2 Kings 2:12

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.

📖 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

Referenced Verses

• 2 Kgs 13:14 : 14 Elisha Makes One Final Prophecy Now Elisha had a terminal illness. King Joash of Israel went down to visit him. He wept before him and said,“My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!”
• Job 1:20-21 : 20 Then Job got up and tore his robe. He shaved his head, and then he threw himself down with his face to the ground. 21 He said,“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return there. The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. May the name of the LORD be blessed!”
• Job 22:30 : 30 he will deliver even someone who is not innocent, who will escape through the cleanness of your hands.”
• Prov 11:11 : 11 A city is exalted by the blessing provided from the upright, but it is destroyed by the counsel of the wicked.
• Prov 30:4 : 4 Who has ascended into heaven, and then descended? Who has gathered up the winds in his fists? Who has bound up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name? Surely you can know!
• Eccl 7:19 : 19 Wisdom Needed Because No One is Truly Righteous Wisdom gives a wise person more protection than ten rulers in a city.
• Eccl 9:16-18 : 16 So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, but a poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice. 17 Wisdom versus Fools, Sin, and Folly The words of the wise are heard in quiet, more than the shouting of a ruler is heard among fools. 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good.
• Isa 37:4 : 4 Perhaps the LORD your God will hear all these things the chief adviser has spoken on behalf of his master, the king of Assyria, who sent him to taunt the living God. When the LORD your God hears, perhaps he will punish him for the things he has said. So pray for this remnant that remains.’”
• Isa 37:15 : 15 Hezekiah prayed before the LORD:
• Isa 37:21 : 21 Isaiah son of Amoz sent this message to Hezekiah:“This is what the LORD God of Israel has said:‘As to what you have prayed to me concerning King Sennacherib of Assyria,
• Isa 57:1-2 : 1 The godly perish, but no one cares. Honest people disappear, when no one minds that the godly disappear because of evil. 2 Those who live uprightly enter a place of peace; they rest on their beds.
• 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 left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another,“Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, that the Lord has made known to us.”
• Luke 24:51 : 51 Now during the blessing he departed and was taken up into 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, while they were watching, he was lifted up and a cloud hid him from their sight.
• Acts 8:2 : 2 Some devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him.
• Acts 27:24 : 24 and said,‘Do not be afraid, Paul! You must stand before Caesar, and God has graciously granted you the safety of all who are sailing with you.’
• 2 Cor 5:2 : 2 For in this earthly house we groan, because we desire to put on our heavenly dwelling,
• 2 Cor 5:4 : 4 For we groan while we are in this tent, since we are weighed down, because we do not want to be unclothed, but clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
• Eph 4:8 : 8 Therefore it says,“When he ascended on high he captured captives; he gave gifts to men.”
• Rev 11:12 : 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them:“Come up here!” So the two prophets went up to heaven in a cloud while their enemies stared at them.