2 Kings 2:10

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

And he said - Thou hast asked a hard thing, - if thou see me when taken from thee, thou shall have it, so, but, if not, thou shalt not have it.

Parallel Translations

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible
"You have requested a difficult thing," said Elijah. "Nevertheless, if you see me as I am taken from you, it will be yours. But if not, then it will not be so."

Contemporary English Version
"It won't be easy," Elijah answered. "It can happen only if you see me as I am being taken away."

Complete Jewish Bible
He replied, "You have requested a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, you will get what you asked for; but if not, you won't."

Darby Translation
And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so to thee; but if not, it shall not be [so].

Easy-to-Read Version
Elijah said, "You have asked a hard thing. If you see me when I am taken from you, it will happen. But if you don't see me when I am taken from you, it will not happen."

American Standard Version
And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.

Bible in Basic English
And he said, You have made a hard request: still, if you see me when I am taken from you, you will get your desire; but if not, it will not be so.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he said, Thou hast asked an hard thing: Neuerthelesse, if thou see me whe I am taken away from thee, thou shalt haue it so: yf thou do not, it shall not be.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And he saide, Thou hast asked an hard thing: yet if thou see me when I am taken from thee, thou shalt haue it so: & if not, it shal not be.

George Lamsa Translation
And he said, You have asked too much; nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so to you; but if not, it shall not be so.

Good News Translation
"That is a difficult request to grant," Elijah replied. "But you will receive it if you see me as I am being taken away from you; if you don't see me, you won't receive it."

English Standard Version
And he said, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so."

Hebrew Names Version
He said, You have asked a hard thing: [nevertheless], if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so to you; but if not, it shall not be so.

Christian Standard Bible®
Elijah replied, "You have asked for something difficult. If you see me being taken from you, you will have it. If not, you won't."

New International Version (1984)
"You have asked a difficult thing," Elijah said, "yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours-otherwise not."

New American Standard Bible
He said, "You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so."

King James Version (1611)
And hee said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: neuerthelesse, if thou see me, when I am taken from thee, it shall be so vnto thee: but if not, it shall not be so.

King James Version
And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.

Amplified Bible
He said, "You have asked for a difficult thing. However, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so."

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: [nevertheless], if thou shalt see me [when I am] taken from thee, it shall be so to thee; but if not, it shall not be [so].

World English Bible
He said, You have asked a hard thing: [nevertheless], if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so to you; but if not, it shall not be so.

Lexham English Bible
He said, "What you ask is difficult. If you see me being taken from you, it will be so for you, but if not, it will not happen."

Literal Translation
And he said, You have asked a hard thing. If you shall see me taken from you, it shall be so to you. And if not, it shall not be.

New Century Version
Elijah said, "You have asked a hard thing. But if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours. If you don't, it won't happen."

New English Translation
Elijah replied, "That's a difficult request! If you see me taken from you, may it be so, but if you don't, it will not happen."

New International Version
"You have asked a difficult thing," Elijah said, "yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not."

New King James Version
So he said, "You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Which Elie answeride, Thou axist an hard thing; netheles if thou schalt se me, whanne Y schal be takun awei fro thee, that that thou axidist schal be; sotheli, if thou schalt not se, it schal not be.

New Revised Standard
He responded, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not."

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he answered: Thou hast asked a hard thing; nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, thou shalt have what thou hast asked: but if thou see me not, thou shalt not have it.

Revised Standard Version
And he said, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if you do not see me, it shall not be so."

Update Bible Version
And he said, You have asked a hard thing: [nevertheless], if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so to you; but if not, it shall not be so.

Young's Literal Translation
and he saith, `Thou hast asked a hard thing; if thou dost see me taken from thee, it is to thee so; and if not, it is not.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He sayde: Thou hast desyred an harde thinge: neuertheles yf thou shalt se me wha I am taken awaye from the, it shal be so: Yf no, the shal it not be.

THE MESSAGE
"That's a hard one!" said Elijah. "But if you're watching when I'm taken from you, you'll get what you've asked for. But only if you're watching."

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he said: 'Thou hast asked a hard thing; nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.'

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Eliu said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: if thou shalt see me when I am taken up from thee, then shall it be so to thee; and if not, it shall not be so.

English Revised Version
And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: [nevertheless], if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.

New Living Translation
"You have asked a difficult thing," Elijah replied. "If you see me when I am taken from you, then you will get your request. But if not, then you won't."

New Life Bible
Elijah said, "You have asked a hard thing. But if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be given to you. But if not, it will not be so."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
He said, "You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so."

Contextual Overview

⁹ And it came to pass, as they went over, that, Elijah, said unto Elisha - Ask, what I shall do for thee, ere yet I be taken from thee. And Elisha said, Let there be, I pray thee, a double portion of thy spirit upon me. ¹⁰ And he said - Thou hast asked a hard thing, - if thou see me when taken from thee, thou shall have it, so, but, if not, thou shalt not have it. ¹¹ And it came to pass, as they were going on and on and talking, that lo! there was a chariot of fire, with horses of fire, which parted, those two, asunder, - and Elijah went up in a storm, into the heavens. ¹² And, as soon as Elisha saw it, he, began crying out - My father! my father! The chariots of Israel, and the horsemen thereof! But, when he could see him no longer, he took hold of his clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Thou hast: Mark 11:22-24, John 16:24

asked a hard thing: Heb. done hard in asking

if thou see: 2 Kings 2:12, Acts 1:9, Acts 1:10

Reciprocal: Numbers 27:20 - put some 2 Kings 20:10 - General

Cross-References

Psalms 46:4
A river! whose channels, shall gladden the city of God, The Most High, hath hallowed his habitation.

Revelation 22:1
And he pointed out to me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, issuing forth out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said, thou hast asked a hard thing,.... Not a common privilege, but what is rarely enjoyed, and difficult to obtain, few are so favoured of God:

nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee, but if not, it shall not be so; meaning, that if his rapture was visible to Elisha, and he was favoured with a sight of his assumption, and be an eyewitness of it, this would be a token both to Elijah that it was agreeable to the Lord to ask of him this favour for him, and to Elisha to expect it, otherwise not.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

It would be better to omit the words “when I am,” which are not in the original. The sign was to be Elisha’s seeing the actual translation, which he did 2 Kings 2:12.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 2:10. A hard thing — This is what is not in my power, God alone can give this; yet if thou see me taken away from thee, it shall be so. Perhaps this means no more than, "If thou continue with me till I am translated, God will grant this to thee;" for on the mere seeing or not seeing him in the moment in which he was taken away, this Divine gift could not depend.