The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 28

be received by any other of the "sons of "whirlwind;" and "the heavens" e.re pri- the prophets." He made a reference to murily the visible firmament or sky which Deut. xxi. 17, and asked for the "double overhangs the earth. Elijah, like our Lord, portion" (literally, "double mouthful") roso bodily from the earth into the upper which was the right of an eldest son. The region of the air, and was there lost to only objection to this view ia Elijah'e answer eight. Three only of the seed of Adam- (see the next verse). Enoch, Elijah, Jesas-hBve passed from Ver. 10.-And he said, Thou hast asked a earth to heaven without dying. hard thing; literally, thou hast been hard Ver. 12.-A.nd Elisha saw it (comp. ver. in asking ( br1<7'.f,pvva.s -roii a.l-rf,IJ'<UT8a,, LXX. ), 10). The condition was fulfilled which Perhaps the "hardness" of the request was Elijah had laid down, and Elisha knew in the thing asked, not in the quantity of that his re'}uest for a. " double portion " of the thing. Had Elisha asked for anything hie master's spirit was grBnted. And he that Elijah bad it directly in his power to cried, llly father! my father ! It was usual give, as for hie mantle, or hie blessing, or for servants thus to address their masters his prayers in the other world, to grant the (eh. v. 13), and younger men would, out of request would have been easy. But he had respect, almost Blwaya thus address an aged asked for something that was not Elijah's prophet (eh. vi. 21; xiii. 14, etc.). But to give, but only God's. Elijah could not Elisha probably meant something more than bequeath his spirit, as a man bequeaths his to show respect. He regarded himself as property; be could only pray God th ..t Elijah's specially adopted son, and hence Elisha's pious request might be granted. had claimed the "double portion" of the Nevertheless, 'if thou see me when I o.m firstborn. That hie request was granted ta.ken from thee, it shall be so unto thee ; showed that the relationship was acknow- but if not, it shall not be so. Our trans- ledged. The chariot of Israel, and the horse- latore have thought to clear the sense by men thareof; i.e. the best earthly defence inserting "nevertheless" and "when I am." of Israel. "In losing thee," he means, "we But the inserted words would be better a.way. Jose our great protector-him th..'lot is more lo As Elijah cannot either grant or refuse a us than cha.riots and horsemen-the atrengtll request for a spiritual gift, which it is not of Israel, against both domestic and foreign in hie power to bestow, he is divinely in- foes." The sight of the fiery chariot aud structed to give Elisha a sign, by which he horses may havo determined tile imagery, shall know whether God grants hie prayer but they a.re not spoken of. Note the sub- or not. The sign of acceptance is to be stitution of " horsemen" for " horses," and his actually seeing his master's translation. comp. eh. xiii. 10, where the same expres- Probably the cha.riot and horses were not . aion ia used in reference to Elisha. And he visible to the natural human eye, any more saw him no more. Elijah pa.ssed beyond than the angelic hosts were who compassed Elishl\'s ken. So far ns we can go tiler from Elisha himself about at _Dothan (eh. vi. the expressions employed, no cloud received 17). him (Acts i. 9), but he gradually vanished Ver. 11.-A.nd it oame to pass, as they still from sight. And he took hold of his own went on, and talked (comp. Luke xxiv. 50, clothes, Bnd rent them in two pieJes; an 51). The antitype answers to the type in action marking extreme horror or extreme little details I\S well as in the genera.I out- grief-hero the latter (comp. Gen. xxxvii. line. That behold, there appeared a oho.riot 29; 2 Sam. xiii. 19; Job i. 20; ii. 12, eto.). of 11.re, and horses of fire. God's " angels Ver. 13.-He took up also the mantle of are spirits, and his ministers a flaming fire" ElijBh that fell from him, and went back, (Pa. civ. 4). When the eyes of Elisha's and stood by the b:i.nk of Jordan; literally, servant were opened, and he saw the angelic the lip of the Jordan; that is, tile brink of host that protected his master, it appeared the stream, at the point, probably, whore he to him that " the mountain was full of and his master had crosse,l it. horses and cha.riots of fire round about Ver. 14.-And he took the mantle of Elitiha" ( eh. vi. 17). l\le.terie.l fire is, of Elijah that fell from him, and emote the course, not to be thought of. But the glory waters-imitated, i.e., the action of Elijah and brightness of celestial beings, when (ver. 8), as Elijah hatl imitated the action of made visible to man, has some analogy with Moses ut the pussngo of tho Red Sen-and fire, or at any rate brings the conception of said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah 1 fire before the mind. The historian doubt- The present Hebrew text rends, "Whero id less reports the account which Elisha gave the Lord God of Elijah, etJen he 1" the last of what be saw on this mcmoro.blo occasion. two words being emph11tic; but the emphasis And parted them both asunder; and Elijah scarcely nppeBrs to be needed. Hence the went up by 11. whirlwind into heaven; lite- translators have very genernlly detached the rally, and Elijah went up in a storm into two words from Eliahu's question, and, at- Che l1M11em. There ia no mention of a taching them to the succce<ling clause, have 22 THE SECOND BOOK OF 'l'HE KINGS. [o11. n. 1-25.