2 Kings 2 · Verse 10

2 Kings 2:10

And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.

2 Kings 2:10, King James Version

2 Kings 2:10 in other translations

BSB	“You have requested a difficult thing,” said Elijah. “Nevertheless, if you see me as I am taken from you, it will be yours. But if not, then it will not be so.”
WEB	He said, “You have asked a hard thing. If you see me when I am taken from you, it will be so for you; but if not, it will not be so.”
ASV	And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
YLT	and he saith, ‘Thou hast asked a hard thing; if thou dost see me taken from thee, it is to thee so; and if not, it is not.'
DARBY	And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so to thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
BBE	And he said, You have made a hard request: still, if you see me when I am taken from you, you will get your desire; but if not, it will not be so.
Webster	And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou shalt see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so to thee; but if not, it shall not be so.

What does 2 Kings 2:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

10. Thou hast asked a hard thing--an extraordinary blessing which I cannot, and God only, can give. Nevertheless he, doubtless by the secret directions of the Spirit, proposed to Elisha a sign, the observation of which would keep him in the attitude of an anxious waiter, as well as suppliant for the favor. 2Ki 2:11-18. He Is Taken Up to Heaven in a Chariot of Fire.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 10 A hard thing - This is what is not in my power, God alone can give this; yet if thou see me taken away from thee, it shall be so. Perhaps this means no more than, "If thou continue with me till I am translated, God will grant this to thee;" for on the mere seeing or not seeing him in the moment in which he was taken away, this Divine gift could not depend.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Kings 2:9-12

That fulness, from whence prophets and apostles had all their supply, still exists as of old, and we are told to ask large supplies from it. Diligent attendance upon Elijah, particularly in his last hours, would be proper means for Elisha to obtain much of his spirit. The comforts of departing saints, and their experiences, help both to gild our comforts and to strengthen our resolutions. Elijah is carried to heaven…

Read the full comment on 2 Kings 2:9-12 →

2 Kings 2:10 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֖אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559

הִקְשִׁ֣יתָhik.Shi.tayou have made difficultH7185

לִשְׁא֑וֹלlish.'olto askH7592

אִם\־'im-ifH518

תִּרְאֶ֨הtir.'Ehyou will seeH7200

אֹתִ֜י'o.Ti<obj.> meH853

לֻקָּ֤חlu.KachtakenH3947

מֵֽאִתָּךְ֙me.'i.toKhfrom with <the> youH854

יְהִֽי\־ye.hi-may it beH1961

לְךָ֣le.Khato you

כֵ֔ןKhenthusH3651

וְאִם\־ve.'im-and ifH518

אַ֖יִן'A.yinnotH369

לֹ֥אlo'notH3808

יִהְיֶֽה\׃yih.Yehit will beH1961

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Kings 2:10

John 16:24
Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
Mark 11:22-24
And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
2 Kings 2:12
And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
Acts 1:9-10
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Thou hast.
Mr 11:22-24; Joh 16:24
asked a hard thing. Heb. done hard in asking. if thou see.
12; Ac 1:9,10

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

2 Kings 2:9
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.
2 Kings 2:10
And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
2 Kings 2:11
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.

Read all of 2 Kings 2

2 Kings 2:10 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y él le dijo: Cosa difícil has pedido. Si me vieres cuando fuere quitado de ti, te será así hecho; mas si no, no.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et il dit: Tu as demandé une chose difficile; si tu me vois quand je serai enlevé d’avec toi, il en sera ainsi pour toi; sinon, cela ne sera pas.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und er sprach: Du hast Schweres begehrt! Wenn du mich sehen wirst, wann ich von dir genommen werde, so soll dir also geschehen; wenn aber nicht, so wird es nicht geschehen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Qui respondit: Rem difficilem postulasti: attamen si videris me quando tollar a te, erit tibi quod petisti: si autem non videris, non erit.