Elisha instructs the people to bring salt in order to purify Jerusalem’s water supply through God’s power.
Elisha, newly appointed as a prophet in the land (around the mid-9th century BC), responds to the men of Jericho who have appealed for help with their water supply. Within the context of 2 Kings 2, he demonstrates God’s power to bring healing and restoration. As part of his response, he takes an action described in 2 Kings 2:20: “He said, ‘Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it.’ So they brought it to him.” (v.20). This instruction is significant because, rather than relying on his own strength, Elisha calls for a tangible element—salt—to symbolize purity, and a new container to illustrate the fresh work the Lord is about to perform. Jericho, located near the Jordan River in the southern Jordan Valley, has a storied past. Known as one of the oldest cities in the world, Jericho was famously conquered by Joshua centuries earlier (Joshua 6), and now it becomes the backdrop for Elisha’s first miracle in his prophetic ministry.
When Elisha says, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it.” (v.20), the people obey promptly, setting the scene for God’s intervention. The “new jar” implies something uncontaminated—fitting for a sacred task that points to the holiness and uniqueness of the Lord’s power. Salt, known in the ancient Near East as a preservative and purifying agent, takes on a powerful spiritual symbolism. It hearkens to the idea of believers as “the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13), foreshadowing how Jesus would later invite His followers to preserve truth and purity in a broken world. Historically, Elisha stands after his mentor Elijah’s ascension and reignites the mantel of divine authority, confirming God’s presence among His people at a time when Israel wrestled with idolatry.
This verse also foreshadows the compassion of God who brings restoration in unexpected ways. In the broader biblical narrative, Israel often found itself under divine discipline, but here we see a miraculous renewal of water that had been causing harm. Elisha’s choice to use salt, an ordinary household item, reveals the Lord’s ability to utilize humble things to accomplish His gracious purposes. This event prefigures the grace found in the New Testament, where Jesus uses ordinary elements—like water turned into wine at Cana (John 2:1-11)—to showcase God’s endless capacity for transformation and blessing.
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2 Kings 2:20 meaning
Elisha, newly appointed as a prophet in the land (around the mid-9th century BC), responds to the men of Jericho who have appealed for help with their water supply. Within the context of 2 Kings 2, he demonstrates God’s power to bring healing and restoration. As part of his response, he takes an action described in 2 Kings 2:20: “He said, ‘Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it.’ So they brought it to him.” (v.20). This instruction is significant because, rather than relying on his own strength, Elisha calls for a tangible element—salt—to symbolize purity, and a new container to illustrate the fresh work the Lord is about to perform. Jericho, located near the Jordan River in the southern Jordan Valley, has a storied past. Known as one of the oldest cities in the world, Jericho was famously conquered by Joshua centuries earlier (Joshua 6), and now it becomes the backdrop for Elisha’s first miracle in his prophetic ministry.
When Elisha says, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it.” (v.20), the people obey promptly, setting the scene for God’s intervention. The “new jar” implies something uncontaminated—fitting for a sacred task that points to the holiness and uniqueness of the Lord’s power. Salt, known in the ancient Near East as a preservative and purifying agent, takes on a powerful spiritual symbolism. It hearkens to the idea of believers as “the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13), foreshadowing how Jesus would later invite His followers to preserve truth and purity in a broken world. Historically, Elisha stands after his mentor Elijah’s ascension and reignites the mantel of divine authority, confirming God’s presence among His people at a time when Israel wrestled with idolatry.
This verse also foreshadows the compassion of God who brings restoration in unexpected ways. In the broader biblical narrative, Israel often found itself under divine discipline, but here we see a miraculous renewal of water that had been causing harm. Elisha’s choice to use salt, an ordinary household item, reveals the Lord’s ability to utilize humble things to accomplish His gracious purposes. This event prefigures the grace found in the New Testament, where Jesus uses ordinary elements—like water turned into wine at Cana (John 2:1-11)—to showcase God’s endless capacity for transformation and blessing.