Elisha had just recently taken over the mantle from Elijah, not to mention all his God given powers, who he had witnessed being taken up, at God's behest, into the heavens in a whirlwind (2:11). Shortly after Elisha is on his way to Bethel, he is then mocked by many young lads from the city who said to him, "Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!" Apparently, they had heard of Elijah's translation up into the heavens and were challenging Elisha's prophetic office. Go up. i.e., ascend, as you claimed Elijah did. On seeing these lads, Elisha then cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up 42 of their number.

Elisha cursed these lads for in effect cursing him, but why such a harsh punishment, or are we to believe that the she bears just came out by chance and were possibly "rabid" or something ??