2 Kings 2:8

2 Kings 2:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

Context of 2 Kings 2:8

6Then Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Stay here, because the Lord has sent me to the Jordan River.’ But Elisha replied, ‘I will not leave you. I promise that, as surely as the Lord lives and as surely as you live.’ So they continued to travel together. 750 men who belonged to the group of prophets went and they stood near the Jordan River. They were standing not far away from Elijah and Elisha. They watched what happened. Elijah took off his coat. He rolled it up and he hit the water with it. The water became separate to the left side and to the right side. Elijah and Elisha went across the river on dry ground. 9After they had crossed the river, Elijah said to Elisha, ‘The Lord will soon take me away from you. What do you want me to do for you before that happens?’ Elisha replied, ‘Please let me have twice as much of your spirit.’ 10Elijah said, ‘You have asked a difficult thing. But watch carefully when God takes me from you. If you see it happen, you will receive that spirit. If you do not see me, you will not receive it.’

2 Kings 2:8 word by word

וַיִּקַּח֩ אֵלִיָּ֨הוּ אֶת־אַדַּרְתּ֤וֹ וַיִּגְלֹם֙ וַיַּכֶּ֣ה אֶת־הַמַּ֔יִם וַיֵּחָצ֖וּ הֵ֣נָּה וָהֵ֑נָּה וַיַּעַבְר֥וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם בֶּחָרָבָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Elijahאֵלִיָּה'êlîyâh 'êlîyâhû · ElijahH452
• tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• his mantleאַדֶּ֫רֶת'addereth · clothingH155
• togetherגָּלַםgâlam · to foldH1563
• and smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• the watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
• and they were dividedחָצָהchâtsâh · to divideH2673
• hither and thither, so that they twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• went overעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• on dryחָֽרָבָהchârâbâh · dry groundH2724

Cross-references for 2 Kings 2:8

• 1 Kings 19:13When Elijah heard that, he covered his face with his robe. He went out and he stood at the entrance of the cave. Then a voice said to him, ‘Elijah, why have you come here?’
• 2 Kings 2:14He took Elijah's coat and he hit the water with it. He said, ‘Now is the Lord, Elijah's God, with me?’ When he hit the water with Elijah's coat, the water became separate, to the left side and to the right side. Elisha went across the river.
• Exodus 14:21Then Moses lifted up his hand over the sea. During that whole night, the Lord made a strong wind blow from the east. This caused the sea to become two separate parts. The ground between the water became dry land.
• Joshua 3:14So the Israelite people prepared to leave their tents. The priests carried the Covenant Box towards the Jordan River. The people followed them.
• Psalms 114:5Tell me, sea, why did you run away? Tell me, Jordan River, why did you turn back?
• Isaiah 11:15The Lord will make the Sea of Egypt become dry. He will lift up his hand and he will send a strong wind to divide the Euphrates river. The river will become seven small streams. Then people can walk across it easily.
• Hebrews 11:29Because of their faith, Israel's people walked across the Red Sea. They walked through there as if they were walking on dry land. But when the soldiers from Egypt tried to cross the same place, they drowned.
• Revelation 16:12Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great Euphrates river. As a result, the river became dry. This prepared a way for kings from the east to march across it.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 2:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Took his mantle - , his sheep-skin, says the Septuagint. The skins of beasts, dressed with the hair on, were formerly worn by prophets and priests as the simple insignia of their office. As the civil authority was often lodged in the hands of such persons, particularly among the Jews, mantles of this kind were used by kings and high civil officers when they bore no sacred character. The custom continues to the present day; a lamb's skin hood or cloak is…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8They were divided … - The attestation to the divine mission of Elijah furnished by this miracle would tend to place him upon a par in the thoughts of men with the two great leaders of the nation named in the marginal references.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Elijah folded his cloak and hit the water with it. These symbolic actions showed God's power (see Exodus 14:16, 21, 26–27; 17:8–13; 1 Kings 11:30–31; Ezekiel 4; 5:1–4).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters--Like the rod of Moses, it had the divinely operating power of the Spirit.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 2:8

• Ascension
• Elisha
• Jordan
• Mantle
• Miracles
• Prophecy
• Prophets
• Translation
• Water

In the dictionaries

• Elijah
• Double
• Heal
• Jordan
• Lord
• Mantle
• Mock
• Rest
• Friend; Friendship
• Jehoram; Joram

Commentaries on 2 Kings 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings