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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

2 Kings 2:16

2 KINGS—NOTE ON 2 Kings 2:16 Please let them go and seek your master. The sons of the prophets do not fully understand what has happened. They wonder whether the Spirit of the LORD has simply caught Elijah up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley. They want to retrieve his body for burial.

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See also 2 Kings 2:16 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 2 Kings 2:16. _FIFTY STRONG MEN_] Probably the _same fifty_ who are mentioned 2 Kings 2:7, and who saw Elijah taken up in the whirlwind. _CAST HIM UPON SOME MOUNTAIN_] Though they saw him _tak...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    Compare the marginal references. The words “cast him upon some mountain,” rather imply that they expected to find the prophet alive....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    II. THE PROPHET ELISHA 1. The Beginning of His Ministry CHAPTER 2:12-25 _ 1. The mantle used (2 Kings 2:12)_ 2. The sons of the prophets (2 Kings 2:15) 3. The healing of Jericho's waters (2 Kin

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    2 KINGS 1:1 TO 2 KINGS 2:25. LAST DAYS AND ASCENSION OF ELIJAH: ELISHA ESTABLISHED AS HIS SUCCESSOR. Here we have perhaps a third Elijah narrative, in which the prophet is represented as playing a par...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _there be with thy servants fifty strong men_ Doubtless some from among the company of the prophets are meant. In chapter 2 Kings 4:1-4 they are described as men equal to the labour of telling trees,...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD HATH TAKEN HIM UP— From some expressions in Scripture it seems as if the Spirit of the Lord frequently used to carry the prophets through the air, and with great swiftness remov...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    II. ELISHA AND THE SONS OF THE PROPHETS 2:16-25 With the departure of Elijah, Elisha became the _father_ of the prophetic schools. The first official acts of the new leader of the sons of the prophets...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND THEY SAID UNTO HIM, BEHOLD NOW, THERE BE WITH THY SERVANTS FIFTY STRONG MEN; LET THEM GO, WE PRAY THEE, AND SEEK THY MASTER: LEST PERADVENTURE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD HATH TAKEN HIM UP, AND CAST H...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    ELIJAH'S TRANSLATION TO HEAVEN The great service rendered to Israel by the prophet whose life is here closed was the stand which he made for the religion of Jehovah when its supremacy was threatened b...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD] some strong impulse of divine origin: cp. 1 Kings 18:12....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    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 c...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    AND THEY SAID UNTO HIM. — After he had told them of the Assumption of Elijah (_Thenius_). FIFTY STRONG MEN. — See margin. Perhaps these were attendants on the members of the prophetic guild. (Comp. E...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֡יו הִנֵּה ־נָ֣א יֵֽשׁ ־אֶת

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    ELISHA 2 Kings 2:1 "He did wonders in his life, and at death even his works were marvelous. For all this the people repented not." - Sir 48:14-15 AT this point we enter into the cycle of supernatur...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    ELIJAH'S SPIRIT ON ELISHA 2 Kings 2:13 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 int...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    There is something pathetic and even weird in these final movement's of Elijah, as we see him accompanied by Elisha, and watched by the prophets. It would seem as though he tried to escape into loneli...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and cast hi...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Valley. It seems such translations were not uncommon, 3 Kings xviii. 12. (Calmet)_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    There is somewhat mysterious in those verses. That the sons of the prophets should be so destitute of faith, and Elisha suffer himself to be led away to the permission of what is here said appears so...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    It has been already remarked that the mission, or, at any rate, the proper ministry of Elijah closed with his own complaint against the children of Israel. God took him at his word. He pleaded against...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    And now we reach the end of the troubles and afflictions of this precious and faithful servant of God. And, if we do not find in his case the calmness of the ascension of Jesus, who, while blessing Hi...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND THEY SAID UNTO HIM, BEHOLD, NOW, THERE BE WITH THY SERVANTS FIFTY STRONG MEN,.... Perhaps meaning themselves, 2 Kings 2:7 who were young, stout, and strong, and able to travel for days together:...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and cast hi...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Behold, there be with thy servants fifty strong men_ Able to take such a journey. _Let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master_ They had received but an imperfect revelation of God's design, with...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Elijah, taking his leaue of Elisha, with his mantle diuideth Iordan, 9 and granting Elisha his request, is taken vp by a fierie charet into heauen. 12 Elisha, diuiding Iordan with Elijahs mantle,...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Elisha's Miraculous Powers...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And they said unto him, Behold, now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master, lest peradventure the Spirit of the Lord hath taken him up and cast hi...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    Though in 1 Kings 19:21 we read of Elisha following Elijah and becoming his servant, yet Elisha is not mentioned as identified with Elijah when Elijah later gave messages to Ahab (1 Kings 21:17) and t...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    STRONG MEN: _ Heb._ sons of strength SOME MOUNTAIN: _ Heb._ one of the mountains...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    13-18 Elijah left his mantle to Elisha; as a token of the descent of the Spirit upon him; it was more than if he had left him thousands of gold and silver. Elisha took it up, not as a sacred relic to...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    STRONG MEN; able to take such a journey. They thought, either, 1. That God had not finally taken him away from them, but only for a time; compare 1 KINGS 18:12; which they heartily desired, and theref...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    2 Kings 2:16 said H559 (H8799) are H3426 fifty H2572 strong H2428 men H1121 H582 servants H5650 go...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    A. ELIJAH IS TAKEN AWAY BY YHWH INTO HEAVEN AND HIS SPIRIT COMES ON ELISHA WHO RE-ENTERS CANAAN (2 KINGS 2:1). In this remarkable account we have the first definite indication in Scripture that a man...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    SECTION 7. ELISHA ENTERS CANAAN TO TAKE POSSESSION OF IT FOR YHWH AND MOAB'S REBELLION AGAINST ISRAEL IS PUT DOWN WITH TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES (2 KINGS 2:1 TO 2 KINGS 3:27). In our view the entry of Elish...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    2 Kings 2:1 The account of Elijah's translation suggests: I. That the life of man is absolutely at the disposal of the Lord. (1) God knows when our work is done. (2) We are taken from a lower to a h...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Translation of Elijah. Faith of Elisha. Theological students and their unbelief. Elisha's miracle. CHARACTERS: God, Holy Spirit, Elisha, Elijah. CONCLUSION: Those who know they are soon go...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    2 Kings 2:1. _When the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven._ The LXX read, ως εις τον ουρανον, _as into heaven._ They mean to say, that he did not ascend higher than paradise, as in John 3:13. 2 Kin...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.— 2 Kings 2:16. LEST PERADVENTURE, &c.—They had seen Elijah pass miraculously over Jordan, but did not witness his ascension. Even if he had been taken up to heaven, th...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION 2 KINGS 2:1 THE REMOVAL OF ELIJAH FROM EARTH, AND SOME EARLY MIRACLES OF ELISHA. The great prophet of Israel was to have a departure from earth as marv

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And so it came to pass, when the LORD would take Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal (2 Kings 2:1). So the time is come when Elijah is going to depart the earth...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 18:12; 2 Corinthians 12:2; 2 Corinthians 12:3; Acts 8:39;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Strong men — Able to take such a journey. Lest, &c. — They thought, either that God had not finally taken him away from them, but only for a time; or that God had only taken away his soul, and that hi...

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