Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Kings 2:14

Charles Ellicott Commentary

2 Kings 2:14

1819–1905
Anglican
Charles Ellicott
Charles Ellicott

Charles Ellicott Commentary

2 Kings 2:14

1819–1905
Anglican
SCRIPTURE

"And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is Jehovah, the God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they were divided hither and thither; and Elisha went over." — 2 Kings 2:14 (ASV)

Where is the Lord God of Elijah? —Has He left the earth with His prophet? If not, let Him now show His power, and verify the granting of my request (2 Kings 2:9). The words are a sort of irony of faith. Elisha seeks Jehovah as the only source of power. (Compare to Jeremiah 2:6, 8, where the priests and prophets are blamed for resorting to idols, instead of asking, Where is Jehovah?)

And when he also had smitten. —The Hebrew is, also (or, even) he—and he smote. There is clearly something wrong. The Septuagint does not render the Hebrew ‘aph hû’ “also he,” but copies the words in Greek (αφφω). Keil connects them with the preceding question, Where is Jehovah, the God of Elijah, even He? Thenius objects that this use of ‘aph is doubtful, and supports Houbigant’s correction, ’çphô, an enclitic then—Where, then, is Jehovah, the God of Elijah? and he smote, etc. Perhaps ’êphôh (“where”) was the original reading: Where is Jehovah, the God of Elijah? Where?—an emphatic repetition of the question. Or it may be that the words ’aph hû’ wayyakkeh should be transposed: and he smote—he also (like Elijah), etc.

The Vulgate has the curious renderings, And with the cloak of Elias which had fallen from him, he smote the waters, and they were not divided; and he said, Where is the God of Elias now also? And he smote the waters, and they were divided, etc. This is also the reading of the Complutensian Septuagint, but the variation is simply an old attempt to account for the twofold and he smote the waters.