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Texts -- 2 Kings 2:7-25 (NET)

Context
2:7 The fifty members of the prophetic guild went and stood opposite them at a distance , while Elijah and Elisha stood by the Jordan . 2:8 Elijah took his cloak , folded it up, and hit the water with it. The water divided , and the two of them crossed over on dry ground . 2:9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha , “What can I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” Elisha answered , “May I receive a double portion of the prophetic spirit that energizes you.” 2:10 Elijah replied , “That’s a difficult request ! If you see me taken from you, may it be so , but if you don’t , it will not happen .” 2:11 As they were walking along and talking , suddenly a fiery chariot pulled by fiery horses appeared. They went between Elijah and Elisha, and Elijah went up to heaven in a windstorm . 2:12 While Elisha was watching , he was crying out , “My father , my father ! The chariot and horsemen of Israel !” Then he could no longer see him. He grabbed his clothes and tore them in two . 2:13 He picked up Elijah’s cloak , which had fallen off him, and went back and stood on the shore of the Jordan . 2:14 He took the cloak that had fallen off Elijah , hit the water with it, and said , “Where is the Lord , the God of Elijah ?” When he hit the water , it divided and Elisha crossed over . 2:15 When the members of the prophetic guild in Jericho , who were standing at a distance , saw him do this, they said , “The spirit that energized Elijah rests upon Elisha .” They went to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him. 2:16 They said to him, “Look , there are fifty capable men with your servants . Let them go and look for your master , for the wind sent from the Lord may have carried him away and dropped him on one of the hills or in one of the valleys .” But Elisha replied , “Don’t send them out .” 2:17 But they were so insistent , he became embarrassed . So he said , “Send them out .” They sent the fifty men out and they looked for three days , but could not find Elijah. 2:18 When they came back , Elisha was staying in Jericho . He said to them, “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t go ’?”
Elisha Demonstrates His Authority
2:19 The men of the city said to Elisha , “Look , the city has a good location , as our master can see . But the water is bad and the land doesn’t produce crops .” 2:20 Elisha said , “Get me a new jar and put some salt in it.” So they got it. 2:21 He went out to the spring and threw the salt in . Then he said , “This is what the Lord says , ‘I have purified this water . It will no longer cause death or fail to produce crops .” 2:22 The water has been pure to this very day , just as Elisha prophesied . 2:23 He went up from there to Bethel . As he was traveling up the road , some young boys came out of the city and made fun of him, saying , “Go on up , baldy ! Go on up , baldy !” 2:24 When he turned around and saw them, he called God’s judgment down on them. Two female bears came out of the woods and ripped forty-two of the boys to pieces. 2:25 From there he traveled to Mount Carmel and then back to Samaria .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Elisha

    [ebd] God his salvation, the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, who became the attendant and disciple of Elijah (1 Kings 19:16-19). His name first occurs in the command given to Elijah to anoint him as his successor (1 Kings 19:16). ...
    [isbe] ELISHA - e-li'-sha 'elisha`, "God is salvalion"; Septuagint Eleisaie; New Testament Elisaios, Eliseus, (Lk 4:27 the King James Version)): I. HIS CALL AND PREPARATION 1. His Call 2. His Preparation 3. The Parting Gift of Elij...
    [smith] (God his salvation), son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah; the attendant and disciple of Elijan, and subsequently his successor as prophet of the kingdom of Israel. The earliest mention of his name is in the command to Elijah in th...
    [nave] ELISHA, successor to the prophet Elijah. Elijah instructed to anoint, 1 Kin. 19:16. Called by Elijah, 1 Kin. 19:19. Ministers to Elijah, 1 Kin. 19:21. Witnesses Elijah's translation, receives a double portion of his spirit...

  • Jericho

    [ebd] place of fragrance, a fenced city in the midst of a vast grove of palm trees, in the plain of Jordan, over against the place where that river was crossed by the Israelites (Josh. 3:16). Its site was near the 'Ain es-Sultan, ...
    [smith] (place of fragrance), a city of high antiquity, situated in a plain traversed by the Jordan, and exactly over against where that river was crossed by the Israelites under Joshua. (Joshua 3:16) It was five miles west of the Jo...
    [nave] JERICHO 1. A city E. of Jerusalem and near the Jordan, Num. 22:1; 26:3; Deut. 34:1. Called the City of Palm Trees, Deut. 34:3. Situation of, pleasant, 2 Kin. 2:19. Rehab the harlot lived in, Josh. 2; Heb. 11:31. Joshua s...

  • Elijah

    [ebd] whose God is Jehovah. (1.) "The Tishbite," the "Elias" of the New Testament, is suddenly introduced to our notice in 1 Kings 17:1 as delivering a message from the Lord to Ahab. There is mention made of a town called Thisbe, ...
    [isbe] ELIJAH - e-li'-ja ('eliyahu or (4 times) 'eliyah, "Yah is God"; Septuagint Eleiou, New Testament Eleias or Elias, the King James Version of New Testament Elias): I. THE WORKS OF ELIJAH 1. The Judgment of Drought 2. The Ordea...
    [nave] ELIJAH 1. The Tishbite, a Gileadite and prophet, called Elias in the authorized version of the N.T. Persecuted by Ahab, 1 Kin. 17:2-7; 18:7-10. Escapes to the wilderness, where he is miraculously fed by ravens, 1 Kin. 17:1-...

  • Death

    [isbe] DEATH - (maweth; thanatos): PHYSIOLOGICAL AND FIGURATIVE VIEW The word "Death" is used in the sense of (1) the process of dying (Gen 21:16); (2) the period of decease (Gen 27:7); (3) as a possible synonym for poison (2 Ki 4:...
    [nave] DEATH. Called in some versions &ld;Giving Up the Ghost,&rd; Gen. 25:8; 35:29; Lam. 1:19; Acts 5:10. King of Terrors Job 18:14. A Change Job 14:14. Going to your Fathers Gen. 15:15; 25:8; 35:29. Putting Off This Tabe...

  • Ascension

    [nave] ASCENSION Of Elijah, 2 Kin. 2:1-18. Of Jesus, Mark 16:19, 20; Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:9-12. Of two witnesses, Rev. 11:12.

  • Mantle

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. 'addereth, a large over-garment. This word is used of Elijah's mantle (1 Kings 19:13, 19; 2 Kings 2:8, 13, etc.), which was probably a sheepskin. It appears to have been his only garment, a strip of skin or leather...
    [isbe] MANTLE - man'-t'-l: Used 5 times of Elijah's mantle ('addereth, 1 Ki 19:18,19; 2 Ki 2:8,13,14), which was probably of hair. Found in plural once (Isa 3:22), where it (ma`ataphoth) is an upper wide tunic with sleeves (kethone...
    [smith] the word employed in the Authorized Version to translate no less than four Hebrew terms, entirely distinct and independent in both derivation and meaning. (Judges 4:18) the garment with which Jael covered Sisera. Rendered "m...
    [nave] MANTLE Torn in token of grief, Ezra 9:3; Job 1:20; 2:12. Of Elijah, 1 Kin. 19:19; 2 Kin. 2:8, 13, 14. See: Dress.

  • Prophets

    [nave] PROPHETS Called Seers, 1 Sam. 9:19; 2 Sam. 15:27; 24:11; 2 Kin. 17:13; 1 Chr. 9:22; 29:29; 2 Chr. 9:29; 12:15; 29:30; Isa. 30:10; Mic. 3:7. Schools of, 1 Kin. 20:35; 2 Kin. 2:3-15; 4:1, 38; 9:1. Kept the chronicles, 1 Chr....

  • Water

    [nave] WATER Creation of, Psa. 148:4, 5. Covered the whole earth, Gen. 1:9. Daily allowance of, Ezek. 4:11. City waterworks, 2 Kin. 20:20. Vision of, by Ezekiel, Ezek. 47:1-5. Of separation, Num. 19:2-22. Libation of, 1 Sam. ...

  • Miracles

    [nave] MIRACLES. Index of Sub-topics Catalog of, and Supernatural Events, Of Jesus, in Chronological Order, Of the Disciples of Jesus; Convincing Effect of; Design of; Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit; Miscellany of Minor Sub-...

  • Translation

    [isbe] TRANSLATION - trans-la'-shun: The verb "translate" is found once in the Old Testament (2 Sam 3:10 the King James Version, in the sense of "to transfer") and 3 times in the New Testament (Col 1:13, methistemi, where it means ...
    [nave] TRANSLATION Of Enoch, Gen. 5:24; Heb. 11:5. Of Elijah, 2 Kin. 2:1-12. Of Jesus, Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9-11. Desired by Paul, 2 Cor. 5:4.

  • Jordan

    [ebd] Heb. Yarden, "the descender;" Arab. Nahr-esh-Sheriah, "the watering-place" the chief river of Palestine. It flows from north to south down a deep valley in the centre of the country. The name descender is significant of the ...
    [nave] JORDAN A river in Palestine. Empties into the Dead Sea, Josh. 15:5. Fords of, Gen. 32:10; Josh. 2:7; Judg. 3:28; 7:24; 8:4; 10:9; 12:5, 6; 2 Sam. 2:29; 17:22, 24; 19:15, 31; 1 Chr. 19:17. Swelling of, at harvest time, Josh...

  • Prophecy

    [nave] PROPHECY Concerning Jesus, See: Jesus. Concerning church, See: Church, Prophecies Concerning Prosperity of. Relating to various countries, nations, and cities, see under their respective titles. Respecting individuals, see...

  • Baldness

    [ebd] from natural causes was uncommon (2 Kings 2:23; Isa. 3:24). It was included apparently under "scab" and "scurf," which disqualified for the priesthood (Lev. 21:20). The Egyptians were rarely subject to it. This probably aros...
    [isbe] BALDNESS - bald'-ness qorchah: The reference in the Bible to baldness is not to the natural loss of hair, but to baldness produced by shaving the head. This was practiced as a mark of mourning for the dead (Lev 21:5; Isa 15:...
    [smith] Natural baldness seems to have been uncommon, since it exposed people to public derision. (Leviticus 13:29; 2 Kings 2:23; Isaiah 3:24; 15:2; Jeremiah 47:5; Ezekiel 7:18) Artificial baldness marked the conclusion of a Nazar...
    [nave] BALDNESS, Lev. 13:40, 41. A judgment, Isa. 3:24; Jer. 47:5; 48:37; Ezek. 7:18. Artificial, a sign of mourning, Isa. 22:12; Jer. 16:6; Ezek. 27:31; 29:18; Amos 8:10; Mic. 1:16. Artificial, as an idolatrous practice, forbi...

  • Chariot

    [ebd] a vehicle generally used for warlike purposes. Sometimes, though but rarely, it is spoken of as used for peaceful purposes. The first mention of the chariot is when Joseph, as a mark of distinction, was placed in Pharaoh's s...
    [isbe] CHARIOT - char'-i-ot (merkabh, merkabhah, "riding-chariot," rekhebh, "war-chariot"; harma): 1. Chariots of Egypt 2. Chariots of the Canaanites 3. Chariots of Solomon and Later Kings 4. Chariots of the Assyrians 5. Chariots o...
    [nave] CHARIOT For war, Ex. 14:7, 9, 25; Josh. 11:4; 1 Sam. 13:5; 1 Kin. 20:1, 25; 2 Kin. 6:14; 2 Chr. 12:2, 3; Psa. 20:7; 46:9; Jer. 46:9; 47:3; 51:21; Joel 2:5; Nah. 2:3, 4; 3:2. Wheels of Pharaoh's, providentially taken off, Ex...

  • Cruse

    [ebd] a utensil; a flask or cup for holding water (1 Sam. 26:11, 12, 16; 1 Kings 19:6) or oil (1 Kings 17:12, 14, 16). In 1 Kings 14:3 the word there so rendered means properly a bottle, as in Jer. 19:1, 10, or pitcher. In 2 Kings...
    [isbe] CRUSE - kroos: A small earthen vessel or flask, usually for holding liquids: tsappachath; as water, 1 Sam 26:11,12,16; 1 Ki 19:6; it being porous, the liquid is kept cool; also for holding oil, as in 1 Ki l7:12,14,16. In 1 K...
    [nave] CRUSE, a vessel for liquids, 1 Sam. 26:11; 1 Kin. 14:3; 2 Kin. 2:20.

  • Salt

    [isbe] SALT - solt (melach; halas, hals): Common salt is considered by most authorities as an essential ingredient of our food. Most people intentionally season their cooking with more or less salt for the sake of palatability. Oth...
    [nave] SALT Lot's wife turned into a pillar of, Gen. 19:26. The city of Salt, Josh. 15:62. The valley of salt, 2 Sam. 8:13; 2 Kin. 14:7. Salt sea, Gen. 14:3; Num. 34:12; Deut. 3:17; Josh. 3:16; 12:3; 15:2. Salt pits, Zeph. 2:9....

  • Schools of the Prophets

    [ebd] (1 Sam. 19:18-24; 2 Kings 2:3, 5, 7, 12, 15) were instituted for the purpose of training young men for the prophetical and priestly offices. (See PROPHET; SAMUEL.)

  • FOREST

    [ebd] Heb. ya'ar, meaning a dense wood, from its luxuriance. Thus all the great primeval forests of Syria (Eccl. 2:6; Isa. 44:14; Jer. 5:6; Micah 5:8). The most extensive was the trans-Jordanic forest of Ephraim (2 Sam. 18:6, 8; J...
    [isbe] FOREST - for'-est: (1) choresh (compare proper name Harosheth), 2 Ch 27:4. In 1 Sam 23:15 ff translated "wood"; in Isa 17:9, "wood"; in Ezek 31:3, "forest-like shade." Applied to any thick growth of vegetation but not necess...

  • Carmel

    [ebd] a park; generally with the article, "the park." (1.) A prominent headland of Central Palestine, consisting of several connected hills extending from the plain of Esdraelon to the sea, a distance of some 12 miles or more. At ...
    [smith] (fruitful place or park). A mountain which forms one of the most striking and characteristic features of the country of Palestine. It is a noble ridge, the only headland of lower and central Palestine, and forms its southern...
    [nave] CARMEL 1. A fertile and picturesque mountain in Palestine, Song 7:5; Isa. 33:9; 35:2; Jer. 46:18; 50:19; Amos 1:2. Forests of, 2 Kin. 19:23. Caves of, Amos 9:3; Mic. 7:14. An idolatrous high place upon; Elijah builds an a...

  • Bear

    [ebd] a native of the mountain regions of Western Asia, frequently mentioned in Scripture. David defended his flocks against the attacks of a bear (1 Sam. 17:34-37). Bears came out of the wood and destroyed the children who mocked...
    [isbe] BEAR - bar (dobh; compare Arabic dubb): In 1 Sam 17:34-37, David tells Saul how as a shepherd boy he had overcome a lion and a bear. In 2 Ki 2:24 it is related that two she bears came out of the wood and tore forty-two of th...
    [nave] BEAR Ferocity of, 2 Sam. 17:8; Prov. 17:12; 28:15; Isa. 11:7; 59:11; Lam. 3:10; Hos. 13:8; Amos 5:19. Killed by David, 1 Sam. 17:34-37. Two destroy the children of Beth-el, who mocked Elisha, 2 Kin. 2:24. Figurative Dan....
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Arts

Hymns

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  • Kuperlukan Jurus'lamat [KJ.402]
  • Tuntun Aku, Tuhan Allah [KJ.412] ( Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah )
  • [2Ki 2:9] God Of The Prophets, Bless The Prophets’ Sons

Questions

  • (Matt. 11:14.) There was a prophecy that God would send Elijah or Elias to turn the hearts of the people (Malachi 4:5). When John appeared the Jews asked him if he was Elias, and he answered that he was not (John 1:21). They ...
  • I've heard and read the same statement a number of times, but have never troubled myself to look up each passage. I'm not surprised that looking up "heaven" and "hell" in a concordance would give you contradictory results. T...
  • I'm going to copy some articles on this subject, but let me give you my summation of all of them. In the Old Testament, the firstborn son was the one who normally received a double inheritance, and was the one who would inher...

Sermon Illustrations

Enoch; Forty-Year Detour

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • Chapter 4 shows the spread of sin from Adam's family to the larger society that his descendants produced. Not only did sin affect everyone, but people became progressively more wicked as time passed. Verses 1-16 show that the...
  • Another preparation for entering Canaan involved appointing a new leader to take Moses' place.God foretold that Moses would die without entering the land (cf. 20:1-13). Graciously He allowed His servant to see the Promised La...
  • Again God raised up a prophet to announce what He would do. Evidently Ahab's apostasy had been going on for 14 years before God raised up His prophetic challenge.173Normally God gives sinners an opportunity to judge themselve...
  • (Continued from notes on 1 Kings)3. Ahaziah's evil reign in Israel -1 Kings 22:51-2 Kings 1:184. Jehoram's evil reign in Israel 2:1-8:155. Jehoram's evil reign in Judah 8:16-246. Ahaziah's evil reign in Judah 8:25-9:29C. The ...
  • The Gilgal in view may have been the one between Jericho and the Jordan, or it may have been one about seven miles north of Bethel since Elijah and Elisha went down to Bethel (v. 2).10This account presupposes previous revelat...
  • Had Elijah still been alive on the earth Elisha could not have exercised authority as his successor. In this chapter note the parallels between the succession of the prophets and the succession of the kings that the writer re...
  • Even though Jehoram was better spiritually than Ahab (v. 2) he was still so much of an idolater that Elisha had no use for him (vv. 13-14).Mesha had rebelled against Israel earlier (v. 3), but he continued to do so. This upri...
  • Naaman (Aram. gracious) was commander of the Aramean army under Ben-Hadad II (cf. 1 Kings 15:18, 20). Leprosy in the ancient world degenerated the bodies of its victims and eventually proved fatal. At this time no one could c...
  • The king of Aram was probably Ben-Hadad II though the writer did not mention him by name (v. 8). Perhaps since he only identified Elisha and Yahweh by name, he wished to focus attention on them as the main characters in this ...
  • Aram's cessation of hostilities resumed after some time (v. 24; cf. v. 23), perhaps between 845 and 841 B.C.43The famine in Samaria resulted from the siege that was a punishment from the Lord for Israel's apostasy (cf. Lev. 2...
  • Hazael was the governor of Damascus.50The Gentile King of Aram had more interest in inquiring of Yahweh than Jehoram's predecessor did (v. 8; cf. 1:2). It was customary in the Near East to make a great show of giving gifts. I...
  • Jehoash (Joash) had respect and affection for Elisha. He anticipated the loss that the death of God's spiritual warrior would be to Israel (v. 14). He recognized that Israel's real defense lay in Yahweh's angelic army and in ...
  • 7:1 We have already read of two dreams that Nebuchadnezzar had (2:1; 4:5). Now God gave one to Daniel. It too was a vision from God that came to Daniel as he slept."In referring to the experience as a dream' (sing.) Daniel wa...
  • 7:14 Amos replied that he was not a prophet by his own choosing; he did not decide to pursue prophesying as a career. Neither had he become a prophet because his father had been one. In Amos' culture it was common and expecte...
  • 23:1 As we have seen, there were three groups of people present in the temple courtyard. These were the disciples of Jesus, His critics, namely the various groups of Israel's leaders, and the crowds of ordinary Israelites. Je...
  • This event is the climax of the "identity of Jesus"motif in all the Synoptics. Here the disciples saw and heard who Jesus really was. Luke's particular emphasis was the sufferings of Jesus that were coming. This comes through...
  • Jesus' ascension was already in view in 9:51. There Luke presented it as the ultimate goal of Jesus' first advent ministry. Jesus' ascension would have happened even if the Jews had accepted Him as their Messiah. Prophecies o...
  • "John evidently wants us to see that the activity of Jesus as the Light of the world inevitably results in judgment on those whose natural habitat is darkness. They oppose the Light and they bring down condemnation on themsel...
  • The key to the apostles' successful fulfillment of Jesus' commission was their baptism with and consequent indwelling by the Holy Spirit. Without this divine enablement they would only have been able to follow Jesus' example,...
  • Luke recorded this incident to show the method and direction of the church's expansion to God-fearing Gentiles who were attracted to Judaism at this time. This man had visited Jerusalem to worship, was studying the Old Testam...
  • 11:11 The breath of life from God will revive the witnesses' dead bodies (cf. Gen. 6:17; 7:15, 22; 2 Kings 13:20-21; Ezek. 37:5, 10). Their resurrections will terrify onlookers because these God-haters could do no more to sil...
  • The final three bowl judgments all have political consequences.16:12 The problem that this judgment poses for earth-dwellers is not a result of the judgment itself but its consequences, namely, war. It does not inflict a plag...
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