2 Kings 2:2 - Exposition

And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me. Elijah makes three efforts to rid himself of the presence of his faithful attendant (see 2 Kings 2:4 and 2 Kings 2:6 ), either really desirous to pass in solitude the few remaining hours of his earthly life, for he knows that his end is approaching ( 2 Kings 2:9 , 2 Kings 2:10 ), or for the purpose of testing his fidelity and affection. Under ordinary circumstances, the servant would naturally have obeyed his lord, and submitted to a temporary separation; but Elisha has a presentiment, or something stronger than a presentiment, of what is impending ( 2 Kings 2:3 , 2 Kings 2:5 ), and will not be induced to accelerate by a single moment the time of the last parting. He will remain with his master, ready to do him all needful service, until the end. To Bethel. Bethel was the spiritual center of the kingdom of the ten tribes. There may have been many reasons why Elijah should visit it once more before he quitted the earth. He may have had directions to leave, consolation to give, words of warning to speak. We must not suppose that the narrative before us is complete. And Elisha said unto him, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth. These were ordinary forms of earnest asseveration with the Israelites, generally used separately ( 8:19 ; Ruth 3:13 ; 1 Samuel 1:26 ; 1 Samuel 14:39 ; 1 Samuel 17:55 ; 1 Samuel 19:6 ; 1 Samuel 20:21 ; 2 Samuel 4:9 ; 2 Samuel 11:11 , etc.); but on occasions of special solemnity united, as here and in 1 Samuel 20:3 ; 1 Samuel 25:26 ; 2 Kings 4:30 ). The prophet is not to be blamed for using them, since the command, "Swear not at all," had not yet been given. I will not leave thee. The resolve indicates strong attachment, deep fidelity, combined, perhaps, with a reasonable curiosity to see how the end would be brought about. So they went down to Bethel. The expression, "went down," shows that the Gilgal of 2 Kings 4:1 is not that of the Jordan valley, but the mountain-city between Sichem and Bethel.