2 Kings 2:12

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Elisha saw this and cried out, 'My father, my father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!' And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וֶאֱלִישָׁ֣ע רֹאֶ֗ה וְה֤וּא מְצַעֵק֙ אָבִ֣י ׀ אָבִ֗י רֶ֤כֶב יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וּפָ֣רָשָׁ֔יו וְלֹ֥א רָאָ֖הוּ ע֑וֹד וֽ͏ַיַּחֲזֵק֙ בִּבְגָדָ֔יו וַיִּקְרָעֵ֖ם לִשְׁנַ֥יִם קְרָעִֽים׃

Transliteration

And-'ĕlîšā' rō'eh, and-he məṣa'ēq, 'ābî 'ābî, rekeb yiśrā'ēl and-pārāšāyw, and-not rā'āhû again; and wayyaḥăzēq in-bəgādāyw and wayyiqrā'ēm to-šənayim qərā'îm.

Grammar Details

• *rō'eh*: qal participle masculine singular of *rā'â* - seeing/watching
• *məṣa'ēq*: piel participle masculine singular of *ṣā'aq* - crying out/calling
• *'ābî*: masculine singular noun + 1st person singular suffix - my father
• *rekeb*: masculine singular construct of *rekeb* - chariot of
• *yiśrā'ēl*: proper noun - Israel
• *pārāšāyw*: masculine plural noun + 3rd masculine singular suffix - his horsemen
• *rā'āhû*: qal perfect 3rd masculine singular + 3rd masculine singular suffix of *rā'â* - he saw him
• *wayyaḥăzēq*: waw-consecutive + hiphil imperfect 3rd masculine singular of *ḥāzaq* - and he seized/grasped
• *bəgādāyw*: masculine plural noun + 3rd masculine singular suffix - his garments
• *wayyiqrā'ēm*: waw-consecutive + qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular + 3rd masculine plural suffix of *qāra'* - and he tore them
• *šənayim*: numeral - two
• *qərā'îm*: masculine plural noun - pieces/fragments

Word Meanings

• *rō'eh*: seeing/watching
• *məṣa'ēq*: crying out/calling loudly
• *'ābî* *'ābî*: my father, my father (repeated for emphasis)
• *rekeb* *yiśrā'ēl* and-*pārāšāyw*: chariot of Israel and its horsemen/the chariotry of Israel and its cavalry
• *wayyaḥăzēq* in-*bəgādāyw*: he took hold of his clothes/he seized his garments
• *wayyiqrā'ēm* to-*šənayim* *qərā'îm*: he tore them into two pieces/he rent them in two pieces

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

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

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  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.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  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.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  But Eliseus sawe it, & cryed: My father, my father, the charetman of Israel and his horsme. And he sawe him nomore. And he toke holde of his clothes, and rente them in two peces,

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And Elisha saw it, and he cryed, My father, my father, the charet of Israel, and the horsemen thereof: and he sawe him no more: and he tooke his owne clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And Elisa sawe, and cryed: O my father, O my father, the charet of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he sawe him no more: and he toke his owne clothes, and rent them in two peeces.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

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

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  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.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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. [

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And when Elisha saw it he gave a cry, My father, my father, the carriages of Israel and its horsemen! And he saw him no longer; and he was full of grief.

• World English Bible (2000)

  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.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  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.

Referenced Verses

• 2 Kgs 13:14 : 14 Now Elisha had fallen sick with the illness from which he would die. Joash king of Israel came down to him, wept over him, and said, 'My father, my father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!'
• Job 1:20-21 : 20 At this, Job got up, tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell to the ground in worship. 21 He said, 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be blessed.'
• Job 22:30 : 30 He will even deliver one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.
• Prov 11:11 : 11 By the blessing of the upright, a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked, it is torn down.
• Prov 30:4 : 4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his hands? Who has wrapped the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!
• Eccl 7:19 : 19 Wisdom makes a wise person stronger than ten rulers in a city.
• Eccl 9:16-18 : 16 So I said, 'Wisdom is better than strength.' But the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded. 17 The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler among fools. 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
• Isa 37:4 : 4 Perhaps the LORD your God will hear the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master, the king of Assyria, has sent to mock the living God, and will rebuke him for the words that the LORD your God has heard. Therefore, offer a prayer for the remnant that still survives.
• Isa 37:15 : 15 And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD, saying:
• Isa 37:21 : 21 Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah, saying, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Because you have prayed to Me about Sennacherib king of Assyria,
• Isa 57:1-2 : 1 The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; faithful people are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. 2 They find peace; they rest in their beds—those who walk in uprightness.
• Mark 16:19 : 19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
• Luke 2:15 : 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."
• Luke 24:51 : 51 While he was blessing them, he departed from them and was taken up to heaven.
• John 3:13 : 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven—the Son of Man.
• Acts 1:9 : 9 After He had said this, He was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.
• Acts 8:2 : 2 Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him.
• Acts 27:24 : 24 saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar. And God has graciously given you the lives of all who are sailing with you.'
• 2 Cor 5:2 : 2 Meanwhile, we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,
• 2 Cor 5:4 : 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
• Eph 4:8 : 8 Therefore it says: 'When he ascended on high, he took the captives captive; he gave gifts to people.'
• Rev 11:12 : 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up into heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched them.