INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 2 This chapter relates, how that Elisha accompanied Elijah to several places, and on the other side Jordan Elijah was taken up from him to heaven, which occasioned great lamentation in him, 2 Kings 2:1, but having the mantle of Elijah, he divided the waters of Jordan, and pa... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN THE LORD WOULD TAKE UP ELIJAH INTO HEAVEN BY A WHIRLWIND,.... Thereby lifting him up from the earth, and which, as it was the purpose and will of God, Elijah had notice of, as appears by his motions to different places, under a divine direction: THAT ELIJAH WENT WITH ELISH... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ELIJAH SAID UNTO ELISHA, TARRY HERE, I PRAY THEE,.... Seemingly unwilling he should go with him, and be present at his assumption; which was either out of modesty, not affecting the spread of the honour and glory to be conferred upon him; or to prevent the grief of Elisha at his departure, or to... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SONS OF THE PROPHETS THAT WERE AT BETHEL,.... Or the disciples of them, as the Targum; here, though a place where one of Jeroboam's calves was set up, was a school of the prophets, perhaps founded by Elijah as a nursery for religion, and a check upon the idolatry of the times: CAME FORTH TO... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ELIJAH SAID UNTO HIM, ELISHA, TARRY HERE, I PRAY THEE,.... At Bethel: FOR THE LORD HATH SENT ME TO JERICHO; to the school of the prophets there, to strengthen, encourage, and advise them: AND HE SAID, AS THE LORD LIVETH, c using the same form of oath as before: SO THEY CAME TO JERICHO; togeth... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SONS OF THE PROPHETS THAT WERE AT JERICHO,.... For though this place was lately rebuilt under a curse to the builder, yet was blessed with a school of the prophets: whose disciples came to Elisha, and said unto him; as in 2 Kings 2:3 and to whom he made the same reply.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ELIJAH SAID UNTO HIM, TARRY, I PRAY THEE, HERE,.... At Jericho, seemingly very desirous to get rid of him, that he might not see his assumption: FOR THE LORD HATH SENT ME TO JORDAN: where passing that he was to be taken up: AND HE SAID, c Elisha swore, as before, he would not leave him: AND T... [ Continue Reading ]
AND FIFTY MEN OF THE SONS OF THE PROPHETS WENT, AND STOOD TO VIEW AFAR OFF,.... To have a view, if they could, of the assumption of Elijah to heaven, and be witnesses of it: AND THEY TWO STOOD BY JORDAN; on the banks of it, even Elijah and Elisha.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ELIJAH TOOK HIS MANTLE, AND WRAPPED IT TOGETHER,.... Folded it up close together, in a position to smite with it; this is thought to be not his hairy garment, but a shorter robe, that was worn upon his shoulders; but the Greek version renders it by "melotes", and so in 2 Kings 2:14, which, accor... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN THEY WERE GONE OVER,.... Had got on the other side Jordan: THAT ELIJAH SAID UNTO ELISHA, ASK WHAT I SHALL DO FOR THEE, BEFORE I BE TAKEN FROM THEE; for, having followed him so closely, he now made no more a secret of his assumption, and having had full trial of his attachm... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID, THOU HAST ASKED A HARD THING,.... Not a common privilege, but what is rarely enjoyed, and difficult to obtain, few are so favoured of God: 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; meaning, that if his rapture was... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS THEY STILL WENT ON AND TALKED,.... About the donation of the gifts of the Spirit requested, about the state of religion in Israel, and about the training up of prophets in the colleges, and about Elisha's succession as a prophet in his room, and his discharge of that office,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ELISHA SAW IT,.... The ascension of Elijah to heaven, the manner of it, and all relative to it, as the disciples saw the ascension of Christ, between which and this there is a great agreement, see Acts 1:9, and so Elisha had the token by which he might expect to have the double portion, as the d... [ Continue Reading ]
HE TOOK UP ALSO THE MANTLE OF ELIJAH THAT FELL FROM HIM,.... Which he had now no further need of, and Elisha had, having rent his clothes in two; and this falling into his hands was a token of his succeeding him in his office, and that he should have the double portion of his spirit: AND HE WENT BA... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE TOOK THE MANTLE OF ELIJAH THAT FELL FROM HIM, AND SMOTE THE WATERS,.... He wrapped it together, as Elijah had done, and smote the waters in like manner, to make trial whether he had the same spirit and power conferred on him: AND SAID, WHERE IS THE LORD GOD OF ELIJAH? let him appear now, and... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THE SONS OF THE PROPHETS, WHICH WERE TO VIEW AT JERICHO, SAW HIM,.... Who went out from thence towards Jordan, to have a sight if they could of the assumption of Elijah; these, when they saw Elisha come over Jordan, the waters being parted by him: THEY SAID, THE SPIRIT OF ELIJAH DOTH REST... [ Continue Reading ]
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: LET THEM GO, WE PRAY THEE, AND SEEK THY MASTER; for though they knew he was to be taken away, yet kn... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THEY URGED HIM UNTIL HE WAS ASHAMED,.... To deny them any longer, being so very pressing and importunate: HE SAID, SEND; lest they should think he had not the respect for his master he should have had; or was so fond of his office, that he did not choose he should be found alive if he coul... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THEY CAME AGAIN TO HIM, FOR HE TARRIED AT JERICHO,.... Waiting their return to hear the report they made: which when they had, HE SAID UNTO THEM, DID I NOT SAY UNTO YOU, GO NOT? assuring them it would be fruitless, and to no purpose; though this search of theirs served both to confirm the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE MEN OF THE CITY SAID UNTO ELISHA,.... The inhabitants of Jericho, perceiving him to be a prophet, and endowed with a power of working miracles: BEHOLD, I PRAY THEE, THE SITUATION OF THIS CITY IS PLEASANT, AS MY LORD SEETH; in a plain, surrounded with gardens and orchards, with vineyards, ol... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID, BRING ME A NEW CRUSE, AND PUT SALT THEREIN,.... One that had never been used, that it might not be thought that the virtue was owing to anything that had been, or was, put into it: AND THEY BROUGHT IT TO HIM; the pot with the salt in it.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WENT FORTH UNTO THE SPRING OF THE WATERS,.... The fountain from whence they flowed, the head of them: AND CAST THE SALT IN THERE; which was an unlikely means of making bad water good, since that makes it brackish, and not so drinkable, and what makes ground barren; but this method, contrary... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THE WATERS WERE HEALED UNTO THIS DAY, ACCORDING TO THE SAYING OF ELISHA WHICH HE SPAKE. In the name of the Lord; and not only they remained so unto the time of the writer of this history, but to the times of Josephus, as he testifies s, and even to ours; for there is a spring now called Elisha's... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WENT UP FROM THENCE UNTO BETHEL,.... From Jericho, which lay in a plain, to Bethel, situated on an hill, and therefore is said to go up to it; hither he went, to acquaint the sons of the prophets with the assumption of Elijah, to condole their loss of him, and to comfort and encourage them, a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE TURNED BACK, AND LOOKED ON THEM,.... With a stern countenance, thereby reproving them, and in order to intimidate them, and make them ashamed, and cause them to leave off, but to no purpose; they repeated their mockeries with great vehemence: AND CURSED THEM IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; moved th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WENT FROM THENCE TO MOUNT CARMEL,.... Where Elijah used to frequent, and where also there might be a school of the prophets; this, according to Bunting a, was fifty six miles from Bethel: AND FROM THENCE HE RETURNED TO SAMARIA; the capital of the kingdom of Israel; there to bear his testimon... [ Continue Reading ]