2 Kings 2:12

2:12 While Elisha was watching, he was crying out, “My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!” ¹  Then he could no longer see him. He grabbed his clothes and tore them in two.

2 Kings 2:21

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 ²  this water. It will no longer cause death or fail to produce crops.” ³ 

2 Kings 9:11

9:11 When Jehu rejoined ⁴  his master’s servants, they ⁵  asked him, “Is everything all right? ⁶  Why did this madman visit you?” He replied, “Ah, it’s not important. You know what kind of man he is and the kinds of things he says.” ⁷ 

2 Kings 11:8

11:8 You must surround the king. Each of you must hold his weapon in his hand. Whoever approaches your ranks must be killed. You must accompany the king wherever he goes.” ⁸ 

2 Kings 24:20

24:20 What follows is a record of what happened to Jerusalem and Judah because of the Lord’s anger; he finally threw them out of his presence. ⁹  Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

[2:12]  ¹ sn Elisha may be referring to the fiery chariot(s) and horses as the Lord’s spiritual army that fights on behalf of Israel (see 2 Kgs 6:15-17; 7:6). However, the juxtaposition with “my father” (clearly a reference to Elijah as Elisha’s mentor), and the parallel in 2 Kgs 13:14 (where the king addresses Elisha with these words), suggest that Elisha is referring to Elijah. In this case Elijah is viewed as a one man army, as it were. When the Lord spoke through him, his prophetic word was as powerful as an army of chariots and horses. See M. A. Beek, “The Meaning of the Expression ‘The Chariots and Horsemen of Israel’ (II Kings ii 12),” The Witness of Tradition (OTS 17), 1-10.

[2:21]  ² tn Or “healed.”

[2:21]  ³ tn Heb “there will no longer be from there death and miscarriage [or, ‘barrenness’].”

[9:11]  ³ tn Heb “went out to.”

[9:11]  ⁴ tc The MT has the singular, “he said,” but many witnesses correctly read the plural.

[9:11]  ⁵ tn Heb “Is there peace?”

[9:11]  ⁶ tn Heb “He said, ‘You, you know the man and his thoughts.’” Jehu tries to deflect their question by reminding them that the man is an eccentric individual who says strange things. His reply suggests that the man said nothing of importance. The translation seeks to bring out the tone and intent of Jehu’s reply.

[11:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “and be with the king in his going out and in his coming in.”

[24:20]  ⁵ tn Heb “Surely [or, ‘for’] because of the anger of the Lord this happened in Jerusalem and Judah until he threw them out from upon his face.”