2 Kings 2:1-25

The Last Kings of *Israel and *Judah

Book of 2 Kings

Philip Smith

Chapter 2

God takes Elijah to heaven

• God had promised Elijah that Elisha would continue his work (1 Kings 19:16). In this chapter is the end of Elijah’s work as a *prophet. But there is also the beginning of Elisha’s work as a *prophet. Because of Elijah’s work, there were now groups of people in *Israel who were loyal to God. Elisha would make those believers stronger. And he would deal with some of the troubles that remained in that country.

v1 The time came when the *Lord would take Elijah up to heaven. The *Lord would take him up there in a whirlwind. (A whirlwind is a column of air that goes round very quickly.) Elijah and Elisha were travelling from Gilgal. v2 Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Stay here. The *Lord has ordered me to go to Bethel.’

But Elisha gave this answer. ‘I promise this to you as certainly as the *Lord lives. And I promise it as certainly as you live. I will not leave you.’ So they went down to Bethel.

v3 A group of *prophets lived at Bethel. They came out to speak to Elisha. They asked him this. ‘Do you know that the *Lord will take your master away from you today?’

‘Yes, I do know,’ replied Elisha. ‘But do not speak about that.’

v4 Then Elijah spoke to Elisha again. ‘Stay here, Elisha. The *Lord has ordered me to go to Jericho.’

Elisha gave this answer. ‘I promise this to you as certainly as the *Lord lives. And I promise it as certainly as you live. I will not leave you.’ So they went to Jericho.

v5 A group of *prophets lived at Jericho. They came to speak to Elisha. They asked him, ‘Do you know that the *Lord will take your master away from you today?’

‘Yes, I know,’ he replied. ‘But do not speak about that.’

v6 Then Elijah said to him, ‘Stay here. The *Lord has ordered me to go to the Jordan river.’

Elisha’s reply was this. ‘I promise this as certainly as the *Lord lives. And I promise it as certainly as you live. I will not leave you.’ So Elijah and Elisha continued to walk.

v7 Fifty (50) men from the group of *prophets at Jericho followed them. Those *prophets stood at some distance. Elijah and Elisha stopped at the Jordan river. v8 Elijah took off his coat and he rolled it up. Then he struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and the left. Then the two men crossed over on dry land.

Elijah went to say goodbye to the groups of *prophets. These were groups of people who were loyal to God. It seems that they lived together. And their families lived with them. Some of the members of these groups were able to *prophesy. But it is unlikely that they were all *prophets. In the original language, the name for these groups is ‘the sons of the *prophets’. That name may simply mean that these groups were loyal to the *prophets’ message about God.

The groups of *prophets already knew that Elijah would go to heaven on that day. Elisha also knew it. However, he did not wish to talk about it. This was both a serious and a holy moment for him. Soon, Elijah would leave Elisha, and Elisha would become *Israel’s main *prophet. Elisha did not want this to be a matter for public conversation.

Elisha refused to leave Elijah. Elisha wanted to be with Elijah for as long a time as possible. Elijah seemed to encourage Elisha to leave him. But long before, Elisha had decided that he would be completely loyal to Elijah (1 Kings 19:19-21). At that time, he had left everything in order to serve Elijah. Elijah had protested then too. But Elisha’s decision on both occasions was definite. Elisha wanted to serve God, and Elisha would do this as the servant of the *prophet Elijah. Elisha would continue to be Elijah’s servant until the end. (Compare Ruth 1:8-18.)

Elijah crossed the Jordan river on dry ground. Joshua also crossed the river like that. In that way, Joshua entered the country that God had promised to the *Israelites (Joshua 3:15-17).

v9 When they had crossed, Elijah spoke to Elisha. ‘What do you want me to do for you before God takes me away?’

Elisha gave this answer. ‘Let me have the oldest son’s share of your power.’

v10 Elijah replied, ‘You have asked for a difficult thing. Soon God will take me away from you. You must see that event in order to receive that power. Otherwise, you will not receive it.’

v11 They continued to talk as they went along. Then horses of fire, which were pulling a *chariot of fire, came between them. A whirlwind (column of air that goes round very quickly) took Elijah up to heaven. v12 Elisha saw it and he cried out. ‘My father, my father! *Israel’s *chariots and horses!’ Elisha never saw Elijah again. Then Elisha tore his own coat into two pieces.

Elijah asked Elisha what he wanted Elijah to give to him. Elisha asked for the oldest son’s share of Elijah’s power. (When someone died, his oldest son would receive the largest share of his property.) Elisha knew that he needed that power in order to continue Elijah’s work. Elijah said that it was a difficult request to grant. Only God could do that. However, Elisha could receive what he had asked for. He would receive it if he saw Elijah go up to heaven. By that means, God would show Elisha that he had received that power.

As they continued to talk, horses and a *chariot appeared. *Chariots were powerful vehicles for war, and horses pulled them. But these were not normal horses, and this was not a normal *chariot. They seemed to burn like fire. People who have seen an impression of God’s greatness often describe it as fire (Isaiah chapter 6; Ezekiel chapter 1). So this extraordinary event had a clear meaning for Elisha. God was taking Elijah away. But God’s great army of *angels would continue to fight against evil forces. That would be the power that Elisha needed in order to continue Elijah’s work.

The horses and *chariots of fire separated those two men. Elijah had once prayed for death (1 Kings 19:4). Now he went straight to heaven. He did not die. That only happened to one other man in the Old Testament (the first part of the Bible). His name was Enoch – Genesis 5:24.

Elisha tore his coat. When Elisha became Elijah’s servant, Elisha destroyed his tools. Elisha did this to show that he would never return to his former work (1 Kings 19:21). And now there would be an even greater change in Elisha’s life. Elijah had used his coat as a sign of the *prophet’s authority. The coat was not a pretty coat. Its material was rough. But people recognised Elijah by that coat (2 Kings 1:8). Now Elisha would have the same authority that Elijah had. So Elisha did not want to keep his own coat. He destroyed it. He was ready to begin his new work for God.

Elisha becomes a *prophet like Elijah

v13 Elisha picked up Elijah’s coat that had fallen from Elijah’s back. Elisha returned and he stood by the side of the Jordan river. v14 Then he struck the water with Elijah’s coat. Elisha said, ‘Oh *Lord God of Elijah, act now!’ When Elisha struck the water, it divided to the right and the left. Then he crossed over.

v15 The group of *prophets from Jericho were watching. They said, ‘Elisha now has Elijah’s power.’ They went to meet Elisha. They bent their bodies down to the ground in front of him. v16 ‘Look,’ they said. ‘We are your servants. And we have 50 strong men here. Let us go to look for your master. Perhaps the *Lord’s Spirit has picked him up. Then perhaps he has put him down on some mountain or in some valley.’

‘No,’ said Elisha. ‘Do not send them.’

v17 But they insisted until he felt too ashamed to refuse. So he said, ‘Send them.’ They sent 50 men. They searched for 3 days but they did not find him. v18 Then they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho. ‘I told you not to go,’ he said.

When Elijah first invited Elisha to join him, Elijah placed his coat on Elisha’s shoulders. This was a way to promise Elisha that he would become a *prophet (1 Kings 19:19). Now Elijah had gone to heaven. And all that remained was his coat. But that coat was the sign of the *prophet’s authority. So Elisha took it. He wore Elijah’s coat. And that showed that Elisha was now doing Elijah’s work. Elisha struck the water and God acted on his behalf. He divided the water. Elijah’s last *miracle was similar to Elisha’s first one. Elisha did not ask for the power of Elijah. He asked for the power of Elijah’s God.

The men from the group of *prophets gave honour to Elisha. That is why they bent their bodies down in front of Elisha. They gave honour to him as they had given to Elijah. However, they had not crossed the river. They had not seen God take Elijah up to heaven. So they asked Elisha to let them search for Elijah. At first he refused, but they continued to ask him. So they did not yet respect him completely. They thought that their own ideas were better than Elisha’s. In the end, he allowed them to go. But, of course, they did not find Elijah.

These men from the group of *prophets were sincere men. But they showed a lack of *faith. They knew what God was doing (verse 5). But they did not really trust God to do that thing. In the end, of course, they found out that Elisha was right. When they did, they were ready to trust him. And they wanted him to use God’s power on their behalf.

Elisha makes Jericho’s water good

v19 Some men from Jericho spoke to Elisha. ‘Sir, this is a good city but the water is bad. As a result, the land does not produce good crops.’

v20 ‘Bring me a new bowl,’ said Elisha. ‘Put salt in it.’ They brought it to him. v21 Then Elisha went to the spring (place where fresh water comes up from the ground). He threw the salt into it. Then he said, ‘The *Lord says this. “I have cured this water. It will never cause death again. And it will never make the land produce bad crops again.” ’

v22 The water remains pure even today, as Elisha said.

Joshua had spoken a *curse against Jericho (Joshua 6:26). That *curse was a type of *prophecy, which he spoke by God’s power. And it happened (1 Kings 16:34). So Jericho was a place where God did not want people to live. Its situation was good. But the water supply was a real problem. And it showed that God was still not pleased with the city.

The men from the city told Elisha about their water. They explained that it was bad. They had seen that Elisha, like Elijah, had God’s power. So they asked Elisha to help them. He could ask God to remove the *curse that still affected their water.

Elisha told them to bring salt to him in a new bowl. He added the salt to the water at the spring (place where fresh water comes up from the ground). Then the water became pure. Of course, it was the *Lord who cured the water. By means of the command to bring a bowl and salt, Elisha tested their *faith. Their actions would show whether they wanted to obey God. Salt had a special meaning. It meant that God would always perform his promises in his *covenant.

Jesus gave a similar test to a blind man. He put mud on the man’s eyes. Then Jesus told the man to go to the pool called Siloam. And he told the man to wash the mud off in the pool. The blind man became able to see. And he continued to see. Jesus had cured him completely (John 9:1-11). And the work that God does in our lives lasts also. For us, too, he will do what he has promised.

Some youths laugh at Elisha

v23 Elisha set off to go to Bethel. On the way, some youths came out of the town. And they laughed at him. ‘Go up, you bald man!’ they said. ‘Go up, you bald man!’ v24 Elisha turned round and he looked at the youths. Then he called a *curse to come down on them in the *Lord’s name. Then two female bears came out of the woods and they killed 42 youths. v25 Elisha went further to the mountain called Carmel and he later returned to Samaria.

Elisha wanted, by God’s power, to rescue *Israel from its *sins. And he wanted to free it from the *curses that were a result of those *sins. He had already done this at Jericho. So next he went to Bethel.

But the people in Bethel loved their false gods. They laughed at God’s *prophet. Elisha could do nothing to help them. In fact, the opposite happened. Their wicked behaviour offended God. And 42 youths from that town suffered a terrible punishment.

Bethel was a town that was famous for its *idols. Jeroboam made those *idols so that people would not *worship the *Lord in Jerusalem (1 Kings 12:26-33). God sent a *prophet, who *prophesied a *curse against that place (1 Kings 13:1-2). And the kings in *Israel never stopped that *sin (2 Kings 17:21-23).

The youths in Bethel were doing something that was especially wicked. They were not merely insulting the *prophet. They were also insulting God. They told the *prophet to ‘go up’. So they were laughing at the way that Elijah went up to heaven. But that was not something that Elijah did by human power. God himself did that in order to take Elijah into heaven. So the youths were laughing at God’s deeds.

And the youths also called Elisha a ‘bald man’. The priests of many religions were bald because they shaved their heads. God warned his people not to imitate them (Deuteronomy 14:1). So when the youths called Elisha a ‘bald man’, they were insulting him. They were saying that he was no better than the priests of an *idol. And perhaps here was another meaning of the phrase ‘go up’. The *idols were on the hills above the town. So the real meaning of the insult may be: ‘Go up to heaven if you can! Otherwise, go up and *worship our *idols. You are already bald like our priests. So your religion is no better than ours.’

Elisha did not try to defend himself. He spoke in the *Lord’s name, that is, on behalf of the *Lord. These youths were insulting God, and God would act against them.

Bears are very dangerous animals. Our translation says that the bears killed the youths. Another possible translation is, ‘the bears tore the youths’ bodies open’. That may mean that the youths died. Or it could mean that they suffered terrible injuries.

The lesson for us today is clear. Nobody should ever insult God. And it is both foolish and dangerous to say anything evil about God’s servants.

But there was also a lesson for Elisha to learn. Like Elijah (1 Kings 19:14), Elisha had discovered that most people in *Israel would never obey God. Elisha could not remove all the *sin from *Israel. He could not end the *worship of *idols. He could only do what God sent him to do.

So Elisha left that place. He went to the mountain called Carmel, where Elijah won a great battle against the *prophets of false gods (1 Kings 18:16-40). There he could pray and prepare for his next task as a *prophet.

Israel ~ the nation of people that are Jacob’s descendants; the country where those people belong; the northern part of their kingdom after it divided.
descendants ~ future members of a family or a nation; people who belong to the same family during later centuries.
kingdom ~ a country or nation that a king or queen rules.
Judah ~ one of the tribes in the nation called Israel; the southern part of that kingdom after it divided.
tribe ~ a group of people that share the same ancestors, language, and customs.
Israel ~ the nation of people that are Jacob’s descendants; the country where those people belong; the northern part of their kingdom after it divided.
kingdom ~ a country or nation that a king or queen rules.
ancestor ~ a previous member of a family, especially someone who was important during a past century.
descendants ~ future members of a family or a nation; people who belong to the same family during later centuries.
prophet ~ a person that gives a prophecy.
prophecy ~ a message from God (or from a false god) that someone speaks; what someone says will happen in the future.
Lord ~ the name of God. We use this word to translate two different words in the original language. One word means ‘He is always God.’ The other word means ‘master’.
prophesy ~ to declare a prophecy.
prophecy ~ a message from God (or from a false god) that someone speaks; what someone says will happen in the future.
Israelites ~ people that belonged to the nation called Israel.
Israel ~ the nation of people that are Jacob’s descendants; the country where those people belong; the northern part of their kingdom after it divided.
descendants ~ future members of a family or a nation; people who belong to the same family during later centuries.
kingdom ~ a country or nation that a king or queen rules.
chariot ~ a kind of vehicle that soldiers used when they fought. Horses pulled it.
chariot ~ a kind of vehicle that soldiers used when they fought. Horses pulled it.
angel ~ God’s servant who takes messages from God to people on the earth. Angels live with God in heaven.
miracle ~ a wonderful thing that God does by his power. People cannot explain it by means of human knowledge.
faith ~ strong belief that something will happen; trust that God (or someone else) will do what he says.
curse ~ a word (or words) that someone says to wish that bad things will happen to another person. The purpose is to punish or to hurt that person.
prophecy ~ a message from God (or from a false god) that someone speaks; what someone says will happen in the future.
covenant ~ a special serious agreement between 2 people or groups; but especially the promises that God made to his people in Judah and Israel. In God’s main covenant, he promised to protect his people if they obeyed certain laws.
Judah ~ one of the tribes in the nation called Israel; the southern part of that kingdom after it divided.
Israel ~ the nation of people that are Jacob’s descendants; the country where those people belong; the northern part of their kingdom after it divided.
tribe ~ a group of people that share the same ancestors, language, and customs.
kingdom ~ a country or nation that a king or queen rules.
descendants ~ future members of a family or a nation; people who belong to the same family during later centuries.
ancestor ~ a previous member of a family, especially someone who was important during a past century.
sin ~ an action that is wrong or wicked, which is against God’s moral law; something that is against a law in a religion.
idol ~ the image of a god to whom people give honour.
worship ~ to praise God (or a false god); to give honour to God (or a false god) by sacrifice, prayer, song or action.
sacrifice ~ something valuable that someone offers to God (or to a false god); to offer something valuable to God (or to a false god).