And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood facing them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan.
Parallel translations
- WEB Fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood opposite them at a distance; and they both stood by the Jordan.
- KJV And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.
- BSB Then a company of fifty of the sons of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing Elijah and Elisha as the two of them stood by the Jordan.
- NASB Now fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan.
- NLT Fifty men from the group of prophets also went and watched from a distance as Elijah and Elisha stopped beside 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
Fifty of the prophets stand at a distance to watch as Elijah and Elisha reach the Jordan. Witnesses gather for the unfolding wonder.
Overview
The presence of fifty observers ensures the event is publicly attested, not a private claim. They stand apart, leaving the two prophets to the decisive crossing. Their watching underscores that God's works are done in the open and confirmed by witnesses.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- 1 Kgs 18:4for when Jezebel cut off Yahweh’s prophets, Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
- 1 Kgs 18:13Wasn’t it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed Yahweh’s prophets, how I hid one hundred men of Yahweh’s prophets with fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
- 2 Kgs 2:17When they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send them.” Therefore they sent fifty men; and they searched for three days, but didn’t find him.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 2:7 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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