He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
Parallel translations
- WEB He also took up Elijah’s mantle that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
- KJV He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
- BSB Elisha also picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah, and he went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.
- NASB He also took up the coat of Elijah that had fallen from him, and he went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
- NLT Elisha picked up Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen when he was taken up. Then Elisha returned to the bank of the Jordan River.
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 picks up Elijah's fallen mantle and returns to the Jordan's bank. The mantle becomes the visible sign that the prophetic office now rests on him.
Overview
The mantle Elijah had once cast on Elisha to call him (1 Kings 19:19) now passes to him fully. Taking it up signals Elisha's acceptance of the prophetic mission left behind. The continuity of God's work through successive servants is displayed in this simple act.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- 1 Kgs 19:19So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. Elijah went over to him, and put his mantle on him.
- 2 Kgs 2:8Elijah took his mantle, and rolled it up, and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that they both went over on dry ground.
- 1 Kgs 9:26King Solomon made a fleet of ships in Ezion Geber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom.
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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 2:13 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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