2 Kings 2:1
in 2 Kings 2Shortly before the LORD took Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it came to pass, when Jehovah would take up Elijah by a whirlwind into heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
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.
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This verse in 2 Kings 2
Commentary
8 notes on this verseAnd it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind,.... Thereby lifting him up from the earth, and which, as it was the purpose and will of God, Elijah had notice of, as appears by his motions to different places, under a divine direction: that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal, where it seems they met, a place where the Israelites first pitched when they came over Jordan, and where the tabernacle was for some time, and was famous for religious services, see Jos 4:19.
This site's exposition
the LORD took Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind
The first verse tells the end before the road begins: the LORD is about to take Elijah up “to heaven in a whirlwind”. Scripture holds one earlier man taken without dying, Enoch at Genesis 5:24.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Elijah, who now lived with Elisha, whom he had also consecrated as prophet according to a divine oracle, as has been said already, was with him every day, inseparably sharing with him the same way of life. When he was about to ascend into the …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
He looked forward to the evangelical dispensation, and, in the translation of Elijah, gave a type and figure of the ascension of Christ and the opening of the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
By translating him, God gave in that dark and degenerate age, a very sensible proof of another life, together with a type of the ascension of Christ, and the opening of the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The 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 2Ch 21:12, which was not until the fifth year of Jehoram of Israel 2Ki 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 3 to the ministry of Elisha, thought it best to insert at this point the final scene of Elijah’s life, though it did not occur until several years later.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The revelation of this striking event to so many was a necessary part of the dispensation; for it was designed to be under the law, like that of Enoch in the patriarchal age, a visible proof of another state, and a type of the resurrection of Christ.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
When 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.
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִ֗י | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בְּהַעֲל֤וֹת | behaalot | when took up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ | ʾeliyahu | Elijah | H452 → | 71 times |
| בַּֽסְעָרָ֖ה | basarah | by the whirlwind | H5591 → | |
| הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם | hashamayim | the heavens | H8064 → | 421 times |
| וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ | vaiyelekh | and he went | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| אֵלִיָּ֛הוּ | ʾeliyahu | Elijah | H452 → | 71 times |
| וֶאֱלִישָׁ֖ע | veelisha' | and Elisha | H477 → | 58 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַגִּלְגָּֽל׃ | hagilgal | <the> Gilgal | H1537 → |
וַיְהִ֗יand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
בְּהַעֲל֤וֹתwhen took up
behaalotH5927 →890 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּElijah
ʾeliyahuH452 →71 times
בַּֽסְעָרָ֖הby the whirlwind
basarahH5591 →
הַשָּׁמָ֑יִםthe heavens
hashamayimH8064 →421 times
וַיֵּ֧לֶךְand he went
vaiyelekhH1980 →1546 times
אֵלִיָּ֛הוּElijah
ʾeliyahuH452 →71 times
וֶאֱלִישָׁ֖עand Elisha
veelisha'H477 →58 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַגִּלְגָּֽל׃<the> Gilgal
hagilgalH1537 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 11:5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one…
it leads to
- 2 Kings 2:11
As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire with horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up into heaven in a whirlwind.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 5:21–24
When Enoch was 65 years old, he became the father of Methuselah.
- Jude 1:14
Enoch, the seventh from Adam, also prophesied about them: “Behold, the Lord is coming with myriads of His holy ones
- Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
- 2 Kings 2:11
Through
Genesis 5:24Enoch walked with God, and then he was no more, because God had taken him away.
it leads to
- Hebrews 11:5–6
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one…
- 1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
- Genesis 5:22
And after he had become the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters.
- Hebrews 11:5–6
Through
1 Kings 19:11Then the LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Behold, the LORD is about to pass by.” And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 1:4
I looked and saw a whirlwind coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing back and forth and brilliant light all around it. In the center of the fire was a gleam…
- Ezekiel 1:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies8
On this verse
On this chapter
About 2 Kings
Who and where
3 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonDivided kingdomElijahThe Tishbite who shut heaven for three years and a half, called down fire on Carmel, heard the still small voice at Horeb, and wen…
- PersonDivided kingdomElishaElijah's successor with the firstborn's double portion; the prophet of the healed spring, the widow's oil, the Shunammite's son, N…
- PlaceJordan valley near JerichoGilgalIsrael's first Canaan camp where the stones were set and the reproach rolled away (Josh 4-5); later a corrupted shrine the prophet…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ephrem the Syrian, ON THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS 2:2-5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.