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Though Jericho pleasantly stood JERICHO; Or, The waters healed
John Newton printed it in 1779 in Olney Hymns, Book I, no. 37, under 2 Kings 2:19–22.
WRITTEN BY
John Newton 1725–1807
PRINTED
1779 Olney Hymns · no. 37
METRE
8.8.8.8a 5 stanzas
WRITTEN ON
2 Kings 2:19–22 the verse printed above it
The hymn, and the Scripture in it
All 5 stanzas as Newton printed them, with the verses their lines echo beside them. Point at a line to join it to its verse; click to read the passage.
SHARED WORDSthe verse shares the line's wording ECHOproposed by an AI model, confirmed by a separate check Not the author's own notes
AMONG THE SCRIPTURES
The stanzas at the centre; around them, every book its heading and its echoes come from, Old Testament on the left and New on the right. Choose a stanza or a book.
a line echoes this verse its heading or an echo comes from here
STANZA I
Though Jericho pleasantly stood
Though Jericho pleasantly stood,
And looked like a promising soil;
The harvest produced little food,
To answer the husbandman’s toil.
The water some property had,
Which poisonous proved to the ground;
The springs were corrupted and bad,
The streams spread a barrenness round.
No line of this stanza quotes a verse closely; it is the hymn's own confession.
Where Newton found it
Newton printed the hymn under 2 Kings 2:19–22. The line that comes closest to it is marked.
19Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please note, our lord, that the city’s location is good, as you can see. But the water is bad and the land is unfruitful.” 20“Bring me a new bowl,” he replied, “and put some salt in it.” So they brought it to him, 21and Elisha went out to the spring, cast the salt into it, and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘I have healed this water. No longer will it cause death or unfruitfulness.’” 22And the waters there have been healthy to this day, according to the word spoken by Elisha. 2 KINGS 2:19–22 · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ 2 KINGS 2
But soon by the cruse and the salt, Prepared by Elisha’s command, The water was cured of its fault, And plenty enriched the land: An emblem sure this of the grace On fruitless dead sinners bestowed; For man is in Jericho’s case, Till cured by the mercy of God. STANZA II
Its place in the book
Book I of Olney Hymns walks through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, one hymn per passage: 141 hymns. This is number 37. Point at a tick to see the hymn; click it to open that hymn.
NO. 37 · JOHN NEWTON · THIS HYMN Though Jericho pleasantly stood
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