History · Chapter 2 of 25

2 Kings 2

Knowing Elijah will be taken, Elisha refuses to leave his master, following him from Gilgal to the Jordan. Elijah parts the water with his mantle, then grants Elisha's request for a double portion of his spirit. A chariot of fire separates them, and Elijah ascends in a whirlwind. Elisha takes up the fallen mantle, parts the Jordan, heals Jericho's water, and bears God's authority.

What happens in 2 Kings 2

As the LORD prepares to take Elijah up, Elijah tests Elisha three times, telling him to stay behind, but Elisha vows never to leave him. At each stop, prophets remind Elisha that his master will be taken, and he already knows. At the Jordan, Elijah rolls up his mantle and strikes the water, which parts so both cross on dry ground. Elijah offers a parting gift, and Elisha asks for a double portion of his spirit. Elijah calls it hard but ties it to whether Elisha sees him taken.

As they talk, a chariot and horses of fire separate them, and Elijah goes up in a whirlwind. Elisha cries out, tears his clothes, and takes up the fallen mantle. Striking the Jordan, he asks, Where is the LORD God of Elijah, and the water parts. He heals Jericho's bad spring with salt, and near Bethel a group of youths who mock him are mauled by two bears.

2 Kings 2 in context

Elijah is one of only two people Scripture describes as taken without dying. The double portion was the inheritance share of a firstborn, so Elisha asks to be Elijah's true heir in ministry rather than for twice the raw power.

Malachi later promised Elijah would come before the Day of the LORD, a hope Jesus applied to John the Baptist. The parted Jordan echoes Joshua and confirms the succession publicly.

Main themes of 2 Kings 2

2 Kings 2 (KJV)

1And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel. 3And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. 4And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho. 5And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. 6And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on. 7And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan. 8And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground. 9And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. 10And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: 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. 11And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. 13He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; 14And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over. 15And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him. 16And 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 him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send. 17And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not. 18And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not? 19And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren. 20And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him. 21And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. 22So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake. 23And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. 24And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them. 25And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.

Verses to carry from 2 Kings 2

“And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.”2 Kings 2:9

“And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.”2 Kings 2:11

“And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.”2 Kings 2:14

Reflection

Elisha would not settle for less than the fullness God offered, and he sought the God of Elijah, not merely his methods. Am I clinging to God himself, or to religious relics and secondhand experience? The same God who answered Elijah is present now in Christ, who has poured out his Spirit and will never leave me.

A prayer from 2 Kings 2