B. The ‘Healing' of Jericho's Spring (2 Kings 2:19-22).
The new beginning for Israel resulting from Elisha' entry into the land over the Jordan results the men of Jericho asking him to ‘heal' a spring of water at Jericho, in a similar fashion to the way in which Moses, having crossed the Red Sea (Sea of Reeds) into a new deliverance, also healed a spring of water (Exodus 15:23-25). They were beginning to see Elisha as the new Moses.
Excavations have shown that Jericho, apart from small numbers of people, was on the whole unoccupied as a city for around four hundred years up to the time of Ahab when it was rebuilt by Hiel at the cost of his two sons (1 Kings 16:34). This was partly due to the curse that Joshua had put on it, but it may also possibly have been partly due to the problem now being exposed, which could be seen as a part of the curse. It had become recognised that the water from the spring at the foot of the mound caused excessive miscarriages. Interestingly a fairly recent scientific survey of the region has revealed a tendency for springs in the area to become contaminated with natural radioactivity, something which is known to cause miscarriages. Others see the ‘miscarrying' as referring to the land with the indication that the spring had become polluted and useless for agriculture.
Whichever way it was those who were living there brought their problem to Elisha. It is clear that they saw Elisha in a different light from Elijah, (the problem had been there for a long time), possibly because of the way in which he had entered the land. It had probably reminded them of the incident in Exodus 15:23-25. There hope was that he might be able to ‘heal' the spring. Calling for a new dish and some salt, Elijah obliged by casting the salt into the spring. Then he assured them that YHWH had declared that He had healed the waters.
Analysis.
a And the men of the city said to Elisha, “See, we pray you, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is bad, and the land miscarries” (2 Kings 2:19).
b And he said, “Bring me a new dish, and put salt in it. And they brought it to him. And he went forth to the spring of the waters, and cast salt in it, and said, “Thus says YHWH, I have healed these waters” (2 Kings 2:20-21 a).
a “There shall not be from there any more death or miscarrying”. So the waters were healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke (2 Kings 2:21-22).
‘And the men of the city said to Elisha, “See, we pray you, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is bad, and the land miscarries.” '
The city of Jericho had been known as the city of palm trees (Deuteronomy 34:3; Judges 1:16; Judges 3:13). It was well watered by a large spring, and with a pleasant, although hot, climate. But something had happened to the waters of the spring which resulted in ‘the land miscarrying'. This could be because of radiation (hydrological surveys have shown a tendency to radiation in the area), or because of some other source of contamination. It has been suggested that the contamination was caused by a parasitic infection connected with snails. Radiation would cause miscarriages in women, while contaminated and infected water could have a bad effect on either health or the fruitfulness of the land. Whichever way it was the waters needed ‘healing'.
‘And he said, “Bring me a new dish, and put salt in it. And they brought it to him.'
Elisha therefore called for a new dish and some salt. The ‘new dish' would indicate to the people that what he was about to do had a holy, God-connected purpose, which was why the dish must not have been contaminated in any way by earthly contacts (compare the new cart that carried the Ark in 2 Samuel 6:3, and the unridden colt that carried Jesus in Mark 11:2). Salt was seen as a means of purifying (Leviticus 2:13; Numbers 18:19).
‘And he went forth to the spring of the waters, and cast salt in it, and said, “Thus says YHWH, I have healed these waters. There shall not be from there any more death or miscarrying.” '
Elisha then went and cast the salt into the spring, and declared in the Name of YHWH, that the waters were now healed and that there would therefore in future be no death or miscarrying. Note the direct claim of YHWH that ‘I have healed these waters'.
It has been suggested that an earth tremor might have shifted the geological strata from which the radiation infection was coming, thus naturally purifying the water for the future. But as with so many miracles, even if that were so, it was the timing and effectiveness that was special. If the problem was connected with snails than the salt could have been ‘multiplied' by YHWH and have killed off the colony of snails. Either way it was rightly seen to be the work of YHWH.
‘So the waters were healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.'
So the waters were healed by YHWH in accordance with Elisha's word, and remained healed to the day of writing. There was no further trouble. This miracle was a further picture of why YHWH had raised up Elisha. It was in order to purify Israel and make it fruitful.