The Meaning of 2 Kings 2:15 Explained

2 Kings 2:15

KJV: And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

YLT: And they see him -- the sons of the prophets who are in Jericho -- over-against, and they say, 'Rested hath the spirit of Elijah on Elisha;' and they come to meet him, and bow themselves to him to the earth,

Darby: And the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho on the opposite side saw him, and they said, The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him,

ASV: And when the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho over against him saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And when the sons  of the prophets  which [were] to view at Jericho  saw  him, they said,  The spirit  of Elijah  doth rest  on Elisha.  And they came  to meet  him, and bowed  themselves to the ground  before him. 

What does 2 Kings 2:15 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 2:15 mean?

And when saw him the sons of the prophets who [were] from Jericho to view and they said rests the spirit of Elijah on Elisha And they came to meet him and bowed before him to the ground
וַיִּרְאֻ֨הוּ בְנֵֽי־ הַנְּבִיאִ֤ים אֲשֶׁר־ בִּֽירִיחוֹ֙ מִנֶּ֔גֶד וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ נָ֛חָה ר֥וּחַ אֵלִיָּ֖הוּ עַל־ אֱלִישָׁ֑ע וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ לִקְרָאת֔וֹ וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ־ ל֖וֹ אָֽרְצָה

וַיִּרְאֻ֨הוּ  And  when  saw  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
בְנֵֽי־  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
הַנְּבִיאִ֤ים  of  the  prophets 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
אֲשֶׁר־  who  [were] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בִּֽירִיחוֹ֙  from  Jericho 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרִחֹו 
Sense: a city 5 miles (8 km) west of the Jordan and 7 miles (.
מִנֶּ֔גֶד  to  view 
Parse: Preposition-m
Root: נֶגֶד  
Sense: what is conspicuous, what is in front of adv.
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ  and  they  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
נָ֛חָה  rests 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: נוּחַ 
Sense: to rest.
ר֥וּחַ  the  spirit 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
אֵלִיָּ֖הוּ  of  Elijah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵלִיָּה 
Sense: the great prophet of the reign of Ahab.
אֱלִישָׁ֑ע  Elisha 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱלִישָׁע  
Sense: the great prophet who succeeded Elijah.
וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙  And  they  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
לִקְרָאת֔וֹ  to  meet  him 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to encounter, befall, meet.
וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ־  and  bowed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁחָה  
Sense: to bow down.
ל֖וֹ  before  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
אָֽרְצָה  to  the  ground 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.