2 Kings 2:11

American Standard Version (1901)

And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, [there appeared] a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיְהִ֗י הֵ֣מָּה הֹלְכִ֤ים הָלוֹךְ֙ וְדַבֵּ֔ר וְהִנֵּ֤ה רֶֽכֶב־אֵשׁ֙ וְס֣וּסֵי אֵ֔שׁ וַיַּפְרִ֖דוּ בֵּ֣ין שְׁנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיַּ֙עַל֙ אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ בַּֽסְעָרָ֖ה הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

Transliteration

And wayəhî they hōlkîm hālôk and-dabbēr, and-hinnēh rekeb-'ēš and-sûsê 'ēš, and wayyapridû between šənêhem; and wayya'al 'ēlîyāhû in-the-sə'ārâ the-šāmayim.

Grammar Details

• *wayəhî*: waw-consecutive + qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular of *hāyâ* - and it came to pass
• *hōlkîm*: qal participle masculine plural of *hālak* - going/walking
• *hālôk*: qal infinitive absolute of *hālak* - going (intensifier)
• *dabbēr*: piel infinitive absolute of *dābar* - speaking
• *hinnēh*: demonstrative particle - behold/look
• *rekeb*: masculine singular construct of *rekeb* - chariot of
• *'ēš*: feminine singular noun - fire
• *sûsê*: masculine plural construct of *sûs* - horses of
• *wayyapridû*: waw-consecutive + hiphil imperfect 3rd masculine plural of *pārad* - and they separated
• *šənêhem*: numeral + 3rd masculine plural suffix - both of them/the two of them
• *wayya'al*: waw-consecutive + qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular of *'ālâ* - and he went up
• *sə'ārâ*: feminine singular noun - storm/whirlwind/tempest
• *šāmayim*: masculine plural noun - heavens/sky

Word Meanings

• *hōlkîm* *hālôk* and-*dabbēr*: going along and talking/walking continuously and speaking
• *hinnēh*: behold/look/see
• *rekeb*-*'ēš*: chariot of fire/fiery chariot
• *sûsê* *'ēš*: horses of fire/fiery horses
• *wayyapridû*: they separated/divided/made separation
• *sə'ārâ*: whirlwind/storm/tempest
• *šāmayim*: heavens/sky

Referenced Verses

• 2 Kgs 6:17 : 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Jehovah, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And Jehovah opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
• Ps 104:3-4 : 3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters; Who maketh the clouds his chariot; Who walketh upon the wings of the wind; 4 Who maketh winds his messengers; Flames of fire his ministers;
• Ps 68:17 : 17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands upon thousands; The Lord is among them, [as in] Sinai, in the sanctuary.
• Heb 1:14 : 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?
• Gen 5:24 : 24 and Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
• 2 Kgs 2:1 : 1 And it came to pass, when Jehovah would take up Elijah by a whirlwind into heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
• Ezek 1:4-9 : 4 And I looked, and, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with a fire infolding itself, and a brightness round about it, and out of the midst thereof as it were glowing metal, out of the midst of the fire. 5 And out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man. 6 And every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings. 7 And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot; and they sparkled like burnished brass. 8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings [thus] : 9 their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four had also the face of an eagle. 11 And their faces and their wings were separate above; two [wings] of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies. 12 And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; they turned not when they went. 13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches: [the fire] went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. 14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning. 15 Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold, one wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces thereof. 16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto a beryl: and they four had one likeness; and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel. 17 When they went, they went in their four directions: they turned not when they went. 18 As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and they four had their rims full of eyes round about. 19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. 20 Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went; thither was the spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. 21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. 22 And over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of a firmament, like the terrible crystal to look upon, stretched forth over their heads above. 23 And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two which covered on this side, and every one had two which covered on that side, their bodies. 24 And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of a host: when they stood, they let down their wings. 25 And there was a voice above the firmament that was over their heads: when they stood, they let down their wings. 26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man upon it above. 27 And I saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it round about, from the appearance of his loins and upward; and from the appearance of his loins and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness round about him. 28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.
• Ezek 10:9-9 : 9 And I looked, and behold, four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside one cherub, and another wheel beside another cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was like unto a beryl stone. 10 And as for their appearance, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been within a wheel. 11 When they went, they went in their four directions: they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went. 12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, [even] the wheels that they four had. 13 As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, the whirling [wheels] . 14 And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third face the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. 15 And the cherubim mounted up: this is the living creature that I saw by the river Chebar. 16 And when the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the wheels also turned not from beside them. 17 When they stood, these stood; and when they mounted up, these mounted up with them: for the spirit of the living creature was in them. 18 And the glory of Jehovah went forth from over the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim. 19 And the cherubim lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight when they went forth, and the wheels beside them: and they stood at the door of the east gate of Jehovah's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. 20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar; and I knew that they were cherubim. 21 Every one had four faces, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings. 22 And as for the likeness of their faces, they were the faces which I saw by the river Chebar, their appearances and themselves; they went every one straight forward.
• Hab 3:8 : 8 Was Jehovah displeased with the rivers? Was thine anger against the rivers, Or thy wrath against the sea, That thou didst ride upon thy horses, Upon thy chariots of salvation?
• Zech 3:8 : 8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee; for they are men that are a sign: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch. [
• Zech 6:1-8 : 1 And again I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass. 2 In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses; 3 and in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grizzled strong horses. 4 Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord? 5 And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four winds of heaven, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. 6 [ The chariot] wherein are the black horses goeth forth toward the north country; and the white went forth after them; and the grizzled went forth toward the south country. 7 And the strong went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth. 8 Then cried he to me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, they that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.
• Mark 16:19 : 19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.