2 Kings 2:9

Contextual Overview

⁹When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken from you.”⁹ It happened, when they had gone over, that Eliyah said to Elisha, Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you. Elisha said, please let a double portion of your spirit be on me. ⁹ And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. ⁹ When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me." ⁹ After they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, "What can I do for you before I am taken from you?" Elisha said, "Leave me a double share of your spirit." ⁹ When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, "What can I do for you, before I am taken away from you?" Elisha answered, "May I receive a double portion of the prophetic spirit that energizes you." ⁹And when they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me."⁹ When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask me what I should do for you before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me."⁹ Nowe when they were passed ouer, Eliiah saide vnto Elisha, Aske what I shall doe for thee before I be taken from thee. And Elisha saide, I pray thee, let thy Spirit be double vpon me. ⁹Now it happened when they crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Ask what: 2 Kings 13:14-19, Numbers 27:16-23, Deuteronomy 34:9, 1 Chronicles 29:18, 1 Chronicles 29:19, Psalms 72:1, Psalms 72:20, Luke 24:45-51, John 17:9-13, Acts 1:8, Acts 8:17, Acts 20:25-36

Elisha said: Numbers 11:17, Numbers 11:25, 1 Kings 3:9, 2 Chronicles 1:9, 2 Chronicles 1:10, John 14:12-14, John 16:7, 1 Corinthians 12:31

a double portion: This probably refers to the law respecting the first-born, who had a double portion of the property of his father. As Elisha may have considered himself as the first-born of Elijah, so he requested a double portion of his spiritual influence. Numbers 27:20, Deuteronomy 21:17, Zechariah 9:12, Zechariah 12:8, 1 Timothy 5:17

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 1:37 - and make 2 Kings 4:2 - What shall I Proverbs 30:7 - have Isaiah 61:7 - your shame John 3:34 - for God

Cross-References

Genesis 2:8
The LORD God planted a garden eastward, in `Eden, and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Genesis 2:8
And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Genesis 2:8
And Yahweh God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Genesis 2:8
Then the Lord God planted a garden in the east, in a place called Eden, and put the man he had formed into it.

Genesis 2:8
The Lord God planted an orchard in the east, in Eden; and there he placed the man he had formed.

Genesis 2:8
And the LORD God planted a garden (oasis) in the east, in Eden (delight, land of happiness); and He put the man whom He had formed (created) there.

Genesis 2:8
The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed.

Genesis 2:8
And the Lord God planted a garden Eastward in Eden, and there he put the man whom he had made.

Genesis 2:8
And Yahweh God planted a garden in Eden, toward the east; and there He placed the man whom He had formed.

Genesis 2:8
The Lord made a garden in a place called Eden, which was in the east, and he put the man there.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass, when they were gone over,.... Had got on the other side Jordan:

that Elijah said unto Elisha, ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken from thee; for, having followed him so closely, he now made no more a secret of his assumption, and having had full trial of his attachment to him, and affection for him:

and Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me; the two parts of the gifts of the spirit he had, that of prophecy, and that of doing miracles, as some think; or two parts out of three of what Elijah was possessed of; or rather double as much, and which he might desire, not from a spirit of vanity and ambition to be greater than his master, but from an eagerness to promote the glory of God, and the interest of religion, to reclaim the Israelites from their idolatry, and establish the true religion, which he might observe Elijah was not able to do with that measure of grace and gifts he had; or however this phrase denotes an abundance, a large portion or measure, as it everywhere does. Many, after Ben Gersom, have thought it refers to the double portion of the firstborn, and that Elisha does not mean a double portion with respect to Elijah, but with respect to the junior prophets, with whom he might be considered as a firstborn, and so desired a double or greater portion than they, and which may be most correct m; and when he asked this, he did not suppose it was in Elijah's power to give him it, only that he would pray to God, at parting with him, that he would bestow it on him.

m See Weemse of the Moral Law, l. 2. c. 7. p. 41.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me - Like Solomon, Elisha asks for no worldly advantage, but for spiritual power to discharge his office aright. The “double portion” is that which denotes the proportion of a father’s property which was the right of an eldest son Deuteronomy 21:17. Elisha therefore asked for twice as much of Elijah’s spirit as should be inherited by any other of the “sons of the prophets.” He simply claimed, i. e., to be acknowledged as Elijah’s firstborn spiritual son.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 2:9. A double portion of thy spirit be upon me. — This in reference to the law, Deuteronomy 21:17: He shall acknowledge the first-born, by giving him a DOUBLE PORTION of all that he hath - the right of the first-born is his. Elisha considered himself the only child or first-born of Elijah, as the disciples of eminent teachers were called their children; so here he claims a double portion of his spiritual influence, any other disciples coming in for a single share only. Sons of the prophets means no more than the disciples or scholars of the prophets. The original words פי שנים pi shenayim, mean rather two parts, than double the quantity.