“And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.”
Which was that place where the children of Israel were circumcised after they came over Jordan, and had been forty years in the wilderness, as Josh. 5:9 .
“And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.”
That is, from being anymore thine head: for to be as the head, is to be the master, as to be at the feet, is to be a scholar. So called, because they are begotten as it were anew by the heavenly doctrine. For the Lord had revealed it unto him.
“And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.”
Not only at Bethel, but at Jericho and other places were there Prophets, which had scholars, whom they instructed and brought up in the true fear of God.
“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.”
Let thy Spirit have double force in me, because of these dangerous times: or let me have twice so much as the rest of the Prophets: or thy spirit being divided into three parts, let me have two.
“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.”
Thus God hath left a testimony in all ages (both before the Law, in the Law, and in the time of the Gospel) of our resurrection.
“And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.”
The Spirit of prophecy is given to him, as it was to Elijah.
“And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men ; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send. strong: Heb. sons of strength some mountain: Heb. one of the mountains”
Meaning, Elijah: for they thought his body had been cast in some mountain. Because the fact was extraordinary, they doubted where he was become, but Elisha was assured that he was taken up to God.
“And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.”
Thus God gave him power, even contrary to nature, to make that water profitable for man’s use, which before was hurtful.
“And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.”
Perceiving their malicious heart against the Lord and his word, he desireth God to take vengeance of that injury done unto him.