English Standard Version
2 Kings 2:8
8Then 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then Elijah folded his cloak together and struck the water with it. The river divided, and the two of them went across on dry ground!
Context of 2 Kings 2:8
6Then Elijah said to him, "Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So the two of them went on. 7Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 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. 9When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me." 10And he said, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so."
Read all of 2 Kings 22 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 19:13And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
- 2 Kings 2:14Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, "Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?" And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.
- Exodus 14:21Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
- Joshua 3:14So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people,
- Psalms 114:5What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back?
- Isaiah 11:15And the Lord will utterly destroy the tongue of the Sea of Egypt, and will wave his hand over the River with his scorching breath, and strike it into seven channels, and he will lead people across in sandals.
- Hebrews 11:29By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.
- Revelation 16:12The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east.
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
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries