2 Kings 2:1-14

2 Kings 2:1-14

[1] And it came to pass, when the LORD  would take up  Elijah  into heaven  by a whirlwind,  that Elijah  with Elisha  from Gilgal.  [2] And Elijah  said  unto Elisha,  Tarry  here, I pray thee; for the LORD  hath sent  me to Bethel.  And Elisha  said  unto him, As the LORD  liveth,  and as thy soul  liveth,  I will not leave  thee. So they went down  to Bethel.  [3] And the sons  of the prophets  that were at Bethel  came forth  to Elisha,  and said  unto him, Knowest  thou that the LORD  will take away  thy master  from thy head  to day?  And he said,  Yea, I know  it; hold ye your peace.  [4] And Elijah  said  unto him, Elisha,  tarry  here, I pray thee; for the LORD  hath sent  me to Jericho.  And he said,  As the LORD  liveth,  and as thy soul  liveth,  I will not leave  thee. So they came  to Jericho.  [5] And the sons  of the prophets  that were at Jericho  came  to Elisha,  and said  unto him, Knowest  thou that the LORD  will take away  thy master  from thy head  to day?  And he answered,  Yea, I know  it; hold ye your peace.  [6] And Elijah  said  unto him, Tarry,  I pray thee, here; for the LORD  hath sent  me to Jordan.  And he said,  As the LORD  liveth,  and as thy soul  liveth,  I will not leave  thee. And they two  [7] And fifty  of the sons  of the prophets  went,  and stood  to view  afar off:  and they two  stood  by Jordan.  [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  [9] And it came to pass, when they were gone over,  that Elijah  said  unto Elisha,  Ask  what I shall do  for thee, before I be taken away  from thee. And Elisha  said,  I pray thee, let a double  portion  of thy spirit  be upon me. [10] And he said,  Thou hast asked  a hard thing:  nevertheless, if thou see  me when I am taken  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  and talked,  that, behold, there appeared a chariot  of fire,  and horses  of fire,  and parted  them both  asunder;  and Elijah  went up  by a whirlwind  into heaven.  [12] And Elisha  saw  it, and he cried,  My father,  the chariot  of Israel,  and the horsemen  thereof. And he saw  him no more: and he took hold  of his own clothes,  and rent  them in two  pieces.  [13] He took up  also the mantle  of Elijah  that fell  from him, and went back,  and stood  by the bank  of Jordan;  [14] And he took  the mantle  of Elijah  that fell  from him, and smote  the waters,  and said,  Where is the LORD  God  of Elijah?  and when he also had smitten  the waters,  they parted  hither and thither: and Elisha  went over. 

What does 2 Kings 2:1-14 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The Gilgal in view may have been the one between Jericho and the Jordan, or it may have been one about seven miles north of Bethel since Elijah and Elisha went down to Bethel ( 2 Kings 2:2). [1] This account presupposes previous Revelation , not in Scripture, that this day was to be Elijah"s last on earth ( 2 Kings 2:3). By granting Elisha permission to remain behind ( 2 Kings 2:2, et al.), Elijah was testing Elisha"s commitment to himself and to his calling as Elijah"s successor (cf. Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 22:31-62; John 21:15-25). Elisha"s refusal to speak of Elijah"s departure ( 2 Kings 2:3; 2 Kings 2:5) probably reflects Elisha"s sorrow at the prospect of losing his friend and mentor. It was not uncommon for prophets to give a valuable parting blessing (cf. Genesis 49; Deuteronomy 33), and Elisha did not want to miss that. A prophet"s mantle (cloak) was the symbol of Elijah"s authority as God"s spokesman (cf. 1 Kings 19:19). As Moses had parted the Red Sea with his rod, so Elijah parted the Jordan River with his mantle ( 2 Kings 2:8; cf. Exodus 14:21-22). Israel"s God was as able as ever to lead His people out of bondage and into promised blessing.
The double portion that Elisha requested was the privilege of God"s richest blessing on his life that customarily went to the first-born son in the ancient Near East (cf. 1 Kings 3:3-9). It would be a hard thing for Elijah to guarantee this double portion since blessing with His Spirit was God"s prerogative ( 2 Kings 2:10). Evidently Elijah intended to reward Elisha"s continued faithful commitment to him with this blessing, but if Elisha turned back from following him he would not get it ( 2 Kings 2:10). The eldest Song of Solomon , whose role Elisha filled, was responsible to carry on his father"s name and work.
"The visible vehicle of his removal would be a whirlwind ( 2 Kings 2:1) that manifest [2] itself to onlookers as a fiery chariot ( 2 Kings 2:11)." [3]
The chariot and horses of fire symbolized God"s powerful heavenly army (cf. 2 Kings 6:17). This display of the instruments of spiritual warfare separated the two prophets and apparently could have frightened Elisha into running away and losing his desired blessing ( 2 Kings 2:11). The chariot and horses of fire had polemic value since the Canaanites called Baal "the rider of clouds." [4] A polemic is a presentation of evidence designed to discredit someone or something. The whirlwind (shekinah?) took Elijah miraculously into heaven, not the fiery horses and chariot ( 2 Kings 2:11). Elijah had thought he was indispensable to God at one time ( 1 Kings 19:10; 1 Kings 19:14), but God had told him that He would remove him and work through others ( 1 Kings 19:11-18). Elijah"s translation to heaven was a blessing for him since he entered heaven without dying.
"The contrast between the deaths of Elijah and his enemies could hardly be any more stark. Elijah, the faithful servant of God, ascends to heaven. Ahab and Jezebel, the sworn enemies of Yahwism and the prophets, die at the hands of their foes." [5]
Elijah had been Elisha"s spiritual father and mentor ( 2 Kings 2:12). Elisha mourned the departure of one of Israel"s great spiritual warriors ( 2 Kings 2:12). By referring to Elijah as "the chariots of Israel and its horsemen" ( 2 Kings 2:12; cf. 2 Kings 13:14), Elisha probably meant that Elijah"s prophetic powers and spiritual depth were the nation"s true strength. [6] He was a one-man army. The chariot was the mightiest weapon then known, and it was symbolic of God"s supreme power. [7] By asking, "Where is Elijah"s God?" ( 2 Kings 2:14), Elisha was calling out to Yahweh to demonstrate His power through him as He had done through Elijah.
"In their persons they symbolized two aspects of the divine power toward the people: Elijah was the divine judicial power opposing a rebellious people and containing wholesale violence; Elisha was the dispensing of divine blessing when people repented." [8]
Miracles Involving ElishaMiracleReferenceElementsJordan River parted 2 Kings 2:8WaterJericho spring water purified 2 Kings 2:21WaterYouths cursed 2 Kings 2:24AnimalsWater provided 2 Kings 2:20WaterWidow"s oil multiplied 2 Kings 4:6OilShunammite"s dead son raised to life 2 Kings 4:35LifePoisonous stew purified 2 Kings 4:41FlourProphets" food multiplied 2 Kings 4:44Bread and grainNaaman healed of leprosy 2 Kings 5:14WaterGehazi"s leprosy inflicted 2 Kings 5:27DiseaseAx head floated 2 Kings 6:6WaterHorses and chariots surrounded Dothan 2 Kings 6:17FireAramean soldiers blinded 2 Kings 6:18SightAramean army scattered 2 Kings 7:6-7SoundHazael"s future predicted 2 Kings 8:13Future