1 And it came to pass, when the LORD H3068 would take up H5927 Elijah H452 into heaven H8064 by a whirlwind, H5591 that Elijah H452 went H3212 with Elisha H477 from Gilgal. H1537
2 And Elijah H452 said H559 unto Elisha, H477 Tarry H3427 here, I pray thee; for the LORD H3068 hath sent H7971 me to Bethel. H1008 And Elisha H477 said H559 unto him, As the LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 and as thy soul H5315 liveth, H2416 I will not leave H5800 thee. So they went down H3381 to Bethel. H1008
3 And the sons H1121 of the prophets H5030 that were at Bethel H1008 came forth H3318 to Elisha, H477 and said H559 unto him, Knowest H3045 thou that the LORD H3068 will take away H3947 thy master H113 from thy head H7218 to day? H3117 And he said, H559 Yea, I know H3045 it; hold ye your peace. H2814
4 And Elijah H452 said H559 unto him, Elisha, H477 tarry H3427 here, I pray thee; for the LORD H3068 hath sent H7971 me to Jericho. H3405 And he said, H559 As the LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 and as thy soul H5315 liveth, H2416 I will not leave H5800 thee. So they came H935 to Jericho. H3405
5 And the sons H1121 of the prophets H5030 that were at Jericho H3405 came H5066 to Elisha, H477 and said H559 unto him, Knowest H3045 thou that the LORD H3068 will take away H3947 thy master H113 from thy head H7218 to day? H3117 And he answered, H559 Yea, I know H3045 it; hold ye your peace. H2814
6 And Elijah H452 said H559 unto him, Tarry, H3427 I pray thee, here; for the LORD H3068 hath sent H7971 me to Jordan. H3383 And he said, H559 As the LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 and as thy soul H5315 liveth, H2416 I will not leave H5800 thee. And they two H8147 went on. H3212
7 And fifty H2572 men H376 of the sons H1121 of the prophets H5030 went, H1980 and stood H5975 to view H5048 afar off: H7350 and they two H8147 stood H5975 by Jordan. H3383
8 And Elijah H452 took H3947 his mantle, H155 and wrapped it together, H1563 and smote H5221 the waters, H4325 and they were divided H2673 hither and thither, so that they two H8147 went over H5674 on dry H2724 ground.
9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, H5674 that Elijah H452 said H559 unto Elisha, H477 Ask H7592 what I shall do H6213 for thee, before I be taken away H3947 from thee. And Elisha H477 said, H559 I pray thee, let a double H8147 portion H6310 of thy spirit H7307 be upon me.
10 And he said, H559 Thou hast asked H7592 a hard thing: H7185 nevertheless, if thou see H7200 me when I am taken H3947 from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
11 And it came to pass, as they still H1980 went on, H1980 and talked, H1696 that, behold, there appeared a chariot H7393 of fire, H784 and horses H5483 of fire, H784 and parted H6504 them both H8147 asunder; H996 and Elijah H452 went up H5927 by a whirlwind H5591 into heaven. H8064
12 And Elisha H477 saw H7200 it, and he cried, H6817 My father, H1 my father, H1 the chariot H7393 of Israel, H3478 and the horsemen H6571 thereof. And he saw H7200 him no more: and he took hold H2388 of his own clothes, H899 and rent H7167 them in two H8147 pieces. H7168
13 He took up H7311 also the mantle H155 of Elijah H452 that fell H5307 from him, and went back, H7725 and stood H5975 by the bank H8193 of Jordan; H3383
14 And he took H3947 the mantle H155 of Elijah H452 that fell H5307 from him, and smote H5221 the waters, H4325 and said, H559 Where is the LORD H3068 God H430 of Elijah? H452 and when he also had smitten H5221 the waters, H4325 they parted H2673 hither and thither: and Elisha H477 went over. H5674
15 And when the sons H1121 of the prophets H5030 which were to view at Jericho H3405 saw H7200 him, they said, H559 The spirit H7307 of Elijah H452 doth rest H5117 on Elisha. H477 And they came H935 to meet H7125 him, and bowed H7812 themselves to the ground H776 before him.
16 And they said H559 unto him, Behold now, there be H3426 with thy servants H5650 fifty H2572 strong H2428 men; H1121 H582 let them go, H3212 we pray thee, and seek H1245 thy master: H113 lest peradventure the Spirit H7307 of the LORD H3068 hath taken him up, H5375 and cast H7993 him upon some H259 mountain, H2022 or into some H259 valley. H1516 And he said, H559 Ye shall not send. H7971
17 And when they urged H6484 him till he was ashamed, H954 he said, H559 Send. H7971 They sent H7971 therefore fifty H2572 men; H376 and they sought H1245 three H7969 days, H3117 but found H4672 him not.
18 And when they came again H7725 to him, (for he tarried H3427 at Jericho,) H3405 he said H559 unto them, Did I not say H559 unto you, Go H3212 not?
19 And the men H582 of the city H5892 said H559 unto Elisha, H477 Behold, I pray thee, the situation H4186 of this city H5892 is pleasant, H2896 as my lord H113 seeth: H7200 but the water H4325 is naught, H7451 and the ground H776 barren. H7921
20 And he said, H559 Bring H3947 me a new H2319 cruse, H6746 and put H7760 salt H4417 therein. And they brought H3947 it to him.
21 And he went forth H3318 unto the spring H4161 of the waters, H4325 and cast H7993 the salt H4417 in there, and said, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 I have healed H7495 these waters; H4325 there shall not be from thence any more death H4194 or barren H7921 land.
22 So the waters H4325 were healed H7495 unto this day, H3117 according to the saying H1697 of Elisha H477 which he spake. H1696
23 And he went up H5927 from thence unto Bethel: H1008 and as he was going up H5927 by the way, H1870 there came forth H3318 little H6996 children H5288 out of the city, H5892 and mocked H7046 him, and said H559 unto him, Go up, H5927 thou bald head; H7142 go up, H5927 thou bald head. H7142
24 And he turned H6437 back, H310 and looked H7200 on them, and cursed H7043 them in the name H8034 of the LORD. H3068 And there came forth H3318 two H8147 she bears H1677 out of the wood, H3293 and tare H1234 forty H705 and two H8147 children H3206 of them.
25 And he went H3212 from thence to mount H2022 Carmel, H3760 and from thence he returned H7725 to Samaria. H8111
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Kings 2
Commentary on 2 Kings 2 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 2
2Ki 2:1-10. Elijah Divines Jordan.
1-7. when the Lord would take up Elijah—A revelation of this event had been made to the prophet; but, unknown to him, it had also been revealed to his disciples, and to Elisha in particular, who kept constantly beside him.
Gilgal—This Gilgal (Jiljil) was near Ebal and Gerizim; a school of the prophets was established there. At Beth-el there was also a school of the prophets, which Elijah had founded, notwithstanding that place was the headquarters of the calf-worship; and at Jericho there was another [2Ki 2:4]. In travelling to these places, which he had done through the impulse of the Spirit (2Ki 2:2, 4-6), Elijah wished to pay a farewell visit to these several institutions, which lay on his way to the place of ascension and, at the same time, from a feeling of humility and modesty, to be in solitude, where there would be no eye-witnesses of his glorification. All his efforts, however, to prevail on his attendant to remain behind, were fruitless. Elisha knew that the time was at hand, and at every place the sons of the prophets spoke to him of the approaching removal of his master. Their last stage was at the Jordan. They were followed at a distance by fifty scholars of the prophets, from Jericho, who were desirous, in honor of the great occasion, to witness the miraculous translation of the prophet. The revelation of this striking event to so many was a necessary part of the dispensation; for it was designed to be under the law, like that of Enoch in the patriarchal age, a visible proof of another state, and a type of the resurrection of Christ.
3. take away thy master from they head—an allusion to the custom of scholars sitting at the feet of their master, the latter being over their heads (Ac 22:3).
8. Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters—Like the rod of Moses, it had the divinely operating power of the Spirit.
9. Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee—trusting either that it would be in his power to bequeath it, or that God, at his entreaty, would grant it.
let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me—This request was not, as is commonly supposed, for the power of working miracles exceeding the magnitude and number of his master's, nor does it mean a higher endowment of the prophetic spirit; for Elisha was neither superior to, nor perhaps equally great with, his predecessor. But the phrase, "a double portion," was applied to the first-born [De 21:17], and therefore Elisha's request was, simply, to be heir to the prophetic office and gifts of his master.
10. Thou hast asked a hard thing—an extraordinary blessing which I cannot, and God only, can give. Nevertheless he, doubtless by the secret directions of the Spirit, proposed to Elisha a sign, the observation of which would keep him in the attitude of an anxious waiter, as well as suppliant for the favor.
2Ki 2:11-18. He Is Taken Up to Heaven in a Chariot of Fire.
11. behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire—some bright effulgence, which, in the eyes of the spectators, resembled those objects.
went up by a whirlwind—a tempest or storm wind accompanied with vivid flashes of fire, figuratively used for the divine judgments (Isa 29:6).
12. Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father—that is, spiritual father, as the pupils of the prophets are called their sons.
the chariot of Israel, and the horseman thereof—that is, that as earthly kingdoms are dependent for their defense and glory upon warlike preparations, there a single prophet had done more for the preservation and prosperity of Israel than all her chariots and horsemen.
took hold of his own clothes and rent them—in token of his grief for his loss.
13. He took up also the mantle of Elijah—The transference of this prophetic cloak was, to himself, a pledge of his being appointed successor, and it was an outward token to others of the spirit of Elijah resting upon him.
14-18. smote the waters—The waving of the mantle on the river, and the miraculous division of the waters consequent upon it, was an evidence that the Lord God of Elijah was with him, and as this miracle was witnessed by the scholars of the prophets from Jericho, they forthwith recognized the pre-eminence of Elisha, as now the prophet of Israel.
16-18. fifty strong men, let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master—Though the young prophets from Jericho had seen Elijah's miraculous passage of the Jordan, they had not witnessed the ascension. They imagined that he might have been cast by the whirlwind on some mountain or valley; or, if he had actually been admitted into heaven, they expected that his body would still be remaining somewhere on earth. In compliance with their importunity, he gave them permission, but told them what the result would be.
2Ki 2:19-25. Elisha Heals the Waters.
20. Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein—The noxious qualities of the water could not be corrected by the infusion of salt—for, supposing the salt was possessed of such a property, a whole spring could not be purified by a dishful for a day, much less in all future time. The pouring in of the salt was a symbolic act with which Elisha accompanied the word of the Lord, by which the spring was healed [Keil].
23, 24. there came forth little children out of the city—that is, the idolatrous, or infidel young men of the place, who affecting to disbelieve the report of his master's translation, sarcastically urged him to follow in the glorious career.
bald head—an epithet of contempt in the East, applied to a person even with a bushy head of hair. The appalling judgment that befell them was God's interference to uphold his newly invested prophet.