2 Kings 2:9
in 2 Kings 2After they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken away from you?” “Please, let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I am taken from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
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.
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This verse in 2 Kings 2
Commentary
8 notes on this verseWe must note in addition that when Elijah was about to be taken up in a whirlwind as into heaven, he took his sheepskin and rolled it up and struck the water, and it was divided on this side and that, and both crossed, that is to say, himself and Elisha. He was better prepared to be taken up after he was baptized in the Jordan, since Paul, as we explained previously, called the more incredible passage through water a baptism.
This site's exposition
Ask what I shall do for thee
on 2 Kings 2:9-10
Elijah offers Elisha one request before he is taken, and Elisha asks for a double portion of thy spirit, the exact share Deuteronomy 21:17 reserves for a firstborn son claiming his father's inheritance. The request is not for worldly advantage but for the standing of an heir, Elisha asking to be received as Elijah's spiritual firstborn among all the sons of the prophets rather than merely one disciple among many. Elijah answers honestly that this lies past his own power to grant, a hard thing that only God can give, and sets a sign, whether Elisha sees him taken, that will show whether the request has been heard.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Therefore, he who is everywhere does not dwell in all, and he does not even dwell equally in those in whom he does dwell. Otherwise, what is the meaning of the request made by Elisha that there might be in him double the Spirit of God that was in Elijah? And how is it that among the saints some are more holy than others, except that they have a more abundant indwelling in God? How, then, did we speak the truth when we said above that God is everywhere wholly present if he is more amply present in some, less in others? But it should be noticed with care that we said he is everywhere wholly present in himself, not in things of which some have a greater capacity for him, others less.
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 2 -- On Faith · Written before 523.
proposed
And again also he commanded his disciple with authority, saying, "Ask whatsoever thou wishest, and I will give it to thee before I am taken from thee;" and according to what the disciple asked and the master commanded, the Spirit ministered in very deed, and …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And it came to pass, when they were gone over,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Let 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 Deu 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 acknowledged as Elijah’s firstborn spiritual son.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
But the phrase, "a double portion," was applied to the first-born [De 21:17], and therefore Elisha's request was, simply, to be heir to the prophetic office and gifts of his master.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A double portion of thy spirit be upon me - This in reference to the law, Deu 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 share only. Sons of the prophets means no more than the disciples or scholars of the prophets. The original words פי שנים pi shenayim, mean rather two parts, than double the quantity.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
You have made a difficult request. It is impossible [for me] to give you more than I possess. 5 According to Rashi, Elisha apparently asked for a double portion of Eliyahu’s spirit.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִ֣י | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| כְעָבְרָ֗ם | kheaveram | when had passed over they | H5674 → | 556 times |
| וְאֵ֨לִיָּ֜הוּ | veeliyahu | and Elijah | H452 → | 71 times |
| אָמַ֤ר | ʾamar | he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אֱלִישָׁע֙ | ʾelisha' | Elisha | H477 → | 58 times |
| שְׁאַל֙ | sheal | ask | H7592 → | 171 times |
| מָ֣ה | mah | what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־ | ʾeeseh- | will I do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לָּ֔ךְ | lakh | for you | ||
| בְּטֶ֖רֶם | beterem | <in> before | H2962 → | |
| אֶלָּקַ֣ח | ʾelakach | I will be taken | H3947 → | 966 times |
| מֵעִמָּ֑ךְ | meimakh | from with <the> you | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֱלִישָׁ֔ע | ʾelisha' | Elisha | H477 → | 58 times |
| וִֽיהִי־ | vihi- | and may it be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| נָ֛א | na' | please | H4994 → | 404 times |
| פִּֽי־ | pi- | a mouth of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| שְׁנַ֥יִם | shenayim | two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| בְּרוּחֲךָ֖ | beruchakha | in spirit your | H7307 → | 378 times |
| אֵלָֽי׃ | ʾelai | to me | H413 → | 5510 times |
וַיְהִ֣יand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
כְעָבְרָ֗םwhen had passed over they
kheaveramH5674 →556 times
וְאֵ֨לִיָּ֜הוּand Elijah
veeliyahuH452 →71 times
אָמַ֤רhe said
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אֱלִישָׁע֙Elisha
ʾelisha'H477 →58 times
שְׁאַל֙ask
shealH7592 →171 times
מָ֣הwhat?
mahH4100 →752 times
אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־will I do
ʾeeseh-H6213 →2628 times
לָּ֔ךְfor you
lakh
בְּטֶ֖רֶם<in> before
beteremH2962 →
אֶלָּקַ֣חI will be taken
ʾelakachH3947 →966 times
מֵעִמָּ֑ךְfrom with <the> you
meimakhH5973 →1050 times
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אֱלִישָׁ֔עElisha
ʾelisha'H477 →58 times
וִֽיהִי־and may it be
vihi-H1961 →3559 times
נָ֛אplease
na'H4994 →404 times
פִּֽי־a mouth of
pi-H6310 →498 times
שְׁנַ֥יִםtwo
shenayimH8147 →768 times
בְּרוּחֲךָ֖in spirit your
beruchakhaH7307 →378 times
אֵלָֽי׃to me
ʾelaiH413 →5510 times
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
Acts 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
it leads to
- Matthew 28:19
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
- Mark 16:15
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
- Romans 15:19
by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.
- Acts 4:33
With great power the apostles continued to give their testimony about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And abundant grace was upon them all.
- Acts 5:32
We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
- Matthew 28:19
Through
John 16:7But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send…
it leads to
- John 14:26
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you.
- John 14:16–17
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—
- John 15:26
When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—He will testify about Me.
- John 14:26
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
About 2 Kings
Who and where
2 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…
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); Augustine of Hippo, LETTER 187.17; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 6.238-39 and Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 2 -- On Faith.