2 Kings 2:9

2 Kings 2:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
• New International Version (NIV)When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.
• English Standard Version (ESV)When 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."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”

Context of 2 Kings 2:9

7The fifty members of the prophetic guild went and stood opposite them at a distance, while Elijah and Elisha stood by the Jordan. 8Elijah took his cloak, folded it up, and hit the water with it. The water divided, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground. When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “What can I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” Elisha answered, “May I receive a double portion of the prophetic spirit that energizes you.” 10Elijah replied, “That’s a difficult request! If you see me taken from you, may it be so, but if you don’t, it will not happen.” 11As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a fiery chariot pulled by fiery horses appeared. They went between Elijah and Elisha, and Elijah went up to heaven in a windstorm.

2 Kings 2:9 word by word

וַיְהִ֣י כְעָבְרָ֗ם וְאֵ֨לִיָּ֜הוּ אָמַ֤ר אֶל־אֱלִישָׁע֙ שְׁאַל֙ מָ֣ה אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לָּ֔ךְ בְּטֶ֖רֶם אֶלָּקַ֣ח מֵעִמָּ֑ךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֔ע וִֽיהִי־נָ֛א פִּֽי־שְׁנַ֥יִם בְּרוּחֲךָ֖ אֵלָֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass, when they were gone overעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• that Elijahאֵלִיָּה'êlîyâh 'êlîyâhû · ElijahH452
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto Elishaאֱלִישָׁע'ĕlîyshâ‛ · ElishaH477
• Askשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
• what I shall doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• for thee, before I be taken awayלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• I pray thee, let a doubleשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• portionפֶּהpeh · lip: accordingH6310
• of thy spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307

Cross-references for 2 Kings 2:9

• 2 Kings 13:14Now Elisha had a terminal illness. King Joash of Israel went down to visit him. He wept before him and said, “My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!”
• Numbers 27:16“Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all humankind, appoint a man over the community,
• Deuteronomy 34:9Now Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had placed his hands on him; and the Israelites listened to him and did just what the Lord had commanded Moses.
• 1 Chronicles 29:18O Lord God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, maintain the motives of your people and keep them devoted to you.
• Psalms 72:1O God, grant the king the ability to make just decisions! Grant the king’s son the ability to make fair decisions!
• Luke 24:45Then he opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures,
• John 17:9I am praying on behalf of them. I am not praying on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those you have given me, because they belong to you.
• Acts 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.”
• Acts 8:17Then Peter and John placed their hands on the Samaritans, and they received the Holy Spirit.
• Acts 20:25“And now I know that none of you among whom I went around proclaiming the kingdom will see me again.
• Numbers 11:17Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take part of the spirit that is on you, and will put it on them, and they will bear some of the burden of the people with you, so that you do not bear it all by yourself.
• 1 Kings 3:9So give your servant a discerning mind so he can make judicial decisions for your people and distinguish right from wrong. Otherwise no one is able to make judicial decisions for this great nation of yours.”
• 2 Chronicles 1:9Now, Lord God, may your promise to my father David be realized, for you have made me king over a great nation as numerous as the dust of the earth.
• John 14:12I tell you the solemn truth, the person who believes in me will perform the miraculous deeds that I am doing, and will perform greater deeds than these, because I am going to the Father.
• John 16:7But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I am going away. For if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you, but if I go, I will send him to you.
• 1 Corinthians 12:31But you should be eager for the greater gifts. And now I will show you a way that is beyond comparison.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 2:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9A double portion of thy spirit be upon me - This in reference to the law, Deuteronomy 21:17; : He shall acknowledge the first-born, by giving him a Double Portion of all that he hath-the right of the first-born is his. Elisha considered himself the only child or first-born of Elijah, as the disciples of eminent teachers were called their children; so here he claims a double portion of his spiritual influence, any other disciples coming in for a single…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me - Like Solomon, Elisha asks for no worldly advantage, but for spiritual power to discharge his office aright. The “double portion” is that which denotes the proportion of a father‘s property which was the right of an eldest son Deuteronomy 21:17. Elisha therefore asked for twice as much of Elijah‘s spirit as should be inherited by any other of the “sons of the prophets.” He simply claimed, i. e., to be…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-12Verses 9-12 That fulness, from whence prophets and apostles had all their supply, still exists as of old, and we are told to ask large supplies from it. Diligent attendance upon Elijah, particularly in his last hours, would be proper means for Elisha to obtain much of his spirit. The comforts of departing saints, and their experiences, help both to gild our comforts and to strengthen our resolutions. Elijah is carried to heaven in a fiery chariot. Many…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-10The firstborn son was the main heir. So, he received twice as much of his father's estate (Deuteronomy 21:17). Elisha asked for Elijah's spiritual gifts and privileges from God to continue through him.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee--trusting either that it would be in his power to bequeath it, or that God, at his entreaty, would grant it. let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me--This request was not, as is commonly supposed, for the power of working miracles exceeding the magnitude and number of his master's, nor does it mean a higher endowment of the prophetic spirit; for Elisha was neither superior to, nor perhaps…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 2:9

• Ascension
• Elisha
• Prophecy
• Prophets
• Translation

In the dictionaries

• Elijah
• Elisha
• Double
• Heal
• Lord
• Mock
• Rest
• Friend; Friendship
• Jehoram; Joram
• Kings, Books of

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