Elisha left Jericho and went up to Bethel. He was walking along the road. Some boys came out of the town. They made fun of him.“ Get out of here, baldy!” they said.“ Get out of here! You don’t even have any hair on your head!”

以利沙从那里上伯特利去，正上去的时候，有些童子从城里出来，戏笑他说：“秃头的上去吧！秃头的上去吧！”

以利沙从那里上伯特利去。正上路的时候，有些孩童从城里出来，讥笑他，对他说：“秃头的，上去吧！秃头的，上去吧！”

以利沙从那里上伯特利去。正上路的时候，有些孩童从城里出来，讥笑他，对他说：“秃头的，上去吧！秃头的，上去吧！”

以利沙从那里去伯特利，正在赶路的时候，从城里出来一群少年讥笑他说：“秃头，上去吧！秃头，上去吧！”

以利沙从那里上伯特利去，正沿路上去的时候，从城里有一班年轻人走出来，讥笑他，说：“秃头的上去吧！秃头的上去吧！”

以利沙從那裏上伯特利去，正上去的時候，有些童子從城裏出來，戲笑他說：「禿頭的上去吧！禿頭的上去吧！」

以利沙從那裏上伯特利去。正上路的時候，有些孩童從城裏出來，譏笑他，對他說：「禿頭的，上去吧！禿頭的，上去吧！」

以利沙從那裏上伯特利去。正上路的時候，有些孩童從城裏出來，譏笑他，對他說：「禿頭的，上去吧！禿頭的，上去吧！」

以利沙從那裡去伯特利，正在趕路的時候，從城裡出來一群少年譏笑他說：「禿頭，上去吧！禿頭，上去吧！」

以利沙從那裡上伯特利去，正沿路上去的時候，從城裡有一班年輕人走出來，譏笑他，說：“禿頭的上去吧！禿頭的上去吧！”

以利沙從那裏上伯特利去；正在路上上去的時候、有些小孩子從城裏出來，譏誚他，對他說：『禿頭的上去吧！禿頭的上去吧！』

以利沙由此上伯特利、行於途間、有童子自邑出、戲之曰、頭童者其上歟、頭童者其上歟、

以利沙離耶利歌往伯特利、行於途間、有孺子自城而出、戲之曰、頭童者、爾亦能上昇歟。如此者再。

以利沙離耶利歌往伯特利、行於途間、有幼童自邑出、戲之曰、禿者上、禿者上、

From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him.“ Get out of here, baldy!” they said.“ Get out of here, baldy!”

He went up from there to Bethel, and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying,“ Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”

Elisha left Jericho and went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, a group of boys from the town began mocking and making fun of him.“ Go away, baldy!” they chanted.“ Go away, baldy!”

From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking up the path, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, chanting,“ Go up, baldy! Go up, baldy!”

Now he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the road, some young boys came out from the city and ridiculed him and said to him,“ Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!”

Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up the road, some youths came from the city and mocked him, and said to him,“ Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”

And he went up from thence unto Beth- el; and as he was going up by the way, there came forth young lads out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou baldhead; go up, thou baldhead.

From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking up the path, some small boys came out of the city and harassed him, chanting,“ Go up, baldy! Go up, baldy!”

And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.

He went up from there to Bethel. As he was traveling up the road, some young boys came out of the city and made fun of him, saying,“ Go on up, baldy! Go on up, baldy!”

He went up from there to Bethel. As he was going up by the way, some youths came out of the city and mocked him, and said to him,“ Go up, you baldy! Go up, you baldy!”

But God’s people made fun of his messengers. They hated his words. They laughed at his prophets. Finally the Lord’ s great anger was stirred up against his people. Nothing could save them.

Even little children mock me. When I appear, they make fun of me.

“ But now those who are younger than I am make fun of me. I wouldn’t even put their parents with my sheep dogs!

Their lips tell lies. Let them be silenced. They speak with pride against those who do right. They make fun of them.

Start children off on the right path. And even when they are old, they will not turn away from it.

So King Jeroboam asked for advice. Then he made two golden statues that looked like calves. He said to the people,“ It’s too hard for you to go up to Jerusalem. Israel, here are your gods who brought you up out of Egypt.”He set up one statue in Bethel. He set up the other one in Dan.What Jeroboam did was sinful. And it caused Israel to sin. The people came to worship the statue at Bethel. They went all the way to Dan to worship the statue that was there.Jeroboam built temples for worshiping gods on high places. He appointed all kinds of people as priests. They didn’t even have to be Levites.He established a feast. It was on the 15th day of the eighth month. He wanted to make it like the Feast of Booths that was held in Judah. Jeroboam built an altar at Bethel. He offered sacrifices on it. He sacrificed to the calves he had made. He also put priests in Bethel. He did it at the high places he had made.

Don’t prophesy here at Bethel anymore. This is where the king worships. The main temple in the kingdom is located here.”

They were so foolish that no one respected them. They were driven out of the land.“ Now their children laugh at me. They make fun of me with their songs.They hate me. They stay away from me. They even dare to spit in my face.God has made my body weak. It’s like a tent that has fallen down. So those children do what they want to in front of me.Many people attack me on my right side. They lay traps for my feet. They come at me from every direction.They tear up the road I walk on. They succeed in destroying me. They say,‘ No one can help him.’They attack me like troops smashing through a wall. Among the destroyed buildings they come rolling in.Terrors sweep over me. My honor is driven away as if by the wind. My safety vanishes like a cloud.“ Now my life is slipping away. Days of suffering grab hold of me.At night my bones hurt. My aches and pains never stop.God’s great power becomes like clothes to me. He chokes me like the neck of my shirt.He throws me down into the mud. I’m nothing but dust and ashes.“ God, I cry out to you. But you don’t answer me. I stand up. But all you do is look at me.You do mean things to me. You attack me with your mighty power.You pick me up and blow me away with the wind. You toss me around in the storm.I know that you will bring me down to death. That’s what you have appointed for everyone.“ No one would crush people when they cry out for help in their trouble.Haven’t I wept for those who are in trouble? Haven’t I felt sorry for poor people?I hoped good things would happen, but something evil came. I looked for light, but all I saw was darkness.My insides are always churning. Nothing but days of suffering are ahead of me.My skin has become dark, but the sun didn’t do it. I stand up in the community and cry out for help.I’ve become a brother to wild dogs. Owls are my companions.My skin grows black and peels. My body burns with fever.My lyre is tuned to sadness. My flute makes a sound like weeping.

“ People of Samaria, go to Bethel and sin! Go to Gilgal! Sin there even more! Bring your sacrifices every morning. Every third year, bring a tenth of everything you produce.

The Lord says,“ Come here, you children of women who practice evil magic! You are children of prostitutes and those who commit adultery.Who are you making fun of? Who are you laughing at? Who are you sticking your tongue out at? You are people who refuse to obey me. You are just a bunch of liars!

“ I will punish Israel for their sins. When I do, I will destroy their altars at Bethel. The horns that stick out from the upper corners of their main altar will be cut off. They will fall to the ground.

So drive worry out of your heart. Get rid of all your troubles. Being young and strong doesn’t have any meaning.

But when I tripped and fell, they were all very happy. Attackers gathered against me when I didn’t even know it. They kept on telling lies about me.

Some were made fun of and even whipped. Some were held by chains. Some were put in prison.

How terrible it will be for this sinful nation! They are loaded down with guilt. They are people who do nothing but evil. They are children who are always sinning. They have deserted the Lord. They have turned against the Holy One of Israel. They have turned their backs on him.

Even small children are known by their actions. So is their conduct really pure and right?

People of Bethel, that will happen to you. You have committed far too many sins. When the time comes for me to punish you, the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.”

People will treat one another badly. They will fight against one another. They will fight against their neighbors. Young people will attack old people. Ordinary people will attack those who are more important.

and said,“ So you are going to destroy the temple and build it again in three days? Then save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders made fun of him.“ He saved others,” they said.“ But he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross! Then we will believe in him.He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him. He’s the one who said,‘ I am the Son of God.’ ”

“ Israel, you are not faithful to me. But I do not want Judah to become guilty too.“ My people, do not go to Gilgal to offer sacrifices. Do not go up to Bethel to worship other gods. When you make a promise, do not say,‘ You can be sure that the Lord is alive.’

Do not look to Bethel. Do not go to Gilgal. Do not travel to Beersheba. The people of Gilgal will be taken away as prisoners. Nothing will be left of Bethel.”

At that time, the son born in the usual way tried to hurt the other son. The other son was born by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the same now.

The children go out and gather wood. The fathers light the fire. The women mix the dough. They make flat cakes of bread to offer to the female god called the Queen of Heaven. They pour out drink offerings to other gods. That makes me very angry.

But Sarah saw Ishmael making fun of Isaac. Ishmael was the son Hagar had by Abraham. Hagar was Sarah’s Egyptian slave.

Children are going to do foolish things. But correcting them will drive that foolishness far away.

The people who live in Samaria are filled with fear. They are afraid for their god that looks like a calf. They’re afraid it will be carried off from Beth Aven, that evil town. They will mourn over it. So will the priests who led them to worship it. The priests were full of joy because their statue was so glorious. But it will be captured and taken far away from them.

Then they twisted thorns together to make a crown. They placed it on his head. They put a stick in his right hand. Then they fell on their knees in front of him and made fun of him.“ We honor you, king of the Jews!” they said.They spit on him. They hit him on the head with the stick again and again.After they had made fun of him, they took off the robe. They put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him away to nail him to a cross.

They kept walking along and talking together. Suddenly there appeared a chariot and horses made of fire. The chariot and horses came between the two men. Then Elijah went up to heaven in a strong wind.