He was climbing the last height - probably up the defile of Wady Suweinit, where the hills above still bear marks of the

extensive forest that once covered them - when he encountered a band of "young men," who, as the text seems to

imply, had gone forth to meet him. They were not "little children" (according to our A.V.), but young men, as we infer

from the use of the same expression in the case of Solomon (1 Kings 3:7), when he was about twenty years old, and the

application of a similar, even stronger, designation to the youthful advisers of Rehoboam. 139

And their presence there meant a deliberate purpose. We have no means of ascertaining how they may have learned the

approach of Elisha, or come to know that the great prophet, whom the fifty strong men had sought in vain, had "gone

up," even although they may have attached to this only the vaguest notions. But as the taunt, "Baldhead," was

undoubtedly a term of reproach, in whatever sense they may have used it,140 so the cry "Go up, go up!" with which

they followed him, seems to us a mocking allusion to the ascent of Elijah.141

In the spirit that prompted the words of Moses and Aaron (Exodus 16:6- 8), and of Peter (Acts 5:3, 4), not, we feel

assured, in that of personal revenge, Elisha turned round and pronounced on them that doom which soon afterwards142

overtook them in a manner so strange that it seems to have been specially intended to attract public attention.143 For

although the exceeding danger from bears, especially when irritated, is frequently referred to in Scripture,  144 and the

large number (forty-two) slain, not eaten, by the two she-bears, indicates how many youths had combined to go forth

for the purpose of mocking Elisha, yet so extensive a calamity from such a cause was so unusual and must have spread

such wide mourning as to draw universal attention to the ministry of Elisha.

We can scarcely suppose that Elisha tarried in Bethel. In pursuance of his object publicly to declare himself the

successor of Elijah, he passed on to Mount Carmel, where Elijah had been during the latter part of his ministry, and

thence returned to Samaria to be in readiness for his work.