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In this chapter we have, I. That extraordinary event, the translation of Elijah. In the close of the foregoing chapter we had a wicked king leaving the world in disgrace, here we have a holy prophet leaving it in honour; the departure of the former was his greatest misery, of the latter his greatest bliss: men are as their end is. Here is, 1. Elijah taking leave of his friends, the sons of the prophets, and especially Elisha, who kept close to him, and walked with him through Jordan (Kg2 2:1-10). 2. Elijah taken into heaven by the ministry of angels (Kg2 2:11), and Elisha's lamentation of the loss this earth has of him (Kg2 2:12). II. The manifestation of Elisha, as a prophet in his room. 1. By the dividing of Jordan (Kg2 2:13, Kg2 2:14). 2. By the respect which the sons of the prophets paid him (Kg2 2:15-18). 3. By the healing of the unwholesome waters of Jericho (Kg2 2:19-22). 4. By the destruction of the children of Bethel that mocked him (Kg2 2:23-25). This revolution in prophecy makes a greater figure than the revolution of a kingdom.

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 2 This chapter relates, how that Elisha accompanied Elijah to several places, and on the other side Jordan Elijah was taken up from him to heaven, which occasioned great lamentation in him, Kg2 2:1, but having the mantle of Elijah, he divided the waters of Jordan, and passed over, Kg2 2:13, and the sons of the prophets at Jericho, perceiving the spirit of Elijah on him, showed him great respect, and proposed sending men to seek his master, which they did in vain, Kg2 2:15, when he healed the waters at Jericho, at the request of the men of it, Kg2 2:19, and the chapter is concluded with the destruction of forty two children at Bethel by bears, who mocked him, Kg2 2:23.

So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake. In the name of the Lord; and not only they remained so unto the time of the writer of this history, but to the times of Josephus, as he testifies (s), and even to ours; for there is a spring now called Elisha's spring or fountain, of which Mr. Maundrell says (t),"its waters are at present received in a basin about nine or ten paces long, and five or six broad; and from thence issuing out in good plenty, divide themselves into several small streams, dispersing their refreshment to all the field between this and Jericho, and rendering it exceeding fruitful.''So some other travellers (u) say of it, that the water is very clear and cool, and issues in a copious steam. Pliny (w) gives it the name of "Calirroe", the beautiful stream, and speaks of it as hot, wholesome, and medicinal, and of great note. (s) De Bello Jud. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 3. (t) Journey from Aleppo, &c. p. 80. (u) Egmont and Heyman's Travels, vol. 1. p. 331. (w) Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 16.

What should we say about the merits of Elisha? His first praiseworthy deed was his wish to surpass his father in grace, expressed when he asked that more grace be given to him than he knew was found in him who possessed such grace. To be sure, he was greedy to make such a request, but worthy to receive merit. Because Elisha demanded more from his father than he had, his father enabled him to excel in his merits more than he would have otherwise been able to do. When this Elisha came to Jericho after the ascension of his master and was asked by the citizens to remain with them in the city, they said to him: “The location of this city is good, but the water is bad, even causing sterility.” Then Elisha ordered them to give him a clay vessel, and arriving at the source of the waters, he threw the salt kept in the vessel onto the waters and said: “This is what the Lord says: I have healed the waters. No longer will anyone die from them or become sterile. And the waters remain healed to this very day.” Consider then how great the merits of Elisha are! His first stay in the children’s city results in great fruitfulness, for when he removes the sterility of the waters, he enables the succession of heirs. By performing this one deed, he did not merely heal a single person or offer medicine to the house of one person, but restored the people of the entire city. If he had performed this act later, the sterility would have taken its course and the city would have remained without inhabitants once the entire population grew old. So when Elisha healed the waters he also healed the people. And when he blessed the source of the waters, he showed favor to the source of souls. For just as by his sanctifying act water issued forth from the hidden courses in the earth, so healthy offspring came forth from the hidden organs of the womb. Elisha not only blessed the streams that were still being held in the bowels of the springs, but also those that, though still saturated in the damp soil of the earth, would later flow forth little by little. So the Scripture says that Elisha gave his blessing at the source of the water in order that the prophet’s blessing might catch the trickling water before the bosom of the spring encompassed it. Since the holy apostle Paul says that “these things were happening to them as a symbol,” let us look into how this very symbol contains the truth. In other words, let us investigate what the city that suffers from sterility stands for, and what the clay vessel intends to communicate, and finally what it means that scattered salt brings the restoration of health. We read in the writings of the same apostle what is said about the church: “Rejoice, O barren one who does not give birth, break forth and shout you who do not beget children.” Based on this passage, the church is that sterile city, which prior to the arrival of Christ, was not able to produce sons for God while suffering from sterility because of the corruption of the water, that is, the sacrilege of the pagan nations. But when Christ came, assuming a human body as if a fragile vessel, he healed the vices of the waters, that is, “he cut off the sacrileges of the peoples,” and at once, the church, which had been sterile, began to be fruitful.

Let us see what these facts mean, dearly beloved. Elisha, as I have frequently suggested, is the type of our Lord and Savior. That bitter spring seems to signify Adam, from whom the human race has sprung. Before the coming of the true Elisha, that is, our Lord and Savior, the human race remained in barrenness and bitterness through the sin of the first man. Although that new vessel in which salt was thrown represents a type of the apostles, still we can fittingly accept in it the mystery of the Lord’s incarnation. Now salt is put there as wisdom, for we read, “Let all your speech be seasoned with salt.” Moreover, since Christ is not only “the power of God” but also “the wisdom of God,” the body of Christ like a new vessel was filled with the salt of divine wisdom when the Word was made flesh. Furthermore, the new vessel with salt was thrown into the bitter waters by Elisha, and they were changed into sweetness and fruitfulness. Similarly, the new vessel, that is, the incarnate Word, was sent by God the Father to recall the human race like bitter flowing waters to sweetness, to lead it to pure charity from evil habits and sterility of good works and to restore it to the fruitfulness of justice. Truly, brothers, does it not seem to you as though the new vessel full of the salt of divine wisdom was put into the water when Christ the Lord went down into the river to be baptized? Then all the waters were changed into sweetness and were sanctified by that new vessel, that is, the body of Christ. As a result, not only were the waters not sterile, but throughout the world by the grace of baptism they have produced a countless number of Christians like abundant fruit and an exceedingly rich harvest.Although we believe that this truth is fulfilled in things which are seen, still we know that it also takes place spiritually in all people. That the waters signify the people is mentioned in the Apocalypse: “The waters that you saw are peoples and nations.” Moreover, that the vessel with salt that was put in the water represents the apostles is very clearly indicated by our Lord in the Gospel when he says, “You are the salt of the earth.” Therefore, by his grace he made new apostles out of old people and filled them with the salt of his teachings and divine wisdom, sending them to the whole world as to the spring of the entire human race, to remove its barrenness and bitterness. Finally, from the time that the salt of divine wisdom is afforded to human hearts, all bitterness of relations or sterility in good works is known to be removed. Therefore, dearly beloved, as we mentioned above, understand Christ our Lord in blessed Elisha and the human race in that spring. Recognize clearly the malice of the devil, which served the first man in what was bitter and sterile. In that new vessel that was put in the spring full of salt, devoutly think of Christ’s teaching seasoned with the salt of divine wisdom and through the apostles directed to the human race. We, too, dearly beloved, without any preceding good merits have received such great goods from the Lord through his generous graces and have merited to be changed from bitterness to sweetness, summoned from barrenness to the fruitfulness of good works.

Elijah, about to be taken up to heaven, goes in company with Elisha from Gilgal to Beth-el, Kg2 2:1, Kg2 2:2. Thence to Jericho, Kg2 2:3-5. And thence to Jordan, Kg2 2:6, Kg2 2:7. Elijah smites the waters with his mantle; they divide, and he and Elisha pass over on dry ground, Kg2 2:8. Elijah desires Elisha to ask what he should do for him; who requests a double portion of his spirit, which is promised on a certain condition, Kg2 2:9, Kg2 2:10. A chariot and horses of fire descend; and Elijah mounts, and ascends by a whirlwind to heaven, Kg2 2:11. Elisha gets his mantle, comes back to Jordan, smites the waters with it, and they divide, and he goes over, Kg2 2:12-14. The sons of the prophets see that the spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha, Kg2 2:15. They propose to send fifty men to seek Elijah, supposing the Spirit of the Lord might have cast him on some mountain or valley; after three days' search, they return not having found him, Kg2 2:16-18. The people of Jericho apply to Elisha to heal their unwholesome water, Kg2 2:19. He casts salt into the spring in the name of Jehovah, and the water becomes wholesome, Kg2 2:20-22. Forty-two young persons of Bethel, mocking him, are slain by two she-bears, Kg2 2:23, Kg2 2:24. He goes to Carmel, and returns to Samaria, Kg2 2:25.

And cast the salt in there - He cast in the salt at the place where the waters sprang out of the earth. Jarchi well observes here, "Salt is a thing which corrupts water; therefore, it is evident that this was a true miracle." What Elisha did on this occasion, getting the new cruse and throwing in the salt, was only to make the miracle more conspicuous. If the salt could have had any natural tendency to render the water salubrious, it could have acted only for a short time, and only on that portion of the stream which now arose from the spring; and in a few moments its effects must have disappeared. But the miracle here was permanent: the death of men and cattle, which had been occasioned by the insalubrity of the waters, ceased, the land was no longer barren; and the waters became permanently fit for all agricultural and domestic uses.

ELIJAH DIVINES JORDAN. (Kg2 2:1-10) when the Lord would take up Elijah--A revelation of this event had been made to the prophet; but, unknown to him, it had also been revealed to his disciples, and to Elisha in particular, who kept constantly beside him. Gilgal--This Gilgal (Jiljil) was near Ebal and Gerizim; a school of the prophets was established there. At Beth-el there was also a school of the prophets, which Elijah had founded, notwithstanding that place was the headquarters of the calf-worship; and at Jericho there was another [Kg2 2:4]. In travelling to these places, which he had done through the impulse of the Spirit (Kg2 2:2, Kg2 2:4-6), Elijah wished to pay a farewell visit to these several institutions, which lay on his way to the place of ascension and, at the same time, from a feeling of humility and modesty, to be in solitude, where there would be no eye-witnesses of his glorification. All his efforts, however, to prevail on his attendant to remain behind, were fruitless. Elisha knew that the time was at hand, and at every place the sons of the prophets spoke to him of the approaching removal of his master. Their last stage was at the Jordan. They were followed at a distance by fifty scholars of the prophets, from Jericho, who were desirous, in honor of the great occasion, to witness the miraculous translation of the prophet. The revelation of this striking event to so many was a necessary part of the dispensation; for it was designed to be under the law, like that of Enoch in the patriarchal age, a visible proof of another state, and a type of the resurrection of Christ.

Elijah's Ascension to Heaven. - Kg2 2:1-10. Journey from Gilgal to the other side of the Jordan. - Kg2 2:1, Kg2 2:2. When the time arrived that Jehovah was about to take up His servant Elijah in a tempest to heaven, Elijah went with his attendant Elisha from Gilgal down to Bethel. בּסּערה, in the tempest or storm, i.e., in a tempestuous storm, which was frequently the herald of the divine self-revelations in the terrestrial world (vid., Job 38:1; Job 40:6; Eze 1:4; Zac 9:14). השּׁמים is the accusative of direction. Gilgal and Bethel (Beitin, see at Kg1 12:29) were seats of schools of the prophets, which Elijah had founded in the kingdom of the ten tribes. It is now generally admitted that Gilgal, from which they went down to Bethel, cannot be the place of that name which was situated in the Jordan valley to the east of Jericho, but must be the Gilgal upon the mountains, the elevated Jiljilia to the south-west of Silo (Seilun, see at Jos 8:35). On the way Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here, I pray, for the Lord has sent me to Bethel;" but Elisha declared with a solemn oath that he would not leave him. The Lord had revealed to both that the seal of divine attestation was to be impressed upon the work of Elijah by his being miraculously taken up into heaven, to strengthen the faith not of Elisha only, but also of the disciples of the prophets and of all the godly in Israel; but the revelation had been made to them separately, so that Elijah had no suspicion that Elisha had also been informed as to his being taken away. He wanted, therefore, to get rid of his servant, not "to test his love and attachment" (Vatabl.), but from humility (C. a Lap. and others), because he did not wish to have any one present to witness his glorification without being well assured that it was in accordance with the will of God.