1. The words translated "children" are used in other parts of the OT for males in their teens and twenties. We don't know how old they were.
2. You focus on baldness and miss the "Go up." Elisha's mentor Elijah had recently been taken up to heaven. They were taunting him to do the same, i.e. taunting him specifically for his position as prophet of God.
3. Your observation that it's difficult to picture two bears mauling 42 of them is interesting. I took a look at the word translated "tare." The word is elsewhere translated as "divide," as with the Red Sea, and also "break through" and "breach." That picture makes more sense: Elisha is on the road, 42 young men block his path and taunt him, and the bears come and break through or divide them, allowing Elisha to pass.
4. You're right - don't mess with God.
2. You focus on baldness and miss the "Go up." Elisha's mentor Elijah had recently been taken up to heaven. They were taunting him to do the same, i.e. taunting him specifically for his position as prophet of God.
3. Your observation that it's difficult to picture two bears mauling 42 of them is interesting. I took a look at the word translated "tare." The word is elsewhere translated as "divide," as with the Red Sea, and also "break through" and "breach." That picture makes more sense: Elisha is on the road, 42 young men block his path and taunt him, and the bears come and break through or divide them, allowing Elisha to pass.
4. You're right - don't mess with God.
