2 Kings 2

2 KINGS CHAPTER 2

Elijah Taken into Heaven

      • When Yahweh was about to take Elijah up into heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal. Elijah told Elisha, “Yahweh is sending me on to Bethel, but you stay here.” But Elisha replied, “As surely as Yahweh lives, and you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that Yahweh is going to take your master away from you today?” He answered, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

        • ESV Study Bible reminds us who the “sons of the prophets” are, “The sons of the prophets are not their physical descendants but groups of prophets usually affiliated with a more prominent prophet (cf 1 Sam 10:5; 19:20; 1 Kgs 18:4; 2 Kgs 4:1, 38; 6:1; 9:1). (The phrase ‘sons of’ can mean ‘members of a guild of’; cf ‘the sons of the gatekeepers’ in Ezra 2:42.)…In this text God has revealed to them that today the Lord will take away Elijah.”

        • The same source adds, “It is not clear whether the Lord has any reason for sending Elijah from Gilgal to Bethel, and then on to Jericho (2 Kgs 2:2-4); but all three cities appear in 2 Kings as locations of prophetic communities (‘sons of the prophets’…), and Elijah is probably their leader (as Elisha is later).”

      • On the topic of Elijah going up into heaven, the ESV Study Bible continues, “The idea of going up into heaven at the end of an earthly life was not common in ancient Israel. The OT more characteristically speaks of the deceased’s ‘going down’ to Sheol, the world of the dead (e.g., Job 7:9; Isa 57:9…) It was the fate even of mighty heroes of the Hebrew tradition to be ‘gathered to their people’ in this way (e.g., Gen 25:7-8; 1 Kgs 2:10). Elijah represents a remarkable exception to this way of speaking (see also Enoch in Gen 5:24; cf Heb 11:5). This does not mean that the OT faithful had no fellowship with God after they died, but only that this idea is not made explicit in the OT (but see indications of hope for continuing fellowship with God after death in Ps 16:10-11; 17:15; 23:6; 115:17-18; Eccl 12:7; and certainly here in 2 Kgs 2:11.) In the NT, Jesus implied that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were alive and in God’s presence (Matt 22:32); Moses and Elijah appeared talking with Jesus in Matt 17:3; and the parable of the rich man and Lazarus implied fellowship in Abraham’s presence immediately after death (Luke 16:22-25). Extrabiblical texts underline the unusual nature, in the ancient Near Eastern context, of any idea that mortals can enter and remain in heaven…”

      • Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here because Yahweh is sending me to Jericho.” But he replied, “As surely as Yahweh lives, and you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho. Then the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho came to Elisha and told him, “Do you know that Yahweh is going to take your master away from you today?” And he answered, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

        • ESV Archaeology Study Bible says, “Jericho is located in the Jordan Valley about 10 miles northwest of the Dead Sea and is known as the first city the Israelites captured in their conquest of Canaan…”

      • Then Elijah told Elisha, “Stay here because Yahweh is sending me to the Jordan.” But he replied, “As surely as Yahweh lives, and you live, I will not leave you.” So they traveled on together. 50 men from the sons of the prophets also went and stood facing them from a distance while Elijah and Elisha stood by the Jordan. Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and hit the water with it. The water divided and the two of them walked across on dry ground.

        • ESV Study Bible writes, “The Jordan River runs along a short stretch of geological fault that starts in the north in Syria and extends southward into Africa. This scene of the crossing of the Jordan is reminiscent of Moses at the Red Sea, where the people also go across on dry land (Ex 14:15-31, esp vv. 21-22). Later in the chapter, Elisha proves that he is Joshua to Elijah’s Moses by recrossing the river…”

      • After they had crossed, Elijah asked Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken away from you?” Elisha replied, “Let a double portion of your spirit come onto me.” Elijah answered, “You have asked something difficult. If you see me being taken from you, you will have it. If not, you won’t.”

        • There is some debate over what exactly Elisha means by his request. Pulpit Commentary provides a good explanation of the theories and discussion of their merits:

        • “Elisha’s request has been variously explained. The older commentators regarded him as having asked for twice as much spiritual and prophetical power as Elijah had possessed; and this interpretation is certainly favored by the reply of Elijah, as recorded in the next verse. But it is objected: (1) that Elisha’s modesty would prevent him from asking so much; and (2) that double the spirit and power of Elijah certainly did not rest upon him.”

          • “This latter fact is quite undeniable. As Keil says, ‘It is only a quite external and superficial view of the career of Elisha that can see in it a proof that double the spirit of Elijah rested upon him’ (‘Commentary on Kings,’ ad loc.). To one who looks beneath the surface, and regards something besides length of life and number of miracles, Elisha is a very faint and feeble replica of Elijah. Ewald’s judgment is here correct: ‘Elisha is great only so far as he continues and carries out with more force than any other man of his time the work which Elijah had begun with new and wonderful power… he did not possess any such intensity of inward power as his master’ (‘History of Israel,’ vol. 4. p. 82, Eng. trans.). Accordingly, Ewald, rejecting the old explanation, suggests one of his own – that Elisha asked for ‘two thirds of Elijah’s spirit’ (ibid., p. 81); but this would be a very strange and unusual request, even if the Hebrew could be made to mean it. Who ever asks for two-thirds of a thing? The third explanation, to which most modern commentators incline (Keil, Thenius, Patrick, Clarke, Pool, Bottcher), is that Elisha merely requested that he might receive twice as much of Elijah’s spirit as should be received by any other of the ‘sons of the prophets.’ He made a reference to Deuteronomy 21:17, and asked for the ‘double portion’ (literally, ‘double mouthful’) which was the right of an eldest son. The only objection to this view is Elijah’s answer…”

          • “Perhaps the ‘hardness’ of the request was in the thing asked, not in the quantity of the thing. Had Elisha asked for anything that Elijah had it directly in his power to give, as for his mantle, or his blessing, or his prayers in the other world, to grant the request would have been easy. But he had asked for something that was not Elijah’s to give, but only God’s. Elijah could not bequeath his spirit, as a man bequeaths his property; he could only pray God that Elisha’s pious request might be granted. ‘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.’ Our translators have thought to clear the sense by inserting ‘nevertheless’ and ‘when I am.’ But the inserted words would be better away. As Elijah cannot either grant or refuse a request for a spiritual gift, which it is not in his power to Bestow, he is divinely instructed to give Elisha a sign, by which he shall know whether God grants his prayer or not. The sign of acceptance is to be his actually seeing his master’s translation. Probably the chariot and horses were not visible to the natural human eye, any more than the angelic hosts were who compassed Elisha himself about at Dothan (2 Kings 6:17).”

      • As they were walking along and talking, a chariot of fire pulled by horses of fire suddenly appeared and separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up into heaven in a whirlwind. Elijah saw this and cried out, “My father, my father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” Then he could no longer see him. He took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two. He picked up Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen off of him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took Elijah’s cloak which had fallen off of him, hit the water with it, and said, “Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah?” When he hit the water, it divided and Elisha crossed over.

        • ESV Study Bible writes, “The divine army, last encountered waging war on Ahab (1 Kgs 22:1-38), has come for Elijah; Elisha sees it, as he will see it again in 2 Kgs 6:8-23. In biblical tradition, both chariotry and fire have strong associations with God’s self-disclosure. Both images come together in the most common natural form of divine appearing (‘theophany’) in the OT: the thunderstorm- the storm cloud representing the divine chariot or throne (Ezek 1; Hab 3:8) and the fiery lightning bolts representing the divine weapons (Ps 18:14; Hab 3:11). In response to this particular theophany, Elisha took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. This is perhaps part of a mourning ritual (cf Gen 37:34; 2 Sam 13:31; Isa 37:1), but it is also suggestive of leaving his old life behind, as he picks up instead the cloak of Elijah (used in 1 Kgs 19:19-21 to symbolize Elisha’s prophetic call).”

        • The same source continues, “The Spirit who empowered Elijah has now come upon Elisha, and miracles immediately follow. As Elijah’s true successor, Elisha is able to repeat Elijah’s action in parting the waters (v. 8). There is also a kind of parallel in the life of Joshua, for Joshua also crossed the Jordan in Joshua 3 and entered the land of Israel near Jericho, ‘repeating’ Moses’ action in parting the waters (Exodus 14).”

        • ESV Archaeology Study Bible adds this interesting info, “…In Canaanite religious texts from Ugarit, the storm god Baal rides in a chariot of clouds, armed with weapons of thunder and lightning. Given the prevalence of Baal worship in Israel at this time, God’s manifestation as a fiery charioteer coming in a storm (whirlwind) is particularly appropriate, as it directly challenges Baal’s claim to be god of the storm.”

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

      • Now when the sons of the prophets from Jericho, who were standing across from him, saw him do this they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” They came to meet him and bowed to the ground in front of him. They said to him, “Look, there are 50 strong men here with your servants. Let them go and search for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of Yahweh has carried him away and put him on one of the mountains or into one of the valleys.” But Elisha replied, “No. Don’t send them.” However, they persisted until he became embarrassed and he said, “Send them.” So they sent 50 men, and they searched for 3 days, but they didn’t find him. They came back to Elisha while he was staying in Jericho, and he told them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”

        • ESV Study Bible writes, “The sons of the prophets seem to understand that the prophetic succession has taken place, but do not fully understand what has happened…They wonder, therefore, whether the Spirit of the Lord has not simply caught Elijah up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley…”

        • Did the prophets think that they could find Elijah alive somewhere or that they would find his body to retrieve and bury? There have been differing views. Pulpit Commentary says, “Keil thinks that they saw the ascension, but supposed that the body, after being taken up a certain height into the air, would necessarily fall to earth, and that they wished to find it and bury it. But the natural interpretation is that they thought the prophet had been ‘caught away’ by a Divine influence, as Philip the evangelist was in later times (Acts 8:39), and would be found somewhere alive, as Philip ‘was found at Azotus.’”

Elisha Demonstrates His Authority

      • The men of the city told Elisha, “Look, as my master can see, the location of the city is good, but the water is bad the the land doesn’t produce crops.” Elisha said, “Bring me a new bowl and put some salt in it.” After they had brought him one, Elisha went out to the spring, threw salt in it, and said, “This is what Yahweh says: ‘ I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.’” So the water has remained healed to this day in accordance with the word Elisha spoke.

        • ESV Study Bible notes, “This is the first of two stories that further authenticate Elisha as Elijah’s prophetic successor, a man able to both bless and curse in the Lord’s name (cf Moses in Deuteronomy 28). Jericho was in an area ideal for settlement because of the perennial spring ‘Ain es-Sultan, which irrigated the fertile land around it. This story, however, tells of contamination of the water supply (the rebuilding of the city having taken place under the shadow of Joshua’s curse; Josh 6:26; 1 Kgs 16:34). The remedy offered by the new Joshua (Elisha), who has just crossed the Jordan, involves a new bowl and new salt. New items, being uncontaminated, were customarily employed in rituals in the ancient Near East (e.g., Judg 16:11; 1 Kgs 11:29). Elsewhere in the OT, salt is associated with the covenant and is included as part of offerings made to the Lord (see ‘salt of the covenant’ in Lev 2:13; cf Num 18:19), as well as being used in other specific rituals (Judg 9:45; Ezek 16:4). The use of salt here is likewise symbolic, for by itself a tiny bowl of salt would have no effect on a constantly flowing spring. The healing of the water was therefore accomplished by supernatural means: Thus says the Lord, I have healed this water.”

      • From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking up the road some boys came out of the city and harassed him saying, “Go on up, you baldhead! Go on up, you baldhead!” He turned around and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of Yahweh. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of the boys. From there he went on to Mount Carmel, and then back to Samaria.

        • What in the world just happened? ESV Study Bible offers this explanation, “The focal point for Israel’s apostasy was Bethel (see 1 Kgs 2:25-13:34). Therefore, it is no surprise to find young people from this city adopting a disrespectful attitude toward a prophet of the Lord, and to treat a prophet with disrespect is to treat God himself with disrespect. The reference to the baldhead is not clear, but Elisha might have already been so bald by nature that to youthful eyes he looked grotesque…Though this judgment may at first seem harsh, the group must have included over 50 boys old enough to be out running in a pack, and so they constituted something of a physical threat to Elisha. The authors of Kings regularly show that contempt toward divinely called prophets is disastrous for God’s people.”

        • However, there is another theory. I’ll provide two resources- one article and one video:

          • Dr. Michael Heiser explains this alternative in the video “Elisha and the Two Bears”:

I recommend watching the video. However, I’ll summarize some of the relevant points below. Keep in mind what ESV Study Bible said about Bethel being the focal point for apostasy:

          • It is true that the Hebrew word na’ar is literally translated “young boy.” However, Heiser cites ample biblical support for the following definition of na’ar: “Accordingly, the term na’ar is applied to an unmarried male who has not yet become the head of a household.” Therefore, while the term can apply to young boys, it can and has applied to young adult men as well.

          • Even more interestingly, the Hebrew term used to describe the group of boys in v. 24, is also used twice in 1 Kings 12 as “the sole designation for Rehoboam’s younger advisors- contemporaries who had grown up with him (vv. 8, 10).” He adds that elsewhere “these terms are used to designate young adult males, usually with royal associations.” This leads Heiser to the point: “Accordingly, this group of males who confront Elisha…far from being little children, are young men of the royal, and perhaps priestly, establishment at Bethel.”

          • “The number of them killed- 42- is also the number of the young men of Judean royalty, and with connections to the house of Omri, whom Jehu slaughters later in the narrative (2 Kgs 10).”

          • “The word to Elisha to ‘Go up to Bethel’ plays a mocking admonition against his legitimacy as Yahweh’s prophet. Why? Because they tell him to go up to Bethel- the apostate place. Those who find themselves cursed by Yahweh are those who call for the prophet to ‘Go up to Bethel,’ language that elsewhere refers to worship at the sanctuary site. The conquest that Elisha brings is aimed at the northern Israelite ruling house and its royal sanctuary at Bethel. In other words, when Elisha calls out these bears and they kill the 42, it’s an attack against the royal household of the northern kingdom and its apostate priesthood.”

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