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Vers. 2. ANd Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, &c.] God had revealed to Elijah that he should be taken up to heaven; as is manifest, vers. 9. and withall had enjoyned him; first, to visit those schools of the prophets which were at Beth-el and Jericho, that he might both by his counsell and prayers leave a blessing amongst them before his departure; and perhaps, that he might put into their hands that prophecy against Jehoram the king of Judah; which some yeares after
was to be delivered to him, whereof mention is made, 2. Chron. 21.12. And there came a writing to him from Elijah the Prophet, &c. Elijah therefore addressing him∣self to this journey, immediately after which he was to be taken up into heaven, ei∣ther because he knew not what witnesses God would allow to be present at that mi∣raculous act, and affected not the spreading of his fame thereby; or because he desired to be alone, that he might the better prepare himself for this his strange passage to heaven; or because he desired to trie the constancie of Elishaes love, or whether the Lord had revealed any thing to him concerning his rapture; or lastly, to make him the more desirous to go along with him: when he was going from Gilgal he advised Elisha to stay there.
Vers. 3. Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day?] This phrase of taking away Elijah from the head of Elisha, is either used to imply that he should be taken upward to heaven; or else rather, in relation to the manner of their sitting in the schools of the Prophets; where Elijah, as the father and teacher of the Prophets, used to sit in a higher place, as it were above their heads, and Elisha and the rest at a lower place, as it were at his feet: as it is said of the Apostle Paul, Acts 22.3. that he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel.
And he said, Yea, I know it, hold you your peace. The Lord had revealed to Eli∣sha, that his master should be that day taken up into heaven; yea, as it seems, he had enjoyned him to attend diligently his going away, and had perhaps promised him, that if he saw him when he was taken up from him, he should have a double portion of Elijahs spirit, as Elijah afterwards told him, vers. 10. So eagerly there∣fore did he intend the expectation of this miraculous rapture of his master, that he was loth to entertain the least discourse with the Prophets, lest his master should on a sudden be taken away, and he not see it; and therefore he answers them so shortly, Yea, I know it; and enjoyns them presently to hold their peace.
Vers. 7. And fifty men of the sonnes of the prophets went, and stood to view a∣farre off.] To wit, to see the assumption of Elijah into heaven; and thus by Gods providence there were many eye-witnesses of this miracle; and so likewise had Christ many eye-witnesses of his resurrection and ascension, 1. Cor. 15.5, 6. &c. and Acts 1.9.
Vers. 9. Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee.] Thus it was also with Christ, John 16.23. Whatsoever you shall ask the father in my name, I will give it you: Ephes. 4.8. When he ascended up on high, he led captivitie captive, and gave gifts unto men.
And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.] That is, say some, the gift of prophesie to foretell future things, and the gift of working miracles; and others conceive that he asked twice as much of the gift of the spirit as Elijah had, out of a zealous unsatisfied desire to promote Gods glory, and to do good to his people; and accordingly, say they, whereas Elijah wrought eight mira∣cles, Elisha wrought sixteen; but I rather conceive, that hereby is meant onely a great and eminent measure of the gifts of the spirit; double in regard of the other Prophets, as alluding to the priviledges of the first-born, Deut. 21.17. he was to succeed in the room of Elijah, 1. Kings 19.16. He was to be a father to the schools of the Prophets, and to be chiefly imployed in opposing the corruptions of the times,
and therefore he craves a double portion of his spirit, that he might be furnished according to the eminencie of the place, and work he was to undertake.
Vers. 10. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing, &c.] That is, that which God doth very rarely afford to any man, no not to his servants the Prophets, so that to obtain this for thee from God, thou mayest well think it is no easie thing, Neverthelesse, saith Elijah, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so un∣to thee: and this Elijah prescribed, as the condition of his obtaining his desire, because though the seeing of Elijah when he was taken away could no way be an advantage in it self to draw down a double portion of his spirit upon Elisha, yet this would be both a triall of his faith, which, where it is in truth, makes men with much vi∣gilancie and intention of mind, wait for the accomplishment of Gods promises, and that in the use of the means which he hath appointed, how unlikely soever they seem to be for the procuring of the promised blessing in the eye of our reason; and might also inform him how vehement his desire ought to be in seeking to obtain that great blessing from God which he now desired, and as a signe whereby he should know whether God would grant him his desire, or no.
Vers. 11. There appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire.] And thus this zealous fiery spirited Prophet, after he had long and happily fought a good fight of faith, and contended for God against all the errours and corruptions of his times, was at last carried triumphantly in a chariot of fire into heaven, that is, by the holy Angels appearing in the likenesse of a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, according to that of the Psalmist, Psal. 104.4. Who maketh his Angels spirits, his ministers a flaming fire; and so by this means the Lord did exceedingly honour his faithfull servant; and withall, as before the Law, by the taking up of Enoch into heaven, so now under the Law, by this rapture of Elijah; and then in the dayes of the Go∣spel, by the ascention of Christ, God was pleased to give evident and sensible proofs, that he hath prepared the heavens for the perpetuall abode of his Saints, and that though our bodies be laid for a time in the grave, yet they shall at last be taken up into heaven, there to live with God in everlasting glory; onely they must be changed, and of naturall weak corruptible bodies, they must be made spirituall glo∣rious incorruptible bodies; and such a change no doubt there was now made in the body of Elijah, that it might be fitted for heaven.
Vers. 12. And he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.] That is the strength and defence both of the Church and com∣monwealth of Israel, who by his doctrine and prayers, did more for the defence of the Israelites; then all their forces of chariots and horsemen could do: and this Eli∣sha spake, either as bewailing the losse of Elijah in this regard; or else, to expresse his thoughts concerning this manner of Elijahs rapture; namely that because he had been, as the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof, for their defence and safetie; therefore he was now taken up with a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and so carried triumphantly into heaven.
Vers. 13. He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him.] When Elijah was caught up into heaven, his mantle fell from him, first, to shew that he was gone where he should no more have any need of his garments or any such thing: and se∣condly, that it might be left to Elisha, as a token that God had designed him to suc∣ceed
in Elijah place: out of grief for the losse of his master, he had torn his own gar∣ments, and now to comfort him again, that very mantle is as it were given him from heaven, wherewith at his first calling he was assured that he should succeed him in his propheticall office.
Vers. 14. And said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah; &c.] These were no words of distrust and doubting, but of invocation and faith, as if he had said, I shall now see whether the spirit of Elijah rests upon me or no, by attempting to work the same miracle; or, O Lord who by thy servant Elijah didst divide these waters, make it now manifest by the same miracle that thou hast given me the spirit of Elijah.
Vers. 15. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground be∣fore him.] As to the father of the Prophets.
Vers. 16. Lest peradventure the spirit of the Lord hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, &c.] See the note upon the 1 Kings 18.12.
Vers. 17. They sent therefore fifty men, and they sought three dayes but found him not.] Thus through their mistake, the rapture of Elijah to heaven was confirmed.
Vers. 19. But the water is nought, and the ground barren.] The land of Ca∣naan was a most fruitfull land, and had the waters of Jericho been alwayes nought and the ground barren, it is not likely they would have built a city there; or that Hiel the Beth-elite would so lately have reedified it in the dayes of Ahab, if it had been then so annoyed; but we see what the Psalmist saith, Psal. 107.33, 34. He turneth rivers into a wildernesse, and the watersprings into dry ground: A fruit∣full land into barrennesse, for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein. The sinnes of the inhabitants (and perhaps the reedifying of Jericho) had brought this curse upon the place: which now therefore they commend to Elishaes consideration, as expect∣ing that the Lord would now by miracles confirm the calling of this new father of the Prophets.
Vers. 20. Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein, &c.] Salt was more likely to make the waters brackish, then any way to heal them, and the more was Gods power magnified, who could work this alteration in the waters by such contrary means; as for his appointing the salt to be brought in a new cruse, that might be enjoyned, either, first, to make sure that it should not be any way legally unclean; or secondly, to signifie the new change that should be made in the waters; or rather, thirdly, that it might not be supposed that the salt had virtue to cure the waters from the cruse by reason of any thing that had formerly been put into it but that it was merely of God that it was effectuall for this end, according to the words of Elisha in the following verse, when he cast the salt into the spring Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters. And indeed, it is probable, that for this very rea∣son the Prophet did appoint the men of the citie to fetch a new cruse of salt; namely, that they might be assured that there was no underhand dealing in working this miracle.
Vers. 23. And he went up from thence unto Beth-el.] Having visited the col∣ledge of the Prophets at Jericho, he went thence to that also at Beth-el, both to in∣form them of Elijahs rapture, and the Lords designing him to succeed in his place, and to confirm them in the truth, both by his counsel and prayers.
And as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, &c.] Beth-el was the chief place where Jeroboams idolatry was practised, 1 Kings 12.28, 29. though therefore the prophets had seated themselves there, because there was most need of their presence, where was the springhead of that corruption: yet it seems, the inhabitants were most of Jeroboams religion, and no marvell then, though the little children had learnt of their idolatrous parents to scoff at Gods prophets, as here they did Elisha, crying after him as he went along, Go up thou bald-head, go up thou bald-head, wherein they did not onely revile him with the name of bald-head, but also scoffed at that report, which, no doubt, was soon spread abroad of Elijahs rapture into heaven; as if they should have said, you that report your master is gone up into heaven, why do not you go up after him? for in∣deed why they should by way of derision call upon him to go up the hill, as com∣monly it is thought these words were spoken, I cannot conceive.
Vers. 24. And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord, &c.] That is, by authority from God, he pronounced them ac∣cursed of God; and indeed therefore it is expressed, that he looked on them before he cursed them; to intimate, that he did not do it in a suddain passion, to revenge himself, but by the speciall instinct of God, and that to punish the wickednesse of the parents in the death of these their misnurtured children; and to let the Israe∣lites see, that if God would so severely revenge the reproaching of his prophets in the mouthes of little children; much lesse would he endure it in those that were of rip••r yeares. It is strange indeed, that the prophet after durst go to Beth-el; but he went under Gods protection, who was able to defend him, as he had done his master Elijah against the fury of king Ahaziah; when he had fetched fire from heaven upon his captains and their souldiers.