2 Kings 2:11

KJV1611 – Modern English

And it happened, as they still went on and talked, that behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both apart; 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

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

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

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And it came to pass, as they still{H1980} went on,{H1980} and talked,{H1696} that, behold, [there appeared] a chariot{H7393} of fire,{H784} and horses{H5483} of fire,{H784} which parted{H6504} them both{H8147} asunder;{H996} and Elijah{H452} went up{H5927} by a whirlwind{H5591} into heaven.{H8064}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And it came to pass, as they still{H1980}{(H8800)} went on{H1980}{(H8802)}, and talked{H1696}{(H8763)}, that, behold, there appeared a chariot{H7393} of fire{H784}, and horses{H5483} of fire{H784}, and parted{H6504}{(H8686)} them both{H8147} asunder{H996}; and Elijah{H452} went up{H5927}{(H8799)} by a whirlwind{H5591} into heaven{H8064}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And as they were goinge together, and he talked, there came a fyrie charet with horses of fyre, and parted the both asunder. And so wente Elias vp to heauen in the storme.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And as they went walking and talking, beholde, there appeared a charet of fire, and horses of fire, and did separate them twaine. So Eliiah went vp by a whirle winde into heauen.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And it fortuned, that as they went walking and talking: beholde, there appeared a charet of fyre, and horses of fyre, & parted them both a sunder, and Elias went vp through the whorle winde into heauen.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

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

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  It happened, as they still went on, and talked, that behold, [there appeared] a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them both apart; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And it cometh to pass, they are going, going on and speaking, and lo, a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and they separate between them both, and Elijah goeth up in a whirlwind, to the heavens.

• 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.

• 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.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And while they went on their way, going on talking together, suddenly there were carriages and horses of fire separating them from one another and Elijah went up to heaven in a great wind.

• World English Bible (2000)

  It happened, as they still went on, and talked, that behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a fiery chariot pulled by fiery horses appeared. They went between Elijah and Elisha, and Elijah went up to heaven in a windstorm.

Referenced Verses

• 2 Kgs 6:17 : 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
• Ps 104:3-4 : 3 Who lays the beams of His chambers in the waters: who makes the clouds His chariot: who walks upon the wings of the wind: 4 Who makes His angels spirits; His ministers a flaming fire:
• Ps 68:17 : 17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.
• Heb 1:14 : 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for those who shall be heirs of 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 happened that when the LORD was about to take Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
• Ezek 1:4-9 : 4 And I looked, and behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire enfolding itself, and brightness was about it, and out of its midst was as the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. 5 Also out of its midst 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 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 the color of burnished brass. 8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and the four of them had their faces and their wings. 9 Their wings were joined to one another; they turned not when they went; they each went straight forward. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, the four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side; and the four had the face of an ox on the left side; the four also had the face of an eagle. 11 Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of each were joined to one another, and two covered their bodies. 12 And each went straight forward: wherever the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went. 13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it 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 by the living creatures, with their four faces. 16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like the color of a beryl: and the four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. 17 When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went. 18 As for their rims, they were so high that they were fearful; and their rims were full of eyes all around the four of them. 19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. 20 Wherever the spirit was to go, they went, there was their 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 the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the color of an awesome crystal, stretched forth over their heads above. 23 And under the firmament were their wings straight, one toward the other: each one had two, which covered on this side, and each 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, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an army: when they stood, they let down their wings. 25 And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had 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 the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. 27 And I saw as the color of amber, as the appearance of fire all around within it, from the appearance of his waist even upward, and from the appearance of his waist even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness all around. 28 Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one speaking.
• Ezek 10:9-9 : 9 And when I looked, behold, the four wheels by the cherubim, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was like the color of a beryl stone. 10 And regarding their appearances, the four had one likeness, as if one wheel was within another wheel. 11 When they went, they went upon their four sides; they did not turn as they went, but they followed wherever the head looked; they did not turn as they went. 12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes all around, the wheels that they four had. 13 As for the wheels, it was called to them in my hearing, O wheel. 14 And each one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, the second was the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. 15 And the cherubim were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar. 16 And when the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them: and when the cherubim lifted up their wings to rise from the earth, the same wheels also did not turn from beside them. 17 When they stood, these stood; and when they were lifted up, these lifted up themselves also: for the spirit of the living creature was in them. 18 Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim. 19 And the cherubim lifted up their wings, and rose from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels were also beside them, and everyone stood at the entrance of the east gate of the LORD's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. 20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubim. 21 Each one had four faces, and each one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings. 22 And the likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves: they each went straight forward.
• Hab 3:8 : 8 Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? Was Your anger against the rivers? Was Your wrath against the sea, that You rode upon Your horses and Your chariots of salvation?
• Zech 3:8 : 8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your companions who sit before you: for they are a wondrous sign: for behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.
• Zech 6:1-8 : 1 And I turned and lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of bronze. 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, dappled and bay horses. 4 Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, What are these, my lord? 5 And the angel answered and said to me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The black horses which are there go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the dappled go forth toward the south country. 7 And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth; and he said, Go, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth. 8 Then he cried to me and spoke to me, saying, Behold, those that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.
• Mark 16:19 : 19 So then after the Lord had spoken to them, he was received up into heaven and sat at the right hand of God.