2 Kings 2:19
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The leaders of Jericho approach Elisha with a lament: their city is beautiful but afflicted with poisoned water and barren soil.
Context
The leadership of Jericho presents their city's problem to Elisha. The water is foul (possibly tainted with minerals or decaying matter), making the land infertile and unsuitable for crops or healthy living.
In the Original Language
'naught' (Hebrew tob) here means ruined or bad. The water's corruption made agriculture impossible and brought illness to those who drank it.
Application
Healing begins when we confess our need. We cannot fix what we refuse to acknowledge as broken. When we come before God and others with honest vulnerability about our spiritual thirst and barrenness, we open the door to restoration.