cloak / shirt, mantle

The Hebrew that is translated as “cloak,” “shirt,” or “mantle” or similar in English is translated in Newari as gā (गा), the Nepali shawl wrapped around upper part of body, used by both men and women. (Source: Newari Back Translation)

See also cloak / shawl and loins girded.

take up the mantle

The now commonly-used English idiom “take up the mantle” (meaning “taking on someone’s role”) was first coined in 1611 in the King James Version (as tooke the mantle) (source: Zetzsche).

Elijah

The name that is transliterated as “Elijah” in English means “God-LORD,” “strength of the LORD,” “my God is YHWH.” “the LORD God.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In Spanish Sign Language it is translated as “whirlwind” (according to 2 Kings 2:11) (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. )


“Elijah” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

Click or tap here to see how other sign languages are translating “Elijah”

In American Sign Language it is translated with a depiction of being taken up to heaven with a chariot of fire. (Source: ASL Sign Language Directory )


“Elijah” in American Sign Language (source )

Likewise in Estonian Sign Language, but with a different sign (source: Liina Paales in Folklore 47, 2011, p. 43ff.)


“Elijah” in Estonian Sign Language (source )

In Finnish Sign Language it is translated with the sign signifying “fire” (referring to 1 Kings 18:38). (Source: Tarja Sandholm)


“Elijah” in Finnish Sign Language (source )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Following is a Russian Orthodox icon of Elijah from the late 13h century.

 
Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Elijah .

complete verse (2 Kings 2:13)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Kings 2:13:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then, he picked Elijah’s garment which had fallen from him and he returned to go and stand at the edge of the river of Jordan.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then he took the shawl that had fallen down when Elijah was taken up. And he went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan River.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Then he picked-up the cover/cloak-for-the-back/cape of Elias that had-fallen, and he returned beside the River Jordan and stood there” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Elijah’s cloak had fallen off when he was taken away, so Elisha picked it up and returned to the bank of the Jordan River.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Jordan

The Hebrew, Greek and Ge’ez that is translated as “Jordan” means “descending (rapidly),” “flowing down.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In Hungarian Sign Language it is translated with the sign for the river bordering Jordan and Israel, along with the general sign for river. (Source: Jenjelvi Biblia and HSL Bible Translation Group)


“Jordan river” in Hungarian Sign Language (source )

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jordan River .

Translation commentary on 2 Kings 2:13

He took up the mantle of Elijah …: For mantle see verse 8. The notion that the passing on of this article of clothing symbolized the turning over of prophetic authority is seen in 1 Kgs 19.19. In this case the cloak that had been left behind by Elijah is picked up by Elisha instead of it being placed on his shoulders by his mentor. If necessary, translators may add a footnote explaining the meaning of passing on the cloak. Certainly readers should not be left to understand that Elisha took the cloak simply because he had torn his own in the previous verse.

Went back …: This implies that Elisha retraces the steps previously taken with his master and described at the beginning of verse 11 by the verb “went on.” In some languages translators may say “returned to the edge of the Jordan River and stood there.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 2 Kings 2:13

2:13a Elisha also picked up the cloak

Then he picked up Elijah’s cloak

-or-

And he lifted from the ground the shawl that Elijah had been wearing,

2:13b that had fallen from Elijah,

that had fallen off him

-or-

the shawl that had dropped from Elijah ⌊while he was going up to heaven⌋ .

2:13a-b (reordered)

Elijah’s cloak/coat had fallen off him. So Elisha picked it up.

2:13c and he went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.

and walked back ⌊to the Jordan River⌋ . There he stood on the bank of the river,

-or-

He returned to the Jordan ⌊River⌋ with/carrying it.

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