Lièwángjìxià 2

1 Yēhéhuá yào yòng xuán fēng jiē Yǐlìyà shēng tiān de shíhou , Yǐlìyà yǔ Yǐlìshā cóng Jíjiǎ qián wǎng .
2 Yǐlìyà duì Yǐlìshā shuō , Yēhéhuá chāi wǒ wǎng Bótèlì qù , nǐ kĕyǐ zaì zhèlǐ dĕnghòu . Yǐlìshā shuō , wǒ zhǐ zhe yǒngshēng de Yēhéhuá , yòu gǎn zaì nǐ miànqián qǐshì , wǒ bì bù líkāi nǐ . yúshì èr rén xià dào Bótèlì .
3 Zhù Bótèlì de xiānzhī méntǔ chūlai jiàn Yǐlìshā , duì tā shuō , Yēhéhuá jīnrì yào jiē nǐde shīfu líkāi nǐ , nǐ zhīdào bù zhīdào . tā shuō , wǒ zhīdào , nǐmen búyào zuò shēng .
4 Yǐlìyà duì Yǐlìshā shuō , Yēhéhuá chāiqiǎn wǒ wǎng Yēlìgē qù , nǐ kĕyǐ zaì zhèlǐ dĕnghòu . Yǐlìshā shuō , wǒ zhǐ zhe yǒngshēng de Yēhéhuá , yòu gǎn zaì nǐ miànqián qǐshì , wǒ bì bù líkāi nǐ . yúshì èr rén dào le Yēlìgē .
5 Zhù Yēlìgē de xiānzhī méntǔ jiù jìn Yǐlìshā , duì tā shuō , Yēhéhuá jīnrì yào jiē nǐde shīfu líkāi nǐ , nǐ zhīdào bù zhīdào . tā shuō , wǒ zhīdào , nǐmen búyào zuò shēng .
6 Yǐlìyà duì Yǐlìshā shuō , Yēhéhuá chāiqiǎn wǒ wǎng Yuēdànhé qù , nǐ kĕyǐ zaì zhèlǐ dĕnghòu . Yǐlìshā shuō , wǒ zhǐ zhe yǒngshēng de Yēhéhuá , yòu gǎn zaì nǐ miànqián qǐshì , wǒ bì bù líkāi nǐ . yúshì èr rén yītóng qián wǎng .
7 Yǒu xiānzhī méntǔ qù le wǔ shí rén , yuǎn yuǎn dì zhàn zaì tāmen duìmiàn . èr rén zaì Yuēdànhé biān zhàn zhù .
8 Yǐlìyà jiāng zìjǐ de waìyī juǎn qǐlai , yòng yǐ dá shuǐ , shuǐ jiù zuǒyòu fēnkāi , èr rén zǒu gān dì ér guō .
9 Guō qù zhī hòu , Yǐlìyà duì Yǐlìshā shuō , wǒ wèicéng beì jiē qù líkāi nǐ , nǐ yào wǒ wèi nǐ zuò shénme , zhǐguǎn qiú wǒ . Yǐlìshā shuō , yuàn gǎndòng nǐde líng jiābeì dì gǎndòng wǒ .
10 Yǐlìyà shuō , nǐ suǒ qiú de nán dé . suīrán rúcǐ , wǒ beì jiē qù líkāi nǐde shíhou , nǐ ruò kànjian wǒ , jiù bì dé zhe . bù rán , bì dé bù zhe le .
11 Tāmen zhēng zǒu zhe shuōhuà , hū yǒu huǒchē huǒ mǎ jiāng èr rén gé kāi , Yǐlìyà jiù shèng xuán fēng shēng tiān qù le .
12 Yǐlìshā kànjian , jiù hūjiào shuō , wǒ fù a . wǒ fù a . Yǐsèliè de zhàn chē mǎ bīng a . yǐhòu bù zaìjiàn tā le . yúshì Yǐlìshā bǎ zìjǐ de yīfu sī wèi liǎng piān .
13 Tā shí qǐ Yǐlìyà shēnshang diào xià lái de waìyī , huí qù zhàn zaì Yuēdànhé biān .
14 Tā yòng Yǐlìyà shēnshang diào xià lái de waìyī dá shuǐ , shuō , Yēhéhuá Yǐlìyà de shén zaì nǎli ne . dá shuǐ zhī hòu , shuǐ yĕ zuǒyòu fēnkāi , Yǐlìshā jiù guō lái le .
15 Zhù Yēlìgē de xiānzhī méntǔ cóng duìmiàn kànjian tā , jiù shuō , gǎndòng Yǐlìyà de líng gǎndòng Yǐlìshā le . tāmen jiù lái yíngjiē tā , zaì tā miànqián fǔfú yú dì ,
16 Duì tā shuō , púrén men zhèlǐ yǒu wǔ shí gè zhuàngshì , qiú nǐ róng tāmen qù xúnzhǎo nǐ shīfu , huòzhĕ Yēhéhuá de líng jiāng tā tí qǐlai , tóu zaì mǒu shān mǒu gǔ . Yǐlìshā shuō , nǐmen bù bì dǎfa rén qù .
17 Tāmen zaì sān cuīcù tā , tā nányǐ tuīcí , jiù shuō , nǐmen dǎfa rén qù bā . tāmen biàn dǎfa wǔ shí rén qù , xúnzhǎo le sān tiān , yĕ méiyǒu zhǎo zhe .
18 Yǐlìshā réngrán zaì Yēlìgē dĕnghòu tāmen huí dào Tānàli . tā duì tāmen shuō , wǒ qǐ méiyǒu gàosu nǐmen bù bì qù ma .
19 Yēlìgē chéng de rén duì Yǐlìshā shuō , zhè chéng de dì shì mĕihǎo , wǒ zhǔ kànjian le . zhǐshì shuǐ è liè , tǔchǎn bù shóu ér luō .
20 Yǐlìshā shuō , nǐmen ná yī gè xīn píng lái , zhuāng yán gĕi wǒ . tāmen jiù ná lái gĕi tā .
21 Tā chū dào shuǐ yuán , jiāng yán dǎo zaì shuǐ zhōng , shuō , Yēhéhuá rúcǐ shuō , wǒ zhì hǎo le zhè shuǐ , cóngcǐ bì bú zaì shǐ rén sǐ , yĕ bú zaì shǐ dì tǔ bù shēngchǎn .
22 Yúshì nà shuǐ zhì hǎo le , zhídào jīnrì , zhēng rú Yǐlìshā suǒ shuō de .
23 Yǐlìshā cóng nàli shàng Bótèlì qù , zhēng shàng qù de shíhou , yǒu xiē tóngzǐ cóng chéng lǐ chūlai , hū xiào tā shuō , tū tóu de shàng qù bā . tū tóu de shàng qù ba .
24 Tā huí tóu kànjian , jiù fèng Yēhéhuá de míng zhòuzǔ tāmen . yúshì yǒu liǎng gè mǔ xióng cóng lín zhōng chūlai , sī liè tāmen zhōngjiān sì shí èr gè tóngzǐ .
25 Yǐlìshā cóng Bótèlì shàng Jiāmì shān , yòu cóng Jiāmì shān huí dào sǎ Mǎlìyà .

Lièwángjìxià 2 Commentary

Chapter 2

Elijah divides Jordan. (1-8) Elijah is taken up into heaven. (9-12) Elisha is manifested to be Elijah's successor. (13-18) Elisha heals the waters of Jericho, Those that mocked Elisha destroyed. (19-25)

Verses 1-8 The Lord had let Elijah know that his time was at hand. He therefore went to the different schools of the prophets to give them his last exhortations and blessing. The removal of Elijah was a type and figure of the ascension of Christ, and the opening of the kingdom of heaven to all believers. Elisha had long followed Elijah, and he would not leave him now when he hoped for the parting blessing. Let not those who follow Christ come short by tiring at last. The waters of Jordan, of old, yielded to the ark; now, to the prophet's mantle, as a token of God's presence. When God will take up his faithful ones to heaven, death is the Jordan which they must pass through, and they find a way through it. The death of Christ has divided those waters, that the ransomed of the Lord may pass over. O death, where is thy sting, thy hurt, thy terror!

Verses 9-12 That fulness, from whence prophets and apostles had all their supply, still exists as of old, and we are told to ask large supplies from it. Diligent attendance upon Elijah, particularly in his last hours, would be proper means for Elisha to obtain much of his spirit. The comforts of departing saints, and their experiences, help both to gild our comforts and to strengthen our resolutions. Elijah is carried to heaven in a fiery chariot. Many questions might be asked about this, which could not be answered. Let it suffice that we are told, what his Lord, when he came, found him doing. He was engaged in serious discourse, encouraging and directing Elisha about the kingdom of God among men. We mistake, if we think preparation for heaven is carried on only by contemplation and acts of devotion. The chariot and horses appeared like fire, something very glorious, not for burning, but brightness. By the manner in which Elijah and Enoch were taken from this world, God gave a glimpse of the eternal life brought to light by the gospel, of the glory reserved for the bodies of the saints, and of the opening of the kingdom of heaven to all believers. It was also a figure of Christ's ascension. Though Elijah was gone triumphantly to heaven, yet this world could ill spare him. Surely their hearts are hard, who feel not, when God, by taking away faithful, useful men, calls for weeping and mourning. Elijah was to Israel, by his counsels, reproofs, and prayers, better than the strongest force of chariot and horse, and kept off the judgments of God. Christ bequeathed to his disciples his precious gospel, like Elijah's mantle; the token of the Divine power being exerted to overturn the empire of Satan, and to set up the kingdom of God in the world. The same gospel remains with us, though the miraculous powers are withdrawn, and it has Divine strength for the conversion and salvation of sinners.

Verses 13-18 Elijah left his mantle to Elisha; as a token of the descent of the Spirit upon him; it was more than if he had left him thousands of gold and silver. Elisha took it up, not as a sacred relic to be worshipped, but as a significant garment to be worn. Now that Elijah was taken to heaven, Elisha inquired, 1. After God; when our creature-comforts are removed, we have a God to go to, who lives for ever. 2. After the God that Elijah served, and honoured, and pleaded for. The Lord God of the holy prophets is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever; but what will it avail us to have the mantles of those that are gone, their places, their books, if we have not their spirit, their God? See Elisha's dividing the river; God's people need not fear at last passing through the Jordan of death as on dry ground. The sons of the prophets made a needless search for Elijah. Wise men may yield to that, for the sake of peace, and the good opinion of others, which yet their judgment is against, as needless and fruitless. Traversing hills and valleys will never bring us to Elijah, but following the example of his holy faith and zeal will, in due time.

Verses 19-25 Observe the miracle of healing the waters. Prophets should make every place to which they come better for them, endeavouring to sweeten bitter spirits, and to make barren souls fruitful, by the word of God, which is like the salt cast into the water by Elisha. It was an apt emblem of the effect produced by the grace of God on the sinful heart of man. Whole families, towns, and cities, sometimes have a new appearance through the preaching of the gospel; wickedness and evil have been changed into fruitfulness in the works of righteousness, which are, through Christ, to the praise and glory of God. Here is a curse on the youths of Bethel, enough to destroy them; it was not a curse causeless, for it was Elisha's character, as God's prophet, that they abused. They bade him "go up," reflecting on the taking up of Elijah into heaven. The prophet acted by Divine impulse. If the Holy Spirit had not directed Elisha's solemn curse, the providence of God would not have followed it with judgment. The Lord must be glorified as a righteous God who hates sin, and will reckon for it. Let young persons be afraid of speaking wicked words, for God notices what they say. Let them not mock at any for defects in mind or body; especially it is at their peril, if they scoff at any for well doing. Let parents that would have comfort in their children, train them up well, and do their utmost betimes to drive out the foolishness that is bound up in their hearts. And what will be the anguish of those parents, at the day of judgment, who witness the everlasting condemnation of their offspring, occasioned by their own bad example, carelessness, or wicked teaching!

Chapter Summary

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.

Lièwángjìxià 2 Commentaries

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