2 Kings 2:11

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.

📖 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 Elisha prayed, and said, "Yahweh, please open his eyes, that he may see." Yahweh opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.
• Ps 104:3-4 : 3 He lays the beams of his rooms in the waters. He makes the clouds his chariot. He walks on the wings of the wind. 4 He makes his messengers winds; his servants flames of fire.
• Ps 68:17 : 17 The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands. The Lord is among them, from Sinai, into the sanctuary.
• Heb 1:14 : 14 Aren't they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?
• Gen 5:24 : 24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
• 2 Kgs 2:1 : 1 It happened, when Yahweh would take up Elijah by a whirlwind into heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
• Ezek 1:4-9 : 4 I looked, and behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with flashing lightning, and a brightness around it, and out of its midst as it were glowing metal, out of the midst of the fire. 5 Out of its midst came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man. 6 Everyone had four faces, and each one of them had four wings. 7 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 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 [thus]: 9 their wings were joined one to another; they didn't turn when they went; each one went straight forward. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and the four of them had the face of a lion on the right side; and the four of them had the face of an ox on the left side; the four of them also had the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Two wings of each one touched another, and two covered their bodies. 12 Each one went straight forward: where the spirit was to go, they went; they didn't turn 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 The living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning. 15 Now as I saw the living creatures, behold, one wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it. 16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like a beryl: and the four of them 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 didn't turn when they went. 18 As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and the four of them had their rims full of eyes all around. 19 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 Wherever the spirit was to go, they went; there 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 Over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of an expanse, like the awesome crystal to look on, stretched forth over their heads above. 23 Under the expanse were their wings straight, the one toward the other: each one had two which covered on this side, and every one had two which covered on that side, their bodies. 24 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 an army: when they stood, they let down their wings. 25 There was a voice above the expanse that was over their heads: when they stood, they let down their wings. 26 Above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and on the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man on it above. 27 I saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it all around, from the appearance of his waist and upward; and from the appearance of his waist and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. 28 As the appearance of the rainbow 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 Yahweh. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke.
• Ezek 10:9-9 : 9 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 a beryl stone. 10 As for their appearance, the four of them had one likeness, like a wheel within a wheel. 11 When they went, they went in their four directions: they didn't turn as they went, but to the place where the head looked they followed it; they didn't turn as they went. 12 Their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes all around, [even] the wheels that the four of them had. 13 As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, the whirling [wheels]. 14 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 The cherubim mounted up: this is the living creature that I saw by the river Chebar. 16 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 didn't turn 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 The glory of Yahweh went forth from over the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim. 19 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 Yahweh'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 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 Yahweh displeased with the rivers? Was your anger against the rivers, or your wrath against the sea, that you rode on your horses, on your chariots of salvation?
• Zech 3:8 : 8 Hear now, Joshua the high priest, you and your fellows who sit before you; for they are men who are a sign: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant, the Branch.
• Zech 6:1-8 : 1 Again I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass. 2 In the first chariot were red horses; in the second chariot black horses; 3 in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot dappled horses, all of them powerful. 4 Then I asked the angel who talked with me, "What are these, my lord?" 5 The angel answered me, "These are the four winds of the sky, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The one with the black horses goes out toward the north country; and the white went out after them; and the dappled went forth toward the south country." 7 The strong went out, and sought to go that they might walk back and forth through the earth: and he said, "Go around and through the earth!" So they walked back and forth through the earth. 8 Then he called to me, and spoke to me, saying, "Behold, those who go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country."
• Mark 16:19 : 19 So then the Lord, after he had spoken to them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.