Ver. 1. When the Lord would raise up Elijah into heaven.] Into the third heaven, not into the sky only—as some have conceited—till our Saviour’s ascension. That Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.] Which is commonly held to have been a school or college of prophets—as was also Bethel—of whom be was the father or chief instructor. For a meet farewell to the earth, Elijah will go visit these places before his departure: these were in his way. Of any part of the earth, these were nearest unto heaven.
Ver. 2. And Elijah said unto Elisha.] Individuo suo Achati, who was and would be his constant companion. Tarry here, I pray thee.] This he might speak, as desirous either to conceal his rapture to heaven, or rather to kindle in Elisha a more earnest affection to go along with him, that he might be a witness thereof, for the good of the Church in all ages. I will not leave thee.] Hence some gather that God had revealed the matter to Elisha; and suggested to him not to leave Elijah.
Ver. 3. From thy head,] i.e., To heaven, or from sitting any longer over thy head, as a doctor over his disciples. See Acts 22:3. For among the Jews, the Rabbi sat on high, and was called Joshebh, or the sitter; the scholar sat at his feet, or lay along in the dust, called therefore Mithabbek, in token of humility. Hold ye your peace.] Hinder me not by your discourses from my diligent attendance, lest he be taken away on the sudden, and I not see him.
Ver. 4. For the Lord hath sent me to Jericho.] Where was another college of prophets, whom he would likewise visit ere he left the earth, that he might pray with them, and advise them—see the like, 2 Peter 1:14 —and haply leave with them that letter to Jehoram, king of Judah, which, some years after, was to be delivered, (2 Chronicles 21:12) prophesying and foretelling his sins and punishments.
Ver. 5. And the sons of the prophets.] See ver. 3.
Ver. 6. Tarry, I pray thee, here.] This is a third motion, for trial haply of his love and constancy. See the like, John 21:17.
Ver. 7. And fifty men of the sons of the prophets.] These were all of one college, and these were strong men, (2 Kings 2:16) able and active. In our days, the Jesuits—those locusts, Revelation 9:3 -have maintained two hundred thousand scholars, besides the monks and friars of other orders, enough to make up a very formidable army, and such as may serve Antichrist for a sufficient reserve, cum res redierit ad Triarios, when he shall be worst put to it. Oxford is said to have had sometime thirty thousand students in it at once. And stood to view afar off.] Out of curiosity likely, but not without a special providence of God, that there might be so many witnesses of Elijah’s assumption to heaven.
Ver. 8. And smote the waters, and they were divided.] Elijah was a great wonder worker: and this is reckoned by some, his seventh, by others his eleventh miracle.
Ver. 9. Ask what I shall do for thee before.] Not after I am gone, but before I go up. We have a communion with the saints departed, not a commerce. Let a double portion,] i.e., Two parts of three, saith Vatablus: the portion of the firstborn, say others, which was double to his brethren; so would Elijah have a larger measure of the gifts of the Spirit, than any ordinary prophets inasmuch as he was to succeed his master. (1 Kings 19:16) Some read it thus, Let the double portion of thy spirit be upon me: and then he wisheth no more than to be like his master Elijah. Thus Irenaeus proved very like Polycarp, John the Evangelist’s disciple. Thus Paraeus succeeding his master Ursinus in the College of Wisdom at Heidelberg, expressed him to the life: whence Paulus Melissus, the poet, “ Sacra docente Pareo, Vividus Ursini spiritus ora movet.”
Ver. 10. If thou see me when I am taken from thee.] Vehemence is the way to speed both in earth and in heaven. If but the eyelids of Elisha fall, if his thoughts slacken, his hopes are dashed. There must be fixedness and vigilancy in those that desire double graces. Bp. Hall’s Contemp.
Ver. 11. As they still went on and talked.] Lo, Elijah was going and talking when the chariot of heaven came to fetch him. Surely, saith my reverend author, had not that conference been needful and divine, it had given way to meditation: and Elijah had been taken up rather from his knees than from his feet. There can be no better posture or state for the messenger of our dissolution to find us in, than in a diligent prosecution of our calling; our busy attendance whereupon is no less pleasing to God, than an immediate devotion. A chariot of fire, and horses of fire.] Angels in this form. (Psalms 104:4) Seraphims fetch up this seraphical doctor. He was zealous for the Lord of hosts: and they were all alight, on fire, as it were, with ardent affection toward him; so there was a suitableness. This candidate, therefore, of immortality—as the ancients call him and Enoch—went up by a whirlwind into heaven: he went most willingly with them. And Chrysostom hath a conceit, that Satan, the prince of the air, was very much amazed when he saw Elias thus convoyed through his country. But what a fool had he made of that woman of a sect and her companions at Newbury, A.D, 1647, whom he had persuaded that such a night she should be taken up into heaven: before which time many of them assembled together, took their solemn leaves of her with tears, and the time being come, out they go to see her ascension; but at length were fain to return to their homes, as wise as they came, having made themselves a ridiculous spectacle unto many. Idem ib. Mr Clark’s Mirror, 2d edit., p. 230.
Ver. 12. And Elisha saw it.] See on 2 Kings 2:10. The horsemen of Israel.] As thou hast been the Lord’s faithful warrior for the safety of his Church, so now thou art carried into his kingdom of glory, as it were upon a triumphal chariot and horses. Diod.
Ver. 13. The mantle of Elisah that fell from him.] This, Elijah let go—the rest of his clothes likely were consumed— ut mundi vestimenta in mundo dimittens, saith Jerome, as showing that in heaven there was no need of clothes. This mantle Elisha gladly took up, not only as a good amends for his own clothes which he had rent in two pieces, (2 Kings 2:12) but also as a memorial of his master, and a token that God had designed him his successor, and would clothe him with his spirit, as appeared by the ensuing experiment, Elisha’s first miracle.
Ver. 14. Where is the Lord God of Elijah?] These are words of invocation and faith, rather than of doubt and of diffidence. Some render it, Where is the Lord God of Elijah, even He? and make Aph-hu —even He—to be one of God’s attributes. See Weemse’s “Exposition of the Moral Law,” p. 162, and A Lapide, in loco.
Ver. 15. Which were to view at Jericho,] i.e., At a convenient distance betwixt Jericho and Jordan. Bowed themselves to the ground before him.] As acknowledging him now to be their chief instructor.
Ver. 16. And they said unto him, Behold now, &c.] They would do nothing without Elisha’s consent, whom now they looked upon as their new master. The Popish padres require blind obedience of their novices; telling them that if an angel or the blessed Virgin were talking with them, and their superior meanwhile call them off, they must presently obey. To argue or debate in their case, they say, were presumption: to require a reason, proud curiosity: to detract or disobey, breach of vow equal to sacrilege. This is the doctrine of Ignatius. But Elisha gave his pupils more liberty: as to propound and press their motion till he was ashamed. (2 Kings 2:17)
Ver. 17. He said, Send.] Since you have such a mind to it; though you are sure to lose your labour, But found him not.] Tired with three days’ search, they turn back as wise as they went. Some men are best satisfied when they have wearied themselves in their own ways. Nothing will teach them wit but disappointments.
Ver. 18. Did not I say unto you, Go not?] The uncounsellable are commonly unhappy in their attempts.
Ver. 19. Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city, &c.] Say we so of such places, though never so pleasant, as have not the word and sacraments—those waters of life—purely and powerfully administered in them: and seek remedy. But the water is naught, and the ground barren.] Heb., Making to miscarry. The cause whereof was not either that ancient malediction of Joshua, or the neighbourhood of that noisome lake of Sodom, but the recent sins of the inhabitants, -see Psalms 107:34, -and particularly Hiel’s presumption in rebuilding it. (1 Kings 16:34)
Ver. 20. And he said, Bring me, &c.] Jericho is now become a receptacle of prophets; it is reason that any place should fare the better for the presence of such. A new cruse,] Whereby it might appear that the miracle was not wrought by virtue of anything that had been in it before. And put salt therein.] Salt was more likely to make the waters brackish, than to sweeten them. Salsum in amarum was a strange way to heal. God oft worketh by contraries, that his power may the more appear.
Ver. 21. And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there.] Not into the channel, but into the spring. So must we, if we would be healed, cast the salt of mortification into our hearts, those fountains of speeches and actions. The Paracelsian holdeth that there is salt in every body. Sure enough there ought to be godly sorrow in every soul. I have healed these waters.] If God casteth into our hearts but one cruseful of the salt of his Spirit, we are whole: no thought can pass between the receipt and the remedy.
Ver. 22. So the waters were healed.] By Elisha; who was willing to gratify his hosts of Jericho, to remunerate their courtesy, and to convert them “from dumb idols to the living and true God.”
Ver. 23. And he went from thence unto Bethel.] Which was now a place of strange composition; for there was at once the golden calf of Jeroboam, and the school of God. Physicians are of most use where diseases abound. There came forth little children.] Nuzzled up by their wicked parents in idolatry and contempt of a faithful ministry. Go up, thou bald head.] Or, Ascend, as they say—-but who can think it?—thy master Elijah did. Thus these mistaught brats, and, because they had nothing worse to upbraid him with, they twit him with his baldness: loading that head with scorn which God had crowned with honour.
Ver. 24. And cursed them.] By his spirit of prayer and prophecy: not out of private revenge. And there came forth two she bears.] So Dr Whittington returning from martyring a good woman at Chipping Sadbury, was gored by a bull. Dr Story, who vaunted that he had burnt so many earwigs—heretics he meant, -was hanged at Tyburn for treason. Hemingius telleth of a lewd fellow in Denmark, who showing great contempt against a preacher, as he passed out of the Church was brained with a tile. Luther telleth of such another, who going into the fields to look to his sheep, after he had railed most bitterly against a godly minister, was found dead: his body being burnt as black as a coal. “Be not ye mockers, lest your bands be increased.” Mr Clark’s Martyrol., fol. 58. Luth., in Coll.
Ver. 25. To mount Carmel.] He can never be a profitable seer, that is either always or never alone. Carmel shall fit Elisha for Samaria; contemplation for action. Bp. Hall.