{"id":63180,"date":"2019-09-19T14:18:38","date_gmt":"2019-09-19T11:18:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=63180"},"modified":"2023-04-13T22:00:07","modified_gmt":"2023-04-13T19:00:07","slug":"points-to-ponder-2-kings-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/points-to-ponder-2-kings-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Points to Ponder – 2 Kings 2"},"content":{"rendered":"
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  1. Double or nothing?<\/em> Verse 9: Elisha asks \u201cLet a double portion of your spirit pass on to me.\u201d What exactly was he asking for? Apparently he was asking to be considered as a first-born (who received a double portion), and sole successor. But there is a range of views among the commentators.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. \u201cOh father, father, Israel\u2019s chariots and horsemen!<\/em>\u201d Elisha\u2019s cry as Elijah is taken from him in the fiery chariot. There is intimacy here (\u201cfather, father!\u201d), and also deep admiration (chariots and cavalry are symbols of raw power), and also a reference to the way in which Elijah was swept up.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Told you so<\/em>. The disciples of the prophets wanted to send out a search party for Elijah (see verse 16). Elisha knows it is pointless, but does not succeed in convincing them. When they return empty-handed, he can say: \u201cDidn\u2019t I tell you so?\u201d (verse 18).<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Sticks and stones<\/em>. Why is \u201cgo away [or \u2018go up\u2019], baldhead\u201d so hurtful? Was it because of the double contrast with Elijah, who was described in the last chapter as very hairy, who ascended to heaven, while bald-headed Elisha is struggling to make the journey up to Beit El on foot?<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. \u201cThere were no bears, there was no forest.\u201d<\/em> This is what the Talmud says (Bavli Sotah, 47a) about the story. Between Jericho and Beit El there was no forest, and there were no bears. It was all a miracle.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  6. Spot the differences.<\/em> It\u2019s official: five chapters after Elijah called Elisha to come after him, Elisha becomes his unchallenged successor. Now is the time to make a comparison, about the similarities and differences between the two. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","image":{"ID":86314,"id":86314,"title":"Points to ponder","filename":"Points-to-ponder.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/points-to-ponder-psalm-84\/points-to-ponder\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"points-to-ponder","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":86166,"date":"2021-01-09 20:56:58","modified":"2023-12-28 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