Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Kings 2:1

"And it came to pass, when Jehovah would take up Elijah by a whirlwind into heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal." — 2 Kings 2:1 (ASV)

And it came to pass ... whirlwind.—The compiler has prefixed this heading to the following narrative by way of connection with the general thread of the history. It seems to be indicated that the event happened at the beginning of the reign of Jehoram; but see Note on 2 Chronicles 21:12.

When the Lord would take up.—When Jehovah caused Elijah to go up, or ascend. This anticipates the conclusion of the story.

Into heaven.—Hebrew, accusative of direction, as in 2 Kings 2:11. The Septuagint renders, ὡς εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν “as into heaven,” perhaps to suggest that not the visible heavens, but God, was the real goal of the prophet’s ascension.

By a whirlwind.—In the storm.

Gilgal.—This refers to the Hebrew term, the Gilgal, that is, the Ring (compare Isaiah 28:28, “wheel”), a descriptive name for more than one place.

The Gilgal mentioned here is in Ephraim, the present-day Jiljîlia, which stands on a hill southwest of Seilûn (Shiloh), near the road leading from there to Jericho (Hosea 4:15; Amos 4:4).

Hosea and Amos connect this Gilgal with Bethel as a sanctuary. It was probably marked by a ring of stones, similar to those at Stonehenge and Avebury.

From this spot, the mountain land of Gilead, the Great Sea, and the snowy heights of Hermon were all visible, so that the prophet could take from there a last look at the whole country which had been the scene of his earthly activity.