As Elisha watched, he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And he saw Elijah no more. So taking hold of his own clothes, he tore them in two.
Parallel translations
- WEB Elisha saw it, and he cried, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” He saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes, and tore them in two pieces.
- KJV And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
- NKJV And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.
- NASB And Elisha was watching it and he was crying out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he did not see Elijah again. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.
- NLT Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father! My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!” And as they disappeared from sight, Elisha tore his clothes in distress.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Elisha sees it, cries out, and tears his clothes in grief at losing his master. His lament honors Elijah as Israel's true defense.
Overview
By calling Elijah "the chariots of Israel and its horsemen," Elisha confesses that the praying prophet was the nation's real strength, greater than armies. His torn garments express deep mourning at the loss of his spiritual father. Yet because he saw Elijah taken, the condition for the double portion is met.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 22
- 2 Kgs 13:14When Elisha had fallen sick with the illness from which he would die, Jehoash king of Israel came down to him and wept over him, saying, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!”
- Luke 24:51While He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven.
- Prov 30:4Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His hands? Who has bound up the waters in His cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is the name of His Son—surely you know!
- Eph 4:8This is why it says: “When He ascended on high, He led captives away, and gave gifts to men.”
- John 3:13No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven—the Son of Man.
- Isa 57:1–2The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; devout men are swept away, while no one considers that the righteous are guided from the presence of evil.
- Mark 16:19After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
- Isa 37:15And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD:
- Luke 2:15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
- 2 Cor 5:4So while we are in this tent, we groan under our burdens, because we do not wish to be unclothed but clothed, so that our mortality may be swallowed up by life.
- Acts 1:9After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.
- Job 1:20–21Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped,
- 2 Cor 5:2For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling,
- Rev 11:12And the witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched them.
- Isa 37:21Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Because you have prayed to Me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria,
- Acts 8:2God-fearing men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.
- Eccl 9:16–18And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”
- Isa 37:4Perhaps the LORD your God will hear the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to defy the living God, and He will rebuke him for the words that the LORD your God has heard. Therefore lift up a prayer for the remnant that still survives.”
- Prov 11:11By the blessing of the upright a city is built up, but by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.
- Acts 27:24and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And look, God has granted you the lives of all who sail with you.’
- Job 22:30He will deliver even one who is not innocent, rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.”
- Eccl 7:19Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city.
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Christ at the center
Amid the long decline toward exile, the promise to David's house refuses to die; the flickering lamp kept burning anticipates the coming King who will not fail or be cut off.
How 2 Kings 2:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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