Elijah took his mantle,(A) rolled it up, and struck the waters, which parted to the right and left. Then the two of them crossed over on dry ground.(B) After they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken from you.”

So Elisha answered, “Please, let me inherit two shares[a] of your spirit.”(C)

10 Elijah replied, “You have asked for something difficult. If you see me being taken from you,(D) you will have it. If not, you won’t.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 2:9 Two shares is the inheritance of blessing for the firstborn son; Dt 21:17. Here Elisha is asking for the leadership role among the prophets.

Elijah took his cloak,(A) rolled it up and struck(B) the water with it. The water divided(C) to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry(D) ground.

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”

“Let me inherit a double(E) portion of your spirit,”(F) Elisha replied.

10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

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