2 Kings 2:8

8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

2 Kings 2:8 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.
English Standard Version (ESV)
8 Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground.
New Living Translation (NLT)
8 Then Elijah folded his cloak together and struck the water with it. The river divided, and the two of them went across on dry ground!
The Message Bible (MSG)
8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and hit the water with it. The river divided and the two men walked through on dry land.
American Standard Version (ASV)
8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
8 Elijah took his coat, rolled it up, and struck the water with it. The water divided to their left and their right, and the two men crossed [the river] on dry ground.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
8 Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the waters, which parted to the right and left. Then the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
8 Elijah rolled his coat up. Then he struck the water with it. The water parted to the right and to the left. The two of them went across the river on dry ground.

2 Kings 2:8 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 2:8

And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together
Folded it up close together, in a position to smite with it; this is thought to be not his hairy garment, but a shorter robe, that was worn upon his shoulders; but the Greek version renders it by "melotes", and so in ( 2 Kings 2:14 ) , which, according to Isidore F12, was a goat's skin, hanging down from the neck, and girt at the loins; and being thus clothed, perhaps, may be the reason of his being called an hairy man, ( 2 Kings 1:8 ) ,

and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither;
just as Moses lifted up his rod, and the waters of the sea were divided for the Israelites:

so that they two went over on dry ground;
in like manner as the Israelites did through the sea.


FOOTNOTES:

F12 Origin. l. 19. c. 24.

2 Kings 2:8 In-Context

6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.
7 Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan.
8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.
10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

Cross References 4

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