Melachim Bais 2:12

12 And Elishah saw, and he cried, Avi, Avi, the merkavah (war chariot) of Yisroel, and the parash (horsemen, charioteers) thereof. And he saw him no more; and he took hold of his own robe, and tore his apparel in two pieces.

Melachim Bais 2:12 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 2:12

And Elisha saw it
The ascension of Elijah to heaven, the manner of it, and all relative to it, as the disciples saw the ascension of Christ, between which and this there is a great agreement, see ( Acts 1:9 Acts 1:10 ) , and so Elisha had the token by which he might expect to have the double portion, as the disciples after the ascension of Christ had an extraordinary effusion of the Spirit and gifts upon them:

and he cried, my father, my father;
or my master, my master, as the Targum; Elijah being a father to Elisha, and the rest of the prophets, in the same sense as disciples of the prophets are called sons:

the chariots of Israel, and the horsemen thereof;
who was a greater defence to Israel, and was of more service to them by his instructions and prayers, than an army consisting of chariots and horsemen; so the Targum,

``he was better to Israel by his prayers than chariots and horsemen:''

and he saw him no more;
he was carried up in the above manner into the heaven of heavens, out of the sight of mortals, and never seen more, but at the transfiguration of Christ on the mount:

and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces;
not on account of Elijah's case and circumstances, who was now in a most happy and glorious state and condition, but as lamenting his own loss, and the loss of the public.

Melachim Bais 2:12 In-Context

10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing; nevertheless, if thou see me when lukach (I am taken away) 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 walked on, and talked, that, hinei, there appeared a merkavah of eish, and susim of eish, and separated the two of them between them; and Eliyahu went up in a se’arah (storm wind, whirlwind) into Shomayim.

12 And Elishah saw, and he cried, Avi, Avi, the merkavah (war chariot) of Yisroel, and the parash (horsemen, charioteers) thereof. And he saw him no more; and he took hold of his own robe, and tore his apparel in two pieces.

13 He took up also the aderet Eliyahu that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of the Yarden;

14 And he took the aderet Eliyahu that fell from him, and struck the mayim, and said, Where is Hashem Elohei Eliyahu? And when he also had struck the mayim, they split from here and from there; and Elishah crossed over.