(January 16, 2013 at 8:16 pm)John V Wrote: 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.
So let me get this straight. When you don't like what your book says you simply invent new words for your god to say. Convenient.
Quote:◄ 2 Kings 2:24 ►
New International Version (©1984)
He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.
New Living Translation (©2007)
Elisha turned around and looked at them, and he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of them.
English Standard Version (©2001)
And he turned around, and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. And two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys.
New American Standard Bible (©1995)
When he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of their number.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
He turned around, looked at them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of the children.
International Standard Version (©2012)
He looked behind him, took note of the young men, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. Suddenly two female bears emerged from the woods and mauled 42 of the young men.
King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Looking back, he saw them and cursed them in the LORD's name. Two bears came out of the woods and tore 42 of these youths apart.
King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tore forty and two of the youths.
American King James Version
And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
American Standard Version
And he looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in the name of Jehovah. And there came forth two she-bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two lads of them.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And looking back, he saw them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord: and there came forth two bears out of the forest, and tore of them two and forty boys.
Darby Bible Translation
And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of Jehovah. And there came forth two she-bears out of the wood, and tore forty-two children of them.
English Revised Version
And he looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she-bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
Webster's Bible Translation
And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tore forty and two children of them.
World English Bible
He looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in the name of Yahweh. Two female bears came out of the woods, and mauled forty-two of those youths.
Young's Literal Translation
And he looketh behind him, and seeth them, and declareth them vile in the name of Jehovah, and two bears come out of the forest, and rend of them forty and two lads.
Now a handful do you the word "tare" however this merely seems to be:
Quote:tare
[tair] Show IPA
verb, Archaic.
simple past tense and past participle of tear .
