2 Kings 2:12
New International Version
Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.

New Living Translation
Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father! My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!” And as they disappeared from sight, Elisha tore his clothes in distress.

English Standard Version
And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

Berean Standard Bible
As Elisha watched, he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And he saw Elijah no more. So taking hold of his own clothes, he tore them in two.

King James Bible
And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

New King James Version
And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.

New American Standard Bible
And Elisha was watching it and he was crying out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he did not see Elijah again. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

NASB 1995
Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw Elijah no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

NASB 1977
And Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Elisha was seeing this and he was crying out, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw Elijah no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

Amplified Bible
Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he no longer saw Elijah. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces [in grief].

Christian Standard Bible
As Elisha watched, he kept crying out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel! ” When he could see him no longer, he took hold of his own clothes, tore them in two,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
As Elisha watched, he kept crying out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” Then he never saw Elijah again. He took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.

American Standard Version
And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof! And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Elisha saw, and behold, he cried out and said: “My father! My father! The chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he did not see him again. And he grasped on his clothes and he ripped them into two pieces.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Elisaie saw, and cried, Father, father, the chariot of Israel, and the horseman thereof! And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his garments, and rent them into two pieces.

Contemporary English Version
Elisha saw this and shouted, "Israel's cavalry and chariots have taken my master away!" After Elijah had gone, Elisha tore his clothes in sorrow.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Eliseus saw him, and cried: My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the driver thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own garments, and rent them in two pieces.

English Revised Version
And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof! And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When Elisha saw this, he cried out, "Master! Master! Israel's chariot and horses!" When he couldn't see Elijah anymore, he grabbed his own garment and tore it in two [to show his grief].

Good News Translation
Elisha saw it and cried out to Elijah, "My father, my father! Mighty defender of Israel! You are gone!" And he never saw Elijah again. In grief Elisha tore his cloak in two.

International Standard Version
As Elisha continued to watch, he cried out, "My father! My father! The chariots of Israel and its cavalry!" Then he did not see Elijah anymore. After this, Elisha gripped his clothes that he was wearing, tore them apart into two pieces,

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Elisha saw it, and he cried: 'My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof!' And he saw him no more; and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

Literal Standard Version
And Elisha is seeing, and he is crying, “My father! My father! The chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he has not seen him again; and he takes hold on his garments and tears them into two pieces.

Majority Standard Bible
As Elisha watched, he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And he saw Elijah no more. So taking hold of his own clothes, he tore them in two.

New American Bible
and Elisha saw it happen. He cried out, “My father! my father! Israel’s chariot and steeds!” Then he saw him no longer. He gripped his own garment, tore it into two pieces,

NET Bible
While Elisha was watching, he was crying out, "My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!" Then he could no longer see him. He grabbed his clothes and tore them in two.

New Revised Standard Version
Elisha kept watching and crying out, “Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

New Heart English Bible
Elisha saw it, and he cried, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen." He saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and tore them in two pieces.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

World English Bible
Elisha saw it, and he cried, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” He saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

Young's Literal Translation
And Elisha is seeing, and he is crying, 'My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and its horsemen;' and he hath not seen him again; and he taketh hold on his garments, and rendeth them into two pieces.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Elijah Taken to Heaven
11As 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. 12As Elisha watched, he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And he saw Elijah no more. So taking hold of his own clothes, he tore them in two. 13Elisha also picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah, and he went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.…

Cross References
Genesis 37:34
Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days.

2 Kings 2:13
Elisha also picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah, and he went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.

2 Kings 5:13
Naaman's servants, however, approached him and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, 'Wash and be cleansed'?"

2 Kings 6:21
And when the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, "My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?"

2 Kings 13:14
When Elisha had fallen sick with the illness from which he would die, Jehoash king of Israel came down to him and wept over him, saying, "My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!"

Job 1:20
Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped,


Treasury of Scripture

And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

saw it

2 Kings 2:10
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.

My father

2 Kings 13:14
Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.

Job 22:30
He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.

Proverbs 11:11
By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

he saw him

Proverbs 30:4
Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?

Mark 16:19
So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

Luke 2:15
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

rent them

Job 1:20,21
Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, …

Isaiah 57:1,2
The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come

Acts 8:2
And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

Jump to Previous
Apart Chariot Chariots Clothes Cried Cry Crying Elijah Elisha Eli'sha Full Grief Hold Horsemen Israel Longer Pieces Rent Thereof Tore
Jump to Next
Apart Chariot Chariots Clothes Cried Cry Crying Elijah Elisha Eli'sha Full Grief Hold Horsemen Israel Longer Pieces Rent Thereof Tore
2 Kings 2
1. Elijah, taking his leave of Elisha, with his mantle divides Jordan
9. and, granting Elisha his request, is taken up by a fiery chariot into heaven
12. Elisha, dividing Jordan with Elijah's mantle, is acknowledged his successor
16. The young prophets, hardly obtaining leave to seek Elijah, cannot find him.
19. Elisha with salt heals the unwholesome waters
23. Bears destroy the children that mocked Elisha














(12) And Elisha . . . cried.--Literally, And Elisha was seeing, and he (emphatic) was shouting. (Comp. 2Kings 2:10, "If thou see me taken away.")

My father, my father.--Expresses what Elijah was to Elisha. (See Note on 2Kings 2:9.)

The chariot (chariots--rekeb) of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.--Expressing what Elijah was to the nation. The Targum paraphrases, "My master, my master, who was better to Israel than chariots and horsemen by his prayers." The personal work and influence of a prophet like Elijah was the truest safeguard of Israel. The force of the expression will be seen, if it is remembered that chariots and horsemen constituted, in that age, the chief military arm, and were indispensable for the struggle against the Aramean states. (Comp. 2Kings 7:6; 2Kings 10:2; 2Kings 13:14; 1Kings 20:1; Psalm 20:7.) . . .

Verse 12. - And Elisha saw it (comp. ver. 10). The condition was fulfilled which Elijah had laid down, and Elisha knew that his request for a "double portion" of his master's spirit was granted. And he cried, My father! my father! It was usual for servants thus to address their masters (2 Kings 5:13), and younger men would, out of respect, almost always thus address an aged prophet (2 Kings 6:21; 2 Kings 13:14, etc.). But Elisha probably meant something more than to show respect. He regarded himself as Elijah's specially adopted son, and hence had claimed the "double portion" of the firstborn. That his request was granted showed that the relationship was acknowledged. The chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof; i.e. the best earthly defense of Israel. "In losing thee," he means, "we lose our great protector - him that is more to us than chariots and horsemen - the strength of Israel, against both domestic and foreign foes." The sight of the fiery chariot and horses may have determined the imagery, but they are not spoken cf. Note the substitution of "horsemen" for "horses," and comp. 2 Kings 13:10, where the same expression is used in reference to Elisha. And he saw him no more. Elijah passed beyond Elisha's ken. So far as we can gather from the expressions employed, no cloud received him (Acts 1:9), but he gradually vanished from sight. And he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces; an action marking extreme horror or extreme grief - here the latter (comp. Genesis 37:29; 2 Samuel 13:19; Job 1:20; Job 2:12, etc.).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
As Elisha
וֶאֱלִישָׁ֣ע (we·’ĕ·lî·šā‘)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 477: Elisha -- 'God is salvation', a well-known Israelite prophet

watched,
רֹאֶ֗ה (rō·’eh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

he
וְה֤וּא (wə·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

cried out,
מְצַעֵק֙ (mə·ṣa·‘êq)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6817: To shriek, to proclaim

“My father,
אָבִ֣י ׀ (’ā·ḇî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1: Father

my father,
אָבִ֗י (’ā·ḇî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1: Father

the chariots
רֶ֤כֶב (re·ḵeḇ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7393: A vehicle, a team, cavalry, a rider, the upper millstone

and horsemen
וּפָ֣רָשָׁ֔יו (ū·p̄ā·rā·šāw)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6571: A steed, a driver, cavalry

of Israel!”
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

And he saw [Elijah]
רָאָ֖הוּ (rā·’ā·hū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

no
וְלֹ֥א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

more.
ע֑וֹד (‘ō·wḏ)
Adverb
Strong's 5750: Iteration, continuance, again, repeatedly, still, more

So taking hold
וַֽיַּחֲזֵק֙ (way·ya·ḥă·zêq)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2388: To fasten upon, to seize, be strong, obstinate, to bind, restrain, conquer

of his own clothes,
בִּבְגָדָ֔יו (biḇ·ḡā·ḏāw)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 899: A covering, clothing, treachery, pillage

he tore them
וַיִּקְרָעֵ֖ם (way·yiq·rā·‘êm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7167: To rend

in two.
לִשְׁנַ֥יִם (liš·na·yim)
Preposition-l | Number - md
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)


Links
2 Kings 2:12 NIV
2 Kings 2:12 NLT
2 Kings 2:12 ESV
2 Kings 2:12 NASB
2 Kings 2:12 KJV

2 Kings 2:12 BibleApps.com
2 Kings 2:12 Biblia Paralela
2 Kings 2:12 Chinese Bible
2 Kings 2:12 French Bible
2 Kings 2:12 Catholic Bible

OT History: 2 Kings 2:12 Elisha saw it and he cried My (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 2:11
Top of Page
Top of Page