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

And it came about when the Lord was about to take up Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” And he said, “Yes, I know; be still.”

2 Kings 2:1 word by word

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

• And it cameהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• about when the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• takeעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: establishH5927
• up Elijahאֵלִיָּה'êlîyâh 'êlîyâhû · ElijahH452
• whirlwindסְעָרָהsa‛ar se‛ârâh · tempestH5591
• to heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• wentהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• Elishaאֱלִישָׁע'ĕlîyshâ‛ · ElishaH477
• Gilgalגִּלְגָּלgilgâl · GilgalH1537

Cross-references for 2 Kings 2:1

• Genesis 5:24Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
• 1 Kings 19:4But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers.”
• Luke 9:51When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem;
• Acts 1:9And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
• Hebrews 11:5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.
• Revelation 11:12And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.
• 1 Kings 18:12It will come about when I leave you that the Spirit of the Lord will carry you where I do not know; so when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me, although I your servant have feared the Lord from my youth.
• 1 Kings 19:11So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.
• Job 38:1Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,
• 1 Kings 19:16and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.
• Joshua 4:19Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth of the first month and camped at Gilgal on the eastern edge of Jericho.
• Joshua 5:9Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.

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