9:20, Jdg 9:57; Jer 28:16, Jer 29:21-23; Lam 3:65; Amo 7:17; Mar 11:14, Mar 11:21; Act 5:5, Act 5:9, Act 8:20, Act 13:9-11; Co2 10:6 she bears: Sa2 17:8; Pro 17:12, Pro 28:15; Hos 13:8 children of them: Exo 20:5; Kg1 13:24, Kg1 19:17, Kg1 20:36 4 Kings (2 Kings) 2:25”