4 Kings 2:14
And he struck the waters with the mantle of Elias, that had fallen from him, and they were not divided. And he said: Where is now the God of Elias? And he struck the waters, and they were divided, hither and thither, and Eliseus passed over.
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- Vulgate (Clementine)
- et pallio Eliæ, quod ceciderat ei, percussit aquas, et non sunt divisæ : et dixit : Ubi est Deus Eliæ etiam nunc ? Percussitque aquas, et divisæ sunt huc atque illuc, et transiit Eliseus.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ ἔλαβεν τὴν μηλωτὴν Ἠλειού, ἣ ἔπεσεν ἐπάνωθεν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπάταξεν τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ εἶπεν Ποῦ ὁ θεὸς Ἠλειοὺ ἀφφώ; καὶ ἐπάταξεν τὰ ὕδατα, καὶ διερράγησαν ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα· καὶ διέβη Ἐλεισαῖε.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וַיִּקַּח֩ אֶת אַדֶּ֨רֶת אֵלִיָּ֜הוּ אֲשֶׁר נָפְלָ֤ה מֵֽעָלָיו֙ וַיַּכֶּ֣ה אֶת הַמַּ֔יִם וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אַיֵּ֕ה יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֵלִיָּ֑הוּ אַף ה֣וּא וַיַּכֶּ֣ה אֶת הַמַּ֗יִם וַיֵּֽחָצוּ֙ הֵ֣נָּה וָהֵ֔נָּה וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ר אֱלִישָֽׁע
Haydock's commentary
Not divided. God thus prevented him from giving way to vanity, (Abulensis, q. 28.) or thinking that he could do any thing of himself. (Haydock)
Elias. Hebrew, "where is he?" (Calmet)
The original and Septuagint (Alexandrian and Vatican) do not specify that he struck the waters twice, or that they did not divide at first. (Haydock)
This is taken from other copies of the Septuagint. (Amama)
The exclamation contains a most fervent prayer. Hebrew, "he smote the waters, and said: Where is the Lord God of Elias? and when he had stricken the," &c., which removes the idea of presumption, which (Haydock) some discover in the words of Eliseus. (Tirinus) (Sanctius)
Now. Hebrew aph hu. Septuagint aphpho, retaining the words which Theodotion renders "the hidden" god. (Haydock)
"Even he himself." (Aquila) (Calmet)
When I stand so much in need of his assistance, (Menochius) having to perform his important functions, which cannot be done without his spirit, nor without the confirmation of miracles, before an unbelieving people. (Haydock)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
Origen Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John, Chapter XVI
Let us suggest another question, namely, whether the life was the light of men only, and not of every being as well that is in blessedness. For if the life were the same thing as the light of men, and if the light of Christ were for men alone, then the life also would be only for men. But such a view is both foolish and impious, since the other Scriptures testify against this interpretation and declare that, when we are somewhat more advanced, we shall be equal to the angels. The question is to be solved on the principle that when a predicate is applied to certain persons, it is not to be at once taken to apply to them alone. Thus, when the light of men is spoken of, it is not the light of men only; had that been the meaning, a word would have been added to express it; the life, it would have read, was the light of men only. …
St John Damascene An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, Concerning Virginity
Noah when he was commanded to enter the ark and was entrusted with the preservation of the seed of the world received this command, Go in , saith the Lord, thou and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives . He separated them from their wives in order that with purity they might escape the flood and that shipwreck of the whole world. After the cessation of the flood, however, He said, Go forth of the ark, thou and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives . Lo, again, marriage is granted for the sake of the multiplication of the race. …
Aphrahat Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations, Of Faith
16. Thus also Joshua the son of Nun divided Jordan by his faith, and the children of Israel crossed over as in the days of Moses. But know, my beloved, that this passage of the Jordan was three times laid open by its being divided. First through Joshua the Son of Nun, and secondly through Elijah, and then through Elisha. For the word of the Book makes known that over against this passage of Jericho, there Elijah was taken up to heaven; for when Elisha turned back from following him and divided the Jordan and passed over, the children of the Prophets of Jericho came out to meet Elisha and said: The spirit of Elijah rests upon Elisha . Furthermore when the people crossed over in the days of Joshua the son of Nun (it was there), for thus it is written: The people passed over, over against Jericho . …