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2 KINGS 2

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph
2. Second paragraph
3. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2:1-3
  ¹And it came about when the Lord was about to take up Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. ²Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel. ³Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, "Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?" And he said, "Yes, I know; be still."

2:1 "And it came about" The historical books of the Bible are not structured in temporal chronology. This chapter is out of chronological order; note 2 Chr. 21:12, where Elijah is still present in the fifth year of Jehoram of Israel (Cook, p. 228 and Gleason Archer, Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, pp. 226-227).

▣ "take up Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven" It was well known by the "sons of the prophets" (cf. vv. 3,5,7) that Elijah was going to ascend into YHWH's presence. Only Elijah and Enoch (Gen. 5:24) were rewarded this honor. Almost all people go to the realm of the dead, Sheol, at death.

We must distinguish between

1. translation ‒ Enoch and Elijah
2. resuscitation, brought back to physical life but must die again
3. resurrection, a new body prepared for eternity (only Jesus, so far)

SPECIAL TOPIC: WHERE ARE THE DEAD?

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE HEAVENS AND THE THIRD HEAVEN

▣ "by a whirlwind" In Isaiah 66:15 both the chariot of God and the whirlwind are YHWH's servants in judgment, but here, for blessing. This same dualism is connected to the whirlwind.

1. for judgment ‒ Ps. 107:25: Isa. 29:6; 40:24; 41:16; Jer. 23:19; 30:23; Ezek. 13:11,13; in Job 1:19 it is called "a great wind," in Jonah 1:4 called "a great wind. . .a great storm"
2. a symbol of YHWH's presence ‒ Job 38:1; 40:6; Ps. 48:8; Ezek. 1:4; in Zech. 9:14 as "strong winds from the south"; in 1 Kgs. 19:11 it is called "a great and strong wind"

2:2 Elijah asks Elisha three times to let him go unattended but Elisha refuses each time. The reason for this is uncertain.

1. Elijah wanted to be alone
2. it was a test of Elisha's character

▣ "As the Lord lives" This is a word play on the VERB "to be" (cf. Exod. 3:14) and the covenant name of God, YHWH, which is a form of this VERB. YHWH is the only-living, ever-living God.

SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D

2:3 "the sons of the prophets" The prophetic movement started as a communal group with one main leader. It was often ecstatic in form (cf. 1 Sam. 10:9-10). Apparently there were groups in several places.

SPECIAL TOPIC: PROPHECY (OT)

▣ "be still" This VERB (BDB 364, KB 361, Hiphil IMPERATIVE) is directed at the sons of the prophets in two locations. Apparently Elijah did not want witnesses at his ascension. Initially he did not even want Elisha. Elisha bids the prophetic guilds not to make known the information they had.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2:4-6
  ⁴Elijah said to him, "Elisha, please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they came to Jericho. ⁵The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, "Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?" And he answered, "Yes, I know; be still." ⁶Then Elijah said to him, "Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan." And he said, "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So the two of them went on.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2:7-8
  ⁷Now fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. ⁸Elijah took his mantle and folded it together and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

2:8 "mantle" See note at 1 Kgs. 19:13,19 and NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 276, #3.

This VERB (BDB 166, KB 194, Qal IMPERFECT with waw) occurs only here. It can mean

1. wrap up
2. fold together

The translation "roll" comes from

1. a similar root (KB 193)
2. a gesture to mimic Moses' rod striking the Red Sea

▣ "struck the waters" This was to demonstrate his status as a prophet. This type of event occurred

1. during the exodus ‒ Exodus 14; Ps. 114:3-5
2. crossing the Jordan by Joshua and Israel ‒ Joshua 3-4
3. and now here
4. later in v. 14, where Elisha's leadership is confirmed

YHWH's control of water is a major theme of the OT.

SPECIAL TOPIC: WATERS

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2:9-14
  ⁹When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me." ¹⁰He said, "You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so." ¹¹As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven. ¹²Elisha saw it and cried out, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" And he saw Elijah no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. ¹³He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan. ¹⁴He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, "Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?" And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.

2:9 "Elisha" He is first mentioned in 1 Kgs. 19:16.

▣ "Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me" In English this sounds like a tremendously egotistical request, but apparently it is related to the Hebrew concept of double inheritance to the firstborn (cf. Deut. 21:17). Elisha wanted to be just like Elijah!

Rabbinical sources see this as referring to the number of recorded miracles done by each one of these prophets. Elisha had twice as many (Jewish Study Bible, p. 728).

▣ "your spirit" Notice how this is used of YHWH's presence in v. 16.

SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT IN THE BIBLE

2:10 Elijah knew he did not have the authority to answer this request. But "if" Elisha was allowed by YHWH to see the spiritual realm (i.e., 2 Kings 6), then the request would be granted.

2:11 "a chariot of fire and the horses of fire" This chariot of fire was a manifestation of the presence of YHWH. It is similar to the portable throne chariot of Ezekiel 1 and 10.

It may also be imagery for YHWH as the Divine Warrior on Israel's behalf (i.e., from the Conquest Period of Holy War). Note the PLURAL in v. 12.

▣ "separated the two of them" Elijah's ministry was over but Elisha's was just beginning.

▣ "went up by a whirlwind to heaven" This was the means of his ascension. See full note at v. 1.

2:12 "My father, my father" It seems that Elijah was the head of the prophetic band mentioned in v. 7 and possibly their title for him was "My father" (cf. 2 Kgs. 13:14).

It could also be a title for a prophet from his protege.

▣ "the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" This has two possible orientations.

1. Elisha was allowed to see the spiritual realm, which is always present (i.e., 2 Kgs. 6:11-17).
2. This was imagery for Elijah himself, who was better for Israel than any military force (i.e., Targums).

▣ "he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces" This refers to one of three things.

1. possible sorrow over their friendship being broken
2. awareness of the spiritual realm (seeing YHWH's personal presence brought fear)
3. the dividing of the garment is symbolic that Elijah and Elisha's ministry has now been separated

SPECIAL TOPIC: CAN HUMANS SEE GOD AND LIVE?

2:13 The mantle was an outward symbol of the prophetic office.

2:14 "Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?" In English this seems to be a statement of Elisha's lack of faith, but contextually it relates to YHWH's performing signs so that the prophetic band still watching on the hill would know for certain that Elisha is the successor of Elijah (cf. v. 15).

However, the LXX picks up on the repetition of the VERB "struck" and assumes the Jordan did not part on Elisha's first attempt.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2:15-18
  ¹⁵Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha." And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him. ¹⁶They said to him, "Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men, please let them go and search for your master; perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley." And he said, "You shall not send." ¹⁷But when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, "Send." They sent therefore fifty men; and they searched three days but did not find him. ¹⁸They returned to him while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, "Did I not say to you, 'Do not go'?"

2:16 "the Spirit of the Lord" This suggestion by the sons of the prophets related to the Spirit transporting someone goes back to 1 Kgs. 18:12 (also note Acts 8:39).

Even in the OT there are some hints of the personhood of the Spirit.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PERSONHOOD OF THE SPIRIT

SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT IN THE BIBLE

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2:19-22
  ¹⁹Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "Behold now, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful." ²⁰He said, "Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it." So they brought it to him. ²¹He went out to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, "Thus says the Lord, 'I have purified these waters; there shall not be from there death or unfruitfulness any longer.'" ²²So the waters have been purified to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.

2:19-22 This is one example of Elisha's ministry. He was able by YHWH's power and wisdom to help people.

I do not think the salt was a chemical solution to the problem, but represented YHWH's power.

2:19 The spring, apparently near Jericho, was somehow polluted. There has been much speculation on how/what. To promote and verify Elisha's ministry of blessing, YHWH "healed" this stream. No more problem for man or beast.

Later in history a good spring near Jericho is called "Elisha's spring."

2:22 "to this day" This is a textual marker for a later scribe/editor (cf. 2 Kgs. 8:22; 10:27; 14:7; 16:6; 17:23).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2:23-25
  ²³Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, young lads came out from the city and mocked him and said to him, "Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!" ²⁴When he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of their number. ²⁵He went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

2:23-24 This is truly a strange account. The key must be in the motive and actions of the young men (youths, BDB 881 I) and the nature of the term "baldheaded" (BDB 901).

Elisha is immediately presented as compassionate but a man of YHWH to be respected. He distributed both blessings and cursings in YHWH's name.

Although we are uncertain of the motives and implications of the term "baldheaded," it is obvious that this was an attack on YHWH and His sovereignty! This was not just a name calling incident (i.e., some Greek MSS add the verb "and stone him"). Remember, Bethel was the location of one of the infamous golden calves and center for Ba'al worship. These lads had heard their parents talk! See Hard Sayings of the Bible, pp. 232-234.

2:24 "in the name of the Lord" See SPECIAL TOPIC: "THE NAME" OF THE Lord, D.

▣ "two female bears came out of the woods" At this period the area of the Jordan Valley was wooded and had Syrian bears. Why "two female bears" is uncertain, unless they were protective of their cubs in the woods.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Who were "the sons of the prophets"?
2. What did "a double portion" mean?
3. Why is Elijah tentative at Elisha's request?
4. What did splitting the Jordan symbolize?
5. What are the reasons for the two unusual stories at the conclusion of this chapter?
6. Why did YHWH take the lives of 42 young men?

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