2 Kings 2:15

_AND 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._ When the sons of the prophets which were to view, х_ MINEGED_ (H5048)] - from over against; i:e., from the opposite side of Jericho....

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 be worshipped, but as a significant garment to be worn. Now that Elijah was taken to heaven, Elisha inquired, 1. After God; when our creature-comforts are removed, we have a God to go to, who lives for ever. 2. After the God that Elijah served, and honoured, and pleaded for. The Lord God of the holy prophets is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever; but what will it avail us to have the mantles of those that are gone, their places, their books, if we have not their spirit, their God? See Elisha's dividing the river; God's people need not fear at last passing through the Jordan of death as on dry ground. The sons of the prophets made a needless search for Elijah. Wise men may yield to tha...

Verse 2 Kings 2:15. _THE SPIRIT OF ELIJAH DOTH REST ON ELISHA._] This was a natural conclusion, from seeing him with the _mantle_, and working the same miracle. This disposed them to yield the same obedience to him they had done to his master: and in token of this, _they_ _went out to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before_ _him_....

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 marvelous as his life had been. Ewald's words, though not intended in an historical, but only in a literary sense, embody very forcibly what the humble believer may accept as the actual _rationale_ of the occurrence related in 2 Kings 2:1 : "An earthly career which had no equal in the purity of its devotion to the service of Jehovah, and was at the same time consummated by such powerful efforts to promote the

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 ON ELISHA; or he has the same power and spirit to work miracles as he had, which they discerned by his dividing the waters of Jordan with his mantle: AND THEY CAME TO MEET HIM, AND BOWED THEMSELVES TO THE GROUND BEFORE HIM; in reverence of him as their master, in the room of Elijah....

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 Kings 2:19) 4. Judgment upon the scoffers (2 Kings 2:23) Both Elijah and Elisha are types of our Lord Jesus Christ. Their names indicate this. Elijah means “my God is Jehovah,” and Elisha, “my God is salvation.” Suffering, affliction and rejection are prominent in the life of Elijah, but it ended for him by being taken into heaven. It foreshadows the path of Him who was rejected by His own, cast

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 part scarcely worthy of the Elijah of 1 Kings 17-19 or 21, who in the first section represents Yahweh against the Tyrian Baal, whereas in the latter he stands for righteousness opposed to legalised violence. Here the king's offence is that he sent to a Philistine oracle instead of inquiring of Yahweh, and his soldiers are punished by fire for summoning the prophet to surrender. The spelling of the prophet's name in Hebrew differs from that in the rest of the OT. The story is mentioned in the Gospel (Luke 9:54). With ch. 2 we seem to en

DOTH REST. hath rested. Compare 1 Peter 4:14. Rest in "double portion" according to 2 Kings 2:9. Seen in the fact that Elijah wrought eight miracles and Elisha sixteen, and all were parables in action. ELIJAH'S EIGHT MIRACLES (1 AND. KINGS). 1. Shutting heaven (1 Kings 17:1). 2. Oil multiplied (1 Kings 17:14). 3. Widow's son raised (1 Kings 17:22). 4. Fire from heaven (1 Kings 18:38). 5. Rain ...

_which_were _to view at Jericho_ R.V. WHICH WERE AT JERICHO OVER AGAINST HIM. See above on verse 7. They were in a position from which they could see him, and he might see them. _bowed themselves to the ground_ Thus expressing their acknowledgement of him as their head, and the divinely appointed successor of Elijah. -It was not the outside of Elijah which they had wont to stoop unto with so much veneration; it was his spirit, which since they now find in another subject, they entertain with equal reverence. No envy, no emulation raiseth up their stomachs against Elijah's servant; but where they see eminent graces, they are willingly prostrate" (Bp Hall)....

C. THE COMMISSIONING OF ELISHA 2:13-15 TRANSLATION (13) And he took up the mantle of Elijah which had fallen from upon him, and returned, and stood on the bank of the Jordan. (14) And he took the mantle of Elijah which had fallen from upon him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah, even He? And he smote the waters, and they parted asunder, and Elisha passed over. (15) And the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho opposite saw him and they said, The spirit of Elijah has rested upon Elisha. And they came to meet him and bowed down to him to the ground. COMMENTS Sadly Elisha picked up the mantle that had fallen from the shoulders of Elijah as he swept heavenward, and walked back to the edge of Jordan (2 Kings 2:13). In imitation of the actions of his master, Elisha smote the waters with the mantle at the same time saying, Where is the Lo