2 Kings 2:5, commentary and pictures

The sons of the prophets at Jericho met Elisha as he accompanied Elijah toward the Jordan on the day of Elijah's removal, asking whether he knew the Lord would take his master from him that day, and he answered that he knew it and told them to be silent. This exchange belonged to Elijah's final journey visiting the schools of the prophets before he ascended to heaven in a chariot of fire. Elisha already knew Elijah was to be taken that day, yet he refused to turn back and stayed beside him, and his steadfast attendance and willingness for humble service prepared him to succeed Elijah and to ask for a double portion of his Spirit. In those last visits Elijah was giving the students divine instruction and educating Elisha by his example, which is the pattern for experienced workers to teach younger workers how to teach the truth and take up the burdens of the work. The men who spoke were the pupils of the school at Jericho, pious, intelligent and studious young men gathered to gain a better knowledge of the Scriptures and seek wisdom from above under teachers versed in divine truth, joining study of the law of God, sacred history, music and poetry with self-supporting labor as husbandmen and mechanics.

Setting of Elijah's Departure

The verse occurs as Elisha accompanies Elijah toward the Jordan, prepared to succeed him as prophet, with Elijah's removal that day openly known. The prophets at Jericho knew the Lord would take Elijah from Elisha that day, and Elisha confirmed that he already knew it and told them to be quiet. This known, imminent translation sets the context for Elisha's request for a double portion of Elijah's Spirit. Elisha also knew Elijah was to be taken that day, yet remained beside Elijah and refused to turn back.

The verse belongs to Elijah's final journey before his translation to heaven, when he visited the schools of the prophets throughout the country, including the company at Jericho. On those final visits he gave the students divine instruction, repeating important lessons. He then ascended to heaven in a chariot of fire.

God moved Elijah from place to place on that final journey so he would not settle into ease, but would gain spiritual power and through his influence help many people grow spiritually. The moving kept him from settling into familiar methods and customs and a fixed routine. In this way he was prepared for moral greatness and spiritual soundness and became a help to others.

Elijah and Elisha were serving as God's prophets in a dark and wicked time. Jericho was the site of one of the schools of the prophets in Elijah's time. It was one of two schools added in his time, the other being at Bethel, joining the earlier schools at Ramah and Kirjath-jearim and the later ones at Samaria and Gilgal.

Preparation for Prophetic Service

Elisha also knew that Elijah was to be taken away that day, yet he remained beside Elijah and refused to turn back so that he could continue preparing for service. His willingness to serve Elijah in humble duties formed part of his preparation for that final journey and for service to God.

Elijah was educating and preparing Elisha for service by giving him opportunity to learn from his example. This is the pattern for experienced workers to teach younger workers how to teach the truth and share it. It is the example of experienced workers preparing younger people to carry the work forward and take up its burdens.

The sons of the prophets at Jericho knew Elijah would be taken from Elisha that day, and they told Elisha, who confirmed that he knew and told them to be quiet. The account of the schools of the prophets to which this belongs is presented as a model for schools that teach the word of the Lord. It provides the model for rightly educating the young through the guidance and teaching of experienced workers, as Elijah had educated the sons of the prophets in Israel's schools.

On his final visits before he was taken to heaven, Elijah gave the students divine instruction. His visit was a time to repeat important lessons and teach the students the value of simplicity in their education. Simplicity was to mark every part of their education so they could receive heaven's influence and serve in the Lord's ways. The schools were places where the Spirit of God came upon the students and they prophesied.

The sons of the prophets at Jericho were the pupils of that school, a recognized community of companies of young men connected with the prophetic work. They were pious, intelligent and studious, gathered to obtain a better knowledge of the Scriptures, to search deeper into the mysteries of the kingdom of God, and to seek wisdom from above that they might become teachers in Israel. Their instructors were men versed in divine truth who had enjoyed communion with God and received the special endowment of His Spirit.

In the schools instruction was joined with practical work. The pupils sustained themselves by their own labor as husbandmen and mechanics, since every child was taught some trade even if educated for holy office. Their chief subjects of study were the law of God with the instructions given to Moses, sacred history, sacred music and poetry. The grand object was to learn the will of God and the duties of His people, tracing the footsteps of Jehovah in sacred history, drawing lessons for the future from the past, and viewing through types and shadows the Lamb of God that was to take away the sins of the world.