2 Kings 2:1-18

Elijah Taken to Heaven

1 And it came about when the LORD was about to ¹take up Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with ²Elisha from ³Gilgal.

2 Elijah said to Elisha, "⁴Stay here please, for the LORD has sent me as far as ⁵Bethel." But Elisha said, "⁶As the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel.

3 Then ⁷the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, "Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?" And he said, "Yes, I know; be still."

4 Elijah said to him, "Elisha, please ⁸stay here, for the LORD has sent me to ⁹Jericho." But he said, "¹⁰As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they came to Jericho.

5 ¹¹The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, "¹²Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?" And he answered, "Yes, I know; be still."

6 Then Elijah said to him, "Please ¹³stay here, for the LORD has sent me to ¹⁴the Jordan." And he said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So the two of them went on.

7 Now ¹⁵fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite * them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan.

8 Elijah ¹⁶took his mantle and folded it together and ¹⁷struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "Please, let a ¹⁸double portion of your spirit be upon me."

10 He said, "You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you ¹⁹see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so."

11 As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared ²⁰a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven.

12 Elisha saw it and cried out, "²¹My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" And he saw Elijah no more. Then ²²he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan.

14 He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, "Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" And when he also had ²³struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

15 Now when ²⁴the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite * him saw him, they said, "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha." And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

16 They said to him, "Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men, please let them go and search for your master; perhaps ²⁵the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley." And he said, "You shall not send."

17 But when ²⁶they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, "Send." They sent therefore fifty men; and they searched three days but did not find him.

18 They returned to him while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, "Did I not say to you, 'Do not go '?"

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2 Kings 2:1-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 2

This chapter relates, how that Elisha accompanied Elijah to several places, and on the other side Jordan Elijah was taken up from him to heaven, which occasioned great lamentation in him, 2Ki 2:1-12, but having the mantle of Elijah, he divided the waters of Jordan, and passed over, 2Ki 2:13,14, and the sons of the prophets at Jericho, perceiving the spirit of Elijah on him, showed him great respect, and proposed sending men to seek his master, which they did in vain, 2Ki 2:15-18, when he healed the waters at Jericho, at the request of the men of it, 2Ki 2:19-22, and the chapter is concluded with the destruction of forty two children at Bethel by bears, who mocked him, 2Ki 2:23,24.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 26

1. Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5
2. 1 Kings 19:16-21
3. Joshua 4:19
4. Ruth 1:15
5. 1 Kings 12:28, 29
6. 1 Samuel 1:26; 2 Kings 2:4, 6
7. 2 Kings 4:1, 38; 2 Kings 5:22
8. 2 Kings 2:2
9. Joshua 6:26
10. 2 Kings 2:2
11. 2 Kings 2:3
12. 2 Kings 2:3
13. 2 Kings 2:2
14. Josh 3:8, 15-17
15. 2 Kings 2:15, 16
16. 1 Kings 19:13, 19
17. Exodus 14:21, 22; 2 Kings 2:14
18. Numbers 11:17-25; Deuteronomy 21:17
19. Acts 1:10
20. 2 Kings 6:17
21. 2 Kings 13:14
22. Genesis 37:34; Job 1:20
23. 2 Kings 2:8
24. 2 Kings 2:7
25. 1 Kings 18:12; Acts 8:39
26. 2 Kings 8:11

Footnotes 7

[a]. Or "windstorm"
[b]. Lit "your head"
[c]. Lit "your head"
[d]. Lit "said"
[e]. Or "windstorm"
[f]. Lit "chariot"
[g]. Lit "him"