_THE ASCENSION OF ELIJAH_
2 KINGS ii. 1-18
Ἠλίας ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἠφανίσθη, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἔγνω μεχρὶς τῆς σήμερον
αὐτοῦ τὴν τελεύτην.--JOS., _Antt._, IX. ii. 2.
Γεγόνασιν ἀφανεῖς, θάνατον δὲ αὐτῶν οὐδεὶς οἶδεν.--ST. EPHRÆM
SYRUS.
The date of the assumption of Elijah is wholly uncertain, and it
becomes still more so because of the confusion of chronological order
which results from the composite character of the records here
collected. It appears from various scattered notices that Elijah lived
on till the reign of Jehoram of Judah, whereas the narrative in this
chapter is placed before the death of Jehoshaphat.
When the time came that "Jehovah would take up Elijah by a whirlwind
into heaven," the prophet had a prevision of his approaching end, and
determined for the last time to visit the hills of his native Gilead.
The story of his end, though not written in rhythm, is told in a style
of the loftiest poetry, resembling other ancient poems in its simple
and solemn repetitions. On his way to Gilead, Elijah desires to visit
ancient sanctuaries where schools of the prophets were now
established, and accompanied by Elisha, whose faithful ministrations
he had enjoyed for ten almost silent years, he went to Gilgal. This
was not the Gilgal in the Jordan valley so famous in the days of
Joshua,[23] but _Jiljilia_ in the hills of Ephraim,[24] where many
young prophets were in course of training.[25]
Knowing that he was on his way to death, Elijah felt the imperious
instinct which leads the soul to seek solitude at the supreme crises
of life. He would have preferred that even Elisha should leave him,
and he bade him stop at Gilgal, because the Lord had sent him as far
as Bethel. But Elisha was determined to see the end, and exclaimed
with strong asseveration, "As Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul liveth,
I will not leave thee."
So they went on to Bethel, where there was another school of prophets,
under the immediate shadow of Jeroboam's golden calf, though we are
not told whether they continued the protest of the old nameless seer
from Judah, or not.[26] Here the youths of the college came
respectfully to Elisha--for they were prevented by a sense of awe from
addressing Elijah--and asked him "whether he knew that that day God
would take away his master." "Yes, I know it," he answers; but--for
this is no subject for idle talk--"hold ye your peace."
Once more Elijah tries to shake off the attendance of his friend and
disciple. He bids him stay at Bethel, since Jehovah has sent him on to
Jericho. Once more Elisha repeats his oath that he will not leave
him, and once more the sons of the prophets at Jericho, who warn him
of what is coming, are told to say no more.
But little of the journey now remains. In vain Elijah urges Elisha to
stay at Jericho; they proceed to Jordan. Conscious that some great
event is impending, and that Elijah is leaving these scenes for ever,
fifty of the sons of the prophets watch the two as they descend the
valley to the river. Here they saw Elijah take off his mantle of hair,
roll it up, and smite the waters with it. The waters part asunder, and
the prophets pass over dry-shod.[27] As they crossed over Elijah asks
Elisha what he should do for him, and Elisha entreats that a double
portion of Elijah's spirit may rest upon him. By this he does not mean
to ask for twice Elijah's power and inspiration, but only for an elder
son's portion, which was twice what was inherited by the younger
sons.[28] "Thou hast asked a hard thing," said Elijah; "but if thou
seest me when I am taken hence, it shall be so."
The sequel can be only told in the words of the text: "And it came to
pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared
a chariot of fire, and horses of fire,[29] and parted them both
asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw
it, and he cried, 'My father, my father, the chariots of Israel, and
the horsemen thereof!'[30] And he saw him no more."
Respecting the manner in which Elijah ended his earthly career, we
know nothing beyond what is conveyed by this splendid narrative. His
death, like that of Moses, was surrounded by mystery and miracles, and
we can say nothing further about it. The question must still remain
unanswered for many minds whether it was intended by the prophetic
annalists for literal history, for spiritual allegory, or for actual
events bathed in the colourings of an imagination to which the
providential assumed the aspect of the supernatural.[31] We are twice
told that "Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven,"[32] and in that
storm--which would have seemed a fit scene for the close of a career
of storm--God, in the high poetry of the Psalmist, may have made the
winds His angels, and the flames of fire His ministers. For us it must
suffice to say of Elijah, as the Book of Genesis says of Enoch, that
"he was not, for God took him."
Elisha signalised the removal of his master by a burst of natural
grief. He seized his garments and rent them in twain. Elijah had
dropped his mantle of skin, and his grieving disciple took it with him
as a priceless relic.[33] The legendary St. Antony bequeathed to St.
Athanasius the only thing which he had, his sheepskin mantle; and in
the mantle of Elijah his successor inherited his most characteristic
and almost his sole possession. He returned to Jordan, and with this
mantle he smote the waters as Elijah had done. At first they did not
divide;[34] but when he exclaimed, "Where is the Lord, the God of
Elijah, even He?" they parted hither and thither. Seeing the portent,
the sons of the prophets came with humble prostrations, and
acknowledged him as their new leader.
They were not, however, satisfied with what they had seen, or had
heard from Elisha, of the departure of the great prophet, and begged
leave to send fifty strong men to search whether the wind of the Lord
had not swept him away to some mountain or valley. Elisha at first
refused, but afterwards yielded to their persistent importunity. They
searched for three days among the hills of Gilead, but found him not,
either living or dead, as Elisha had warned them would be the case.
From that time forward Elijah has taken his place in all Jewish and
Mohammedan legends as the mysterious and deathless wanderer. Malachi
spoke of him as destined to appear again to herald the coming of the
Messiah,[35] and Christ taught His disciples that John the Baptist had
come in the spirit and power of Elijah. In Jewish legend he often
appears and disappears. A chair is set for him at the circumcision of
every Jewish child. At the Paschal feast the door is set open for him
to enter. All doubtful questions are left for decision until he comes
again. To the Mohammedans he is known as the wonder-working and awful
El Khudr.[36]
Elisha is mentioned but once in all the later books of Scripture; but
Elijah is mentioned many times, and the son of Sirach sums up his
greatness when he says: "Then stood up Elias as fire, and his word
burned like a torch. O Elias, how wast thou honoured in thy wondrous
deeds! and who may glory like unto thee--who anointed kings to take
revenge, and prophets to succeed after him--who wast ordained for
reproof in their times, to pacify the wrath of the Lord's judgment
before it broke forth into fury, and to turn the heart of the father
unto the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob! Blessed are they
that saw thee and slept in love; for we shall surely live!"
FOOTNOTES:
[23] Josh. iv. 19; v. 9, 10.
[24] Deut. xi. 30. It is on a hill south-west of Shiloh (_Seilun_),
near the road to Jericho (Hos. iv. 15; Amos iv. 4). The name means "a
circle," and there may have been an ancient circle of sacred stones
there.
[25] 2 Kings iv. 38.
[26] 1 Kings xiii.
[27] As there are fords at Jericho, the object of this miracle, as of
the one subsequently ascribed to Elisha, is not self-evident. Nothing
is more certain than that there is a Divine economy in the exercise of
supernatural powers. The pomp and prodigality of superfluous portents
belong, not to Scripture, but to the _Acta sanctorum_, and the
saint-stories of Arabia and India.
[28] Deut. xxi. 17. The Hebrew is פִּי־שְׁנַיִם, "a mouthful, or
ration of two." Comp. Gen. xliii. 34. Even Ewald's "_Nur Zweidrittel
und auch diese kaum_" is too strong (_Gesch._, iii. 517). In no sense
was Elisha greater than Elijah: he wrought more wonders, but he left
little of his teaching, and produced on the mind of his nation a far
less strong impression.
[29] In 2 Kings vi. 17 the stormblast (_sā'ārāh_) and chariots and
horses of fire are part of a vision of the Divine protection. Comp.
Isa. lxvi. 15; Job xxxviii, 1; Nah. i. 3; Psalms xviii. 6-15, civ. 3.
[30] That is, the protection and defence of Israel by thy prayers.
[31] Even the Church-father St. Ephræm Syrus evidently felt some
misgivings. He says: "Suddenly there came from the height a storm of
fire, and in the midst of the flame the form of a chariot and horses,
and parted them both asunder; the one of them it left on the earth, the
other it carried to the height; but whether the wind carried him, or in
what place it left him, the Scripture has not informed us, but it says
that after some years, a terrifying letter from him full of menaces, was
delivered to King Jehoram of Judah" (quoted by Keil _ad loc._). See 2
Chron. xxi. 12. The letter is called "a writing" (_miktâb_).
[32] 2 Kings ii. 11; Ecclus. xlviii. 12. The LXX. curiously says ἐν
συσσεισμῷ ὡς εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν. So too the Rabbis, _Sucah_, f. 5.
[33] The circumstance has left its trace in the proverbs of nations,
and in the German word _Mantelkind_ for a spiritual successor.
[34] 2 Kings ii. 14. LXX., καὶ οὐ διῃρέθη; Vulg., _Percussit aquas, et
non sunt divisæ_.
[35] Mal. iv. 4-6.
[36] _Bava-Metzia_, f. 37, 2, etc. His name is used for incantations in
the Kabbala. _Kitsur Sh'lh_, f. 71, 1 (Hershon, _Talmudic Miscellany_,
p. 340). The chair set for him is called "the throne of Elijah." For
many Rabbinic legends see Hershon, _Treasures of the Talmud_, pp.
172-178. The Persians regard him as the teacher of Zoroaster.