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J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

2 Kings 2:11

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.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ascension;   Elijah;   Elisha;   Fire;   Heaven;   Immortality;   Meteorology and Celestial Phenomena;   Miracles;   Prophecy;   Prophets;   Translation;   Vision;   Whirlwind;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible Stories for Children;   Children;   Death;   Elijah;   Home;   Pleasant Sunday Afternoons;   Religion;   Stories for Children;   Translations;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Chariots;   Death, Natural;   Fire;   Heaven;   Miracles Wrought through Servants of God;   Whirlwind;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Horses;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Death;   Elijah;   Elisha;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Ascension of Jesus Christ;   Elijah;   Miracle;   Prophet, Prophetess, Prophecy;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Heaven;   Prophet;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Chariot;   Elijah;   Fire;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Elisha;   Law;   Seraphim;   Shalamite;   Whirlwind;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Elijah;   Heaven;   Hell;   Immortality;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Resurrection;   Whirlwind;   Wind;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Greek Versions of Ot;   Resurrection;   Whirlwind;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Ascension;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Chariot;   Miracles;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Elijah;   Elisha;   Joab;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Jer'icho;   Transfiguration, the;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Fire;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Israel;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Asunder;   Death;   Elijah;   Eschatology of the Old Testament (with Apocryphal and Apocalyptic Writings);   Horse;   Immortal;   Translation;   Whirlwind;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Abraham, Testament of;   Angelology;   Hillel B. Berechiah (Jeberechiah);   Nasi;   Tombstones;  

Parallel Translations

Complete Jewish Bible
Suddenly, as they were walking on and talking, there appeared a fiery chariot with horses of fire; and as it separated the two of them from each other, Eliyahu went up into heaven in a whirlwind.
Darby Translation
And it came to pass as they went on, and talked, that behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire; and they parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into the heavens.
Easy-to-Read Version
Elijah and Elisha were walking and talking together. Suddenly, some horses and a chariot came and separated Elijah from Elisha. The horses and the chariot were like fire. Then Elijah was carried up into heaven in a whirlwind.
Hebrew Names Version
It happened, as they still went on, and talked, that behold, [there appeared] a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them both apart; and Eliyah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them both assunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
American Standard Version
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
Bible in Basic English
And while they went on their way, going on talking together, suddenly there were carriages and horses of fire separating them from one another and Elijah went up to heaven in a great wind.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And it fortuned, that as they went walking and talking: beholde, there appeared a charet of fyre, and horses of fyre, & parted them both a sunder, and Elias went vp through the whorle winde into heauen.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And as they went walking and talking, beholde, there appeared a charet of fire, and horses of fire, and did separate them twaine. So Eliiah went vp by a whirle winde into heauen.
George Lamsa Translation
And it came to pass, as they still went on and talked, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire, and separated the two; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it came to pass as they were going, they went on talking; and, behold, a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and it separated between them both; and Eliu was taken up in a whirlwind as it were into heaven.
English Revised Version
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, [there appeared] a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible
As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire with horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up into heaven in a whirlwind.
Amplified Bible
As they continued along and talked, behold, a chariot of fire with horses of fire [appeared suddenly and] separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
Contemporary English Version
Elijah and Elisha were walking along and talking, when suddenly there appeared between them a flaming chariot pulled by fiery horses. Right away, a strong wind took Elijah up into heaven.
Lexham English Bible
Then they were walking, talking as they went. Suddenly a fiery chariot with horses of fire appeared and separated between the two of them. Elijah went up in the storm to the heavens
Good News Translation
They kept talking as they walked on; then suddenly a chariot of fire pulled by horses of fire came between them, and Elijah was taken up to heaven by a whirlwind.
King James Version (1611)
And it came to passe as they still went on and talked, that beholde, there appeared a charet of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder, and Elijah went vp by a whirlewind into heauen.
King James Version
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
THE MESSAGE
And so it happened. They were walking along and talking. Suddenly a chariot and horses of fire came between them and Elijah went up in a whirlwind to heaven. Elisha saw it all and shouted, "My father, my father! You—the chariot and cavalry of Israel!" When he could no longer see anything, he grabbed his robe and ripped it to pieces. Then he picked up Elijah's cloak that had fallen from him, returned to the shore of the Jordan, and stood there. He took Elijah's cloak—all that was left of Elijah!—and hit the river with it, saying, "Now where is the God of Elijah? Where is he?" When he struck the water, the river divided and Elisha walked through.
New International Version (1984)
As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
New English Translation
As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a fiery chariot pulled by fiery horses appeared. They went between Elijah and Elisha, and Elijah went up to heaven in a windstorm.
New International Version
As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
New American Standard Bible
And as they were walking along and talking, behold, a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and they separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven.
New King James Version
Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
New Living Translation
As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, drawn by horses of fire. It drove between the two men, separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven.
Literal Translation
And it happened, as they were going on and speaking, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire came . And they separated between them both, and Elijah went up in a tempest to Heaven.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And as they were goinge together, and he talked, there came a fyrie charet with horses of fyre, and parted the both asunder. And so wente Elias vp to heauen in the storme.
Update Bible Version
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, look, [there appeared] a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which separated them both apart; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that behold, [there appeared] a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
World English Bible
It happened, as they still went on, and talked, that behold, [there appeared] a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them both apart; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And as they went on, walking and talking together, behold, a fiery chariot and fiery horses parted them both asunder: and Elias went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
Revised Standard Version
And as they still went on and talked, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Eli'jah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
New Life Bible
As they went on and talked, a war-wagon of fire and horses of fire came between them. And Elijah went up by a wind-storm to heaven.
New Revised Standard
As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven.
New Century Version
As they were walking and talking, a chariot and horses of fire appeared and separated Elijah from Elisha. Then Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
Christian Standard Bible®
As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire with horses of fire suddenly appeared and separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up into heaven in the whirlwind.
English Standard Version
And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne thei yeden, and spaken goynge, lo! a chare of fier and horsys of fier departiden euer either; and Elie stiede bi a whirlewynd in to heuene.
Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass, they are going, going on and speaking, and lo, a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and they separate between them both, and Elijah goeth up in a whirlwind, to the heavens.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven.

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

2 Kings 6:17, Psalms 68:17, Psalms 104:3, Psalms 104:4, Ezekiel 1:4-28, Ezekiel 10:9-22, Habakkuk 3:8, Zechariah 3:8, Zechariah 6:1-8, Hebrews 1:14

by a whirlwind: 2 Kings 2:1

into heaven: Mark 16:19

Reciprocal: Genesis 5:24 - for Judges 13:20 - when the flame 1 Kings 18:12 - the Spirit of the Lord 1 Kings 19:4 - he requested 1 Kings 19:12 - a fire 2 Kings 2:23 - Go up 2 Chronicles 21:12 - Elijah the prophet Job 38:1 - General Ezekiel 10:18 - and stood Matthew 17:3 - Elias Mark 9:4 - Elias Luke 2:15 - into Luke 9:51 - that Luke 24:51 - he was Acts 1:10 - while 1 Thessalonians 4:17 - caught Hebrews 1:7 - Who Hebrews 11:5 - translated Revelation 11:12 - And they

Cross-References

Genesis 10:7
And, the sons of Cush: Seba and Havilah, and Sabtah and Raamah, and Sabtechah, - And the sons of Raamah, Sheba and Dedan.
Genesis 10:29
and Ophir and Havilah, and Jobab - all these were sons of Joktan.
Genesis 25:18
And they stretched their habitations from Havilah as far as to Shur, which is over against Egypt, as thou goest in towards Assyria, - over against all his brethren, he settled down.
1 Samuel 15:7
And Saul smote Amalek, - from Havilah, till thou enterest Shur, which is over against Egypt.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass, as they still went on and talked,.... About the donation of the gifts of the Spirit requested, about the state of religion in Israel, and about the training up of prophets in the colleges, and about Elisha's succession as a prophet in his room, and his discharge of that office, and such like things, as may be supposed, in which he gave him instruction and advice:

that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire; either angels in this form, see Psalms 104:4, in which they appeared for the glory and honour of the prophet, and as emblems of his flaming love and zeal for the purity of religion, and that his assumption might be conspicuous to Elisha; and perhaps by this means might be seen by the fifty men on the other side Jordan: this chariot, drawn with these horses, was not seen in the heaven, but as running on the earth, and came between the two prophets, and separated them from each other, taking up Elijah into it by means of a wind whirling about him, and which was no other than the ministry of angels; or these might be a conflux of exhalations or clouds, formed in this likeness by a supernatural power, and, by the solar rays striking on them, might appear fiery or red; and so his assumption was much in such like manner as our Lord was taken up in a cloud, Acts 1:9,

and Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven; body and soul; such a change passing on him, as he went through the region of the air, which divested him of his mortality and corruption, and fitted him for the invisible world.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Elijah went up ... - No honest exegesis can explain this passage in any other sense than as teaching the translation of Elijah, who was taken from the earth, like Enoch Genesis 5:24, without dying. Compare Ecclesiasticus 48:9.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 2:11. A chariot of fire, and horses of fire — That is a chariot and horses of the most resplendent glory, which, manifesting itself in coruscations or shooting rays, seemed to be like blazing fire, or like the sun in his strength. Some think that this circumstance, know in the heathen world, gave rise to the fable of Apollo, or the sun, being seated in a blazing chariot, drawn by horses which breathed and snorted fire. These horses were four, and called Pyroeis, Eous, AEthon, and Phlegon; all which words signify fire or resplendent light. So OVID:

Nec tibi quadrupedes animosos ignibus illis

Quos in pectore habent, quos ore et naribus efflant,

In promptu regere est: vix me patiunur, ut acres

Incaluere animi; cervixque repugnat habenis.

OVID, Met. Lib. ii., 84.

Interea volucres Pyroeis, Eous, et AEthon,

Solis equi, quartusque Phlegon, hinnitibus auras

Flammiferis implent, pedibusque repagula pulsant

Ib. 153.

Meanwhile the restless horses neighed aloud,

Breathing out fire and pawing where they stood,

Nor would you find it easy to compose

The mettled steeds, when from their nostrils flows

The scorching fire, that in their entrils glows.

Even I their headstrong fury scarce restrain,

When they grow worm, and restiff to the rein.

DRYDEN.


Perhaps the whole of this fable, which represents Phaethon son of Apollo requesting to drive the chariot of his father (the horses and chariot of fire) for one day, was borrowed from the request of Elisha to his spiritual father Elijah, whom he afterwards saw borne away by a whirlwind, in a chariot of fire drawn by fiery steeds.

Elijah went up-into heaven] He was truly translated; and the words here leave us no room to indulge the conjecture of Dr. Priestley, who supposes that as "Enoch, (probably Moses,) Elijah, and Christ, had no relation to any other world or planet, they are no doubt in this;" for we are told that Elijah went up into heaven; and we know, from the sure testimony of the Scripture, that our blessed Lord is at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ever living to make intercession for us.

Elijah went up - into heaven — He was truly translated; and the words here leave us no room to indulge the conjecture of Dr. Priestley, who supposes that as "Enoch, (probably Moses,) Elijah, and Christ, had no relation to any other world or planet, they are no doubt in this;" for we are told that Elijah went up into heaven; and we know, from the sure testimony of the Scripture, that our blessed Lord is at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ever living to make intercession for us.


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