2:23 He went up from there to Bethel. 1 As he was traveling up the road, some young boys 2 came out of the city and made fun of him, saying, “Go on up, baldy! Go on up, baldy!”
4:31 Now Gehazi went on ahead of them. He placed the staff on the child’s face, but there was no sound or response. When he came back to Elisha 3 he told him, “The child did not wake up.”
9:11 When Jehu rejoined 4 his master’s servants, they 5 asked him, “Is everything all right? 6 Why did this madman visit you?” He replied, “Ah, it’s not important. You know what kind of man he is and the kinds of things he says.” 7
1 map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.
2 tn The word נַעַר (na’ar), here translated “boy,” can refer to a broad age range, including infants as well as young men. But the qualifying term “young” (or “small”) suggests these youths were relatively young. The phrase in question (“young boy”) occurs elsewhere in 1 Sam 20:35; 1 Kgs 3:7 (used by Solomon in an hyperbolic manner); 11:17; 2 Kgs 5:14; and Isa 11:6.
3 tn Heb “to meet him.”
5 tn Heb “went out to.”
6 tc The MT has the singular, “he said,” but many witnesses correctly read the plural.
7 tn Heb “Is there peace?”
8 tn Heb “He said, ‘You, you know the man and his thoughts.’” Jehu tries to deflect their question by reminding them that the man is an eccentric individual who says strange things. His reply suggests that the man said nothing of importance. The translation seeks to bring out the tone and intent of Jehu’s reply.
7 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jehu) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
8 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jehu) has been specified in the translation for clarity.