17. When the groups of prophets had begged Elisha until he couldn’t refuse them anymore, he said, “Send them.” So they sent fifty men who looked for three days, but they could not find him.
18. Then they came back to Elisha at Jericho where he was staying. He said to them, “I told you not to go, didn’t I?”
19. The people of the city said to Elisha, “Look, master, this city is a nice place to live as you can see. But the water is so bad the land cannot grow crops.”
20. Elisha said, “Bring me a new bowl and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.
21. Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt in it. He said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. From now on it won’t cause death, and it won’t keep the land from growing crops.’ ”