The Story of Elisha With the Children

In the book of Christians, the Second Book of Kings, Chapter 2, Verses (23-24):

A narration of the ascent of the prophet Elisha bin Shaphat, the disciple of the prophet Elijah, to Bethel. On his way, little children came out to him and began to mock him, saying: You baldheaded man, you baldheaded man. He cursed them So God punished them by having two bears come out to them and devour 42 children

Then he went up from there to Bethel. And as he was going up on the way, behold, little children came out of the city and mocked him and said to him: Go up, you baldheaded man! Go up, you baldheaded man! 24 Then he turned back and looked at them and cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the forest and devoured forty-two of their boys.

What kind of barbarity is this, for God’s sake?!

What is the fault of these little boys who know what they are saying?

This can only be explained by what Paul said about his idol that the Christians worship in his letter to the Corinthians: “The foolishness of God is wiser than that of men.”

Is the foolishness of his idol here wiser than the mind of men?!!

I will not hide from you that these texts have embarrassed their Bible interpreters, and here are their statements:

The author of (The Old Sunan in Interpreting the Books of the Old Testament) said:

“As for those children in Bethel, they were like a group from the army of the evil one Sent to resist Elisha, and behind them were many ready to follow them and complete their work?

Elisha’s work was not for the individual children, but for the army of the evil ones coming against him. The Lord did not leave His servant to do with him as they wanted, but rather He turned them back and subdued them, and taught the people of Bethel and all the people of Israel that He is the living, powerful God, jealous for the glory of Himself and His servants the prophets.

In the interpretation of Tadros Yaqoub and Anthony Fikry: ” The fault was not with the young children, but with their fathers who incited them to do this and taught them to mock the prophets of God, but sent them to expel Elisha. Then they said: ” And let us note that the death of the children is a discipline for their fathers, for there are now 42 houses with the rest of their families in deep sorrow for what they did after their sons died, and let us note the seriousness of mocking the men of God. Then they said: ” However, there is an opinion that any word translated here as young boys may mean the age of youth, so they will be responsible for their actions. Either way, Elisha’s curse on the boys was a discipline for all of Bethel to terrify God, whom they had abandoned.” Questions: How does “young boys” mean in the age of youth?! Where is the mention of their fathers and their incitement and sorrow? What is the occasion for terrorizing Bethel with such atrocities and in this place where the text does not show anyone present other than Elisha and the boys? …