King James Bible

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2 Kings

1

:

14

Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
Behold behold Particle H2009 הִ֠נֵּה hin·neh
fire burning Noun H784 אֵשׁ֙ esh
down descend Verb H3381 יָ֤רְדָה ya·re·dah
from heaven air Noun H8064 הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם ha·sha·ma·yim,
and burnt up burn up Verb H398 וַ֠תֹּאכַל vat·to·chal
of the former ancestor Adjective H7223 הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים ha·ri·sho·nim
the two both Noun H8147 שְׁנֵ֞י she·nei
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

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captains captain Noun H8269 שָׂרֵ֧י sa·rei
fifties fifty Noun H2572 הַחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים ha·cha·mi·shim
with their fifties fifty Noun H2572 חֲמִשֵּׁיהֶ֑ם cha·mi·shei·hem;
now henceforth Adverb H6258 וְעַתָּ֕ה ve·'at·tah
therefore let my life any Noun H5315 נַפְשִׁ֖י naf·shi
now be precious be precious Verb H3365 תִּיקַ֥ר ti·kar
in thy sight affliction Noun H5869 בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃ be·'ei·nei·cha.

Parallel Verses

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King James Bible Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight.
Hebrew Greek English Behold, there "Behold fire came fire down from heaven, heaven and burnt up consumed the first two captains of the former fifties fifty with their fifties: therefore fifties; but now let my life now be precious in thy your sight."
New American Standard Bible 1995 Behold, there "Behold fire came fire down from heaven, heaven and burnt up consumed the first two captains of the former fifties fifty with their fifties: therefore fifties; but now let my life now be precious in thy your sight."