The Meaning of 2 Kings 2:14 Explained

2 Kings 2:14

KJV: 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.

YLT: and he taketh the robe of Elijah that fell from off him, and smiteth the waters, and saith, 'Where is Jehovah, God of Elijah -- even He?' and he smiteth the waters, and they are halved, hither and thither, and Elisha passeth over.

Darby: and he took the mantle of Elijah which had fallen from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is Jehovah, the God of Elijah? He also smote the waters, and they parted hither and thither, and Elisha went over.

ASV: And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is Jehovah, the God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they were divided hither and thither; and Elisha went over.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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 2:14 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 2:13-25 - Elijah's Spirit On Elisha
We, too, may have a double portion of Elijah's spirit, but everything depends on the purity of our hearts. Only the pure in heart can see, and if we can see into the spiritual, it is proof that our hearts are pure enough to become the residence of the Holy Spirit. Had Elisha been unable to see the translation of his friend, his nature would have been shown to be gross and sensual, and how should such a one have God's supreme gift?
When we receive this power, we must begin to use it at once. Whether we feel possessed of a fresh accession of spiritual dynamic or not, is immaterial. We must reckon that we have received, and must proceed to use; and as we make the attempt, the parting water will prove not only to ourselves, but to others, the reality of our experience. The reception of spiritual power is a quiet, secret act, known only to God and the soul; but the results are manifest to all. Hear these young men talk! Has God ever been known to take up a man and then cast him away on valley or mountain? That is not His way of dealing with those whom He loves and would honor. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 2

1  Elijah, taking his leave of Elisha, with his mantle divides Jordan
9  and, granting Elisha his request, is taken up by a fiery chariot into heaven
12  Elisha, dividing Jordan with Elijah's mantle, is acknowledged his successor
16  The young prophets, hardly obtaining leave to seek Elijah, cannot find him
19  Elisha with salt heals the unwholesome waters
23  Bears destroy the children that mocked Elisha

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 2:14 mean?

and he took - the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water and said where [is] Yahweh God of Elijah also he and when had struck and it was divided this way that and crossed over Elisha
וַיִּקַּח֩ אֶת־ אַדֶּ֨רֶת אֵלִיָּ֜הוּ אֲשֶׁר־ נָפְלָ֤ה מֵֽעָלָיו֙ וַיַּכֶּ֣ה הַמַּ֔יִם וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אַיֵּ֕ה יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י ؟ אֵלִיָּ֑הוּ אַף־ ה֣וּא ׀ וַיַּכֶּ֣ה וַיֵּֽחָצוּ֙ הֵ֣נָּה וָהֵ֔נָּה וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ר אֱלִישָֽׁע

וַיִּקַּח֩  and  he  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אַדֶּ֨רֶת  the  cloak 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אַדֶּרֶת  
Sense: glory, cloak.
אֵלִיָּ֜הוּ  of  Elijah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵלִיָּה 
Sense: the great prophet of the reign of Ahab.
אֲשֶׁר־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
נָפְלָ֤ה  had  fallen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
מֵֽעָלָיו֙  from  him 
Parse: Preposition-m, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
וַיַּכֶּ֣ה  and  struck 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
הַמַּ֔יִם  the  water 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
וַיֹּאמַ֕ר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אַיֵּ֕ה  where  [is] 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: אַיֵּה  
Sense: where?.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵ֣י  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
؟ אֵלִיָּ֑הוּ  of  Elijah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵלִיָּה 
Sense: the great prophet of the reign of Ahab.
אַף־  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אַף  
Sense: also, yea, though, so much the more adv.
וַיַּכֶּ֣ה  and  when  had  struck 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
וַיֵּֽחָצוּ֙  and  it  was  divided 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָצָה  
Sense: to divide, cut in two, cut short, live half (of one’s life).
הֵ֣נָּה  this  way 
Parse: Adverb
Root: הֵנָּה  
Sense: here, there, now, hither.
וָהֵ֔נָּה  that 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: הֵנָּה  
Sense: here, there, now, hither.
וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ר  and  crossed  over 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
אֱלִישָֽׁע  Elisha 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱלִישָׁע  
Sense: the great prophet who succeeded Elijah.