2 Kings 2:1

2 Kings 2:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
• New International Version (NIV)When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

Context of 2 Kings 2:1

When the Lord was going to take Elijah to heaven in a windstorm, Elijah and Elisha left Gilgal. 2Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here because the Lord is sending me to Bethel.” Elisha answered, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not abandon you.” So they went to Bethel. 3Some of the disciples of the prophets at Bethel came to Elisha. They asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?” He answered, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

2 Kings 2:1 word by word

וַיְהִ֗י בְּהַעֲל֤וֹת יְהוָה֙ אֶת־אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ בַּֽסְעָרָ֖ה הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ אֵלִיָּ֛הוּ וֶאֱלִישָׁ֖ע מִן־הַגִּלְגָּֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass, when the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• would take upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: establishH5927
• Elijahאֵלִיָּה'êlîyâh 'êlîyâhû · ElijahH452
• into heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• by a whirlwindסְעָרָהsa‛ar se‛ârâh · tempestH5591
• wentיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• with Elishaאֱלִישָׁע'ĕlîyshâ‛ · ElishaH477
• from Gilgalגִּלְגָּלgilgâl · GilgalH1537

Cross-references for 2 Kings 2:1

• Genesis 5:24Enoch walked with God; then he was gone because God took him.
• 1 Kings 19:4Then he traveled through the wilderness for a day. He sat down under a broom plant and wanted to die. “I’ve had enough now, Lord,” he said. “Take my life! I’m no better than my ancestors.”
• Luke 9:51The time was coming closer for Jesus to be taken to heaven. So he was determined to go to Jerusalem.
• Acts 1:9After he had said this, he was taken to heaven. A cloud hid him so that they could no longer see him.
• Hebrews 11:5Faith enabled Enoch to be taken instead of dying. No one could find him, because God had taken him. Scripture states that before Enoch was taken, God was pleased with him.
• Revelation 11:12The witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven calling to them, “Come up here.” They went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them.
• 1 Kings 18:12This is what will happen: When I leave you, the Lord’s Spirit will take you away to some unknown place. I’ll tell Ahab, but he won’t be able to find you. Then he will kill me. “I have been faithful to the Lord since I was a child.
• 1 Kings 19:11God said, “Go out and stand in front of the Lord on the mountain.” As the Lord was passing by, a fierce wind tore mountains and shattered rocks ahead of the Lord. But the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake. But the Lord wasn’t in the earthquake.
• Job 38:1Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm.
• 1 Kings 19:16Anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, as king of Israel. And anoint Elisha, son of Shaphat, from Abel Meholah as prophet to take your place.
• Joshua 4:19On the tenth day of the first month, the people came out of the Jordan River. They made their camp at Gilgal, just east of Jericho.
• Joshua 5:9The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have removed the disgrace of Egypt from you.” So Joshua named the place Gilgal, the name it still has today.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 2:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1When the Lord would take up Elijah - It appears that God had revealed this intended translation, not only to Elijah himself, but also to Elisha, and to the schools of the prophets, both at Beth-el and Jericho, so that they were all expecting this solemn event.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1The events of this chapter are related out of their chronological order. Elijah‘s translation did not take place until after the accession of Jehoram in Judah 2 Chronicles 21:12, which was not until the fifth year of Jehoram of Israel 2 Kings 8:16. The writer of Kings, having concluded his notices of the ministry of Elijah in chapter 1, and being about to pass in 2 Kings 4:38.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Chapter Outline Elijah divides Jordan. (1-8) Elijah is taken up into heaven. (9-12) Elisha is manifested to be Elijah's successor. (13-18) Elisha heals the waters of Jericho, Those that mocked Elisha destroyed. (19-25) Verses 1-8 The Lord had let Elijah know that his time was at hand. He therefore went to the different schools of the prophets to give them his last exhortations and blessing. The removal of Elijah was a type and figure of the ascension of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-18Elijah was taken up into heaven. At that moment, the role of prophet passed to Elisha, shown by the transfer of Elijah’s mantle (cloak).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-102Ki 2:1-10. Elijah Divines Jordan. 1-7. when the Lord would take up Elijah--A revelation of this event had been made to the prophet; but, unknown to him, it had also been revealed to his disciples, and to Elisha in particular, who kept constantly beside him. Gilgal--This Gilgal (Jiljil) was near Ebal and Gerizim; a school of the prophets was established there. At Beth-el there was also a school of the prophets, which Elijah had founded, notwithstanding…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 2:1

• Ascension
• Elisha
• Meteorology and Celestial Phenomena
• Servant
• Translation
• Whirlwind

In the dictionaries

• Elijah
• Elisha
• Gilgal
• Double
• Heal
• Lord
• Mock
• Rest
• Education
• Friend; Friendship

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