And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. Ver. 1. _When the Lord would raise up Elijah into heaven._] Into the third heaven, not into the sky only - as some have conceited - till our Saviour's ascension. _ That Eli... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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. Ver. 2. _And Elijah said unto Elisha._] _Individuo suo Achati,_ who was and would... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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. Ver. 3. _From thy head,_] _i.e., _ To heaven, or from sitting any longer over thy... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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. Ver. 4. _For the Lord hath sent me to Jericho._] Where was another college of prophets, whom... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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. Ver. 5. _And the sons of the prophets._] See ver. 3.... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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. Ver. 6. _Tarry, I pray thee, here._] This is a third motion, for trial haply of his love and constancy.... [ Continue Reading ]
And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan. Ver. 7. _And fifty men of the sons of the prophets._] These were all of one college, and these were strong men, 2Ki 2:16 able and active. In our days, the Jesuits - those locusts, Revelation 9:... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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. Ver. 8. _And smote the waters, and they were divided._] Elijah was a great wonder worker: and this is reckoned by some, his seventh, by ot... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 9. _Ask what I shall do for thee before._] Not after I am gone, but before I... [ Continue Reading ]
_And 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]._ Ver. 10. _If thou see me when I am taken from thee._] Vehemence is the way to speed both in earth and in heaven. If but the eyelids of... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ Ver. 11. _As they still went on and talked._] Lo, Elijah was going and talking when the chario... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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. Ver. 12. _And Elisha saw it._] See on 2 Kings 2:10 . _ The horsemen of Israel._] As thou hast been the... [ Continue Reading ]
He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; Ver. 13. _The mantle of Elisah that fell from him._] This, Elijah let go - the rest of his clothes likely were consumed - _ut mundi vestimenta in mundo dimittens,_ saith Jerome, as showing that... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 14. _Where is the Lord God of Elijah?_] These are words of invocation and faith... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ Ver. 15. _Which were to view at Jericho,_] _i.e., _ At a convenient distance betwixt Jericho an... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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. Ver. 16. _And they said... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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. Ver. 17. _He said, Send._] Since you have such a mind to it; though you are sure to lose your labour, _ But found him not._] Tired with three days' search, they... [ Continue Reading ]
And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not? Ver. 18. _Did not I say unto you, Go not?_] The uncounsellable are commonly unhappy in their attempts.... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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. Ver. 19. _Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city, &c._] Say we so of such places, though never so pleasant, as have n... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought [it] to him. Ver. 20. _And he said, Bring me, &c._] Jericho is now become a receptacle of prophets; it is reason that any place should fare the better for the presence of such. _ A new cruse,_] Whereby it might appear that t... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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]. Ver. 21. _And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there._] Not into t... [ Continue Reading ]
So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake. Ver. 22. _So the waters were healed._] By Elisha; who was willing to gratify his hosts of Jericho, to remunerate their courtesy, and to convert them "from dumb idols to the living and true God.... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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. Ver. 23. _And he went from thence unto Bethel._] Which was now a place of strange composition... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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. Ver. 24. _And cursed them._] By his spirit of prayer and prophecy: not out of private revenge. _ And there came forth two sh... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria._ Ver. 25. _To mount Carmel._] He can never be a profitable seer, that is either always or never alone. Carmel shall fit Elisha for Samaria; contemplation for action. _a_ a Bp. Hall.... [ Continue Reading ]