2 Kings 2:8

“And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, etc.] Folded it up close together, in a position to smite with it; this is thought to be not his hairy garment, but a shorter robe, that was worn upon his shoulders; but the Greek version renders it by “melotes”, and so in (<120214>2 Kings 2:14), which, according to Isidore f11, was a goat’s skin, hanging down from the neck, and girt at the loins; and being thus clothed, perhaps, may be the reason of his being called an hairy man, (<120108>2 Kings 1:8), and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither; just as Moses lifted up his rod, and the waters of the sea were divided for the Israelites: so that they two went over on dry…”

“Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters--Like the rod of Moses, it had the divinely operating power of the Spirit.”

“They were divided ... - The attestation to the divine mission of Elijah furnished by this miracle would tend to place him upon a par in the thoughts of men with the two great leaders of the nation named in the marginal references. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Smote the waters - These waters of old yielded to the ark, now to the prophet's mantle; which to those that wanted the ark, was an equivalent token of God's presence. When God will take his children to himself, death is the Jordan, which they must pass through. And they find a way thro' it, a safe and comfortable way. The death of Christ has divided those waters, that the ransomed of the Lord may pass over. 4 Kings (2 Kings) 2:9”

“2:8 Elijah folded his cloak together and struck the water with it: Such symbolic actions visually represented God’s power (see Exod 14:16, 21, 26-27; 17:8-13; 1 Kgs 11:30-31; Ezek 4; 5:1-4).”

“his mantle: Την μηλωτην αυτου, his sheep skin, says the Septuagint; the skins of sheep being formerly worn by prophets as the simple insignia of their office. See note on Kg2 1:8. Kg1 19:13, Kg1 19:19 were: Kg2 2:14; Exo 14:21, Exo 14:22; Jos 3:14-17; Psa 114:5-7; Isa 11:15; Heb 11:29; Rev 16:12 4 Kings (2 Kings) 2:9”

“When they reached the Jordan, Elijah took his prophet's cloak, rolled it up (גּלם, ἁπ. λεγ. convolvit), and smote the water with it; whereupon the water divided hither and thither, so that they both passed through on dry ground. The cloak, that outward sign of the prophet's office, became the vehicle of the Spirit's power which works unseen, and with which the prophet was inspired. The miracle itself is analogous to the miraculous dividing of the Red Sea by the stretching out of Moses' rod ( Exo 14:16, Exo 14:21); but at the same time it is very peculiar, and quite in accordance with the prophetic character of Elijah, Moses, the leader of the people, performed his miracles with his…”