וַיְהִ֣י כְעָבְרָ֗ם וְאֵ֨לִיָּ֜הוּ אָמַ֤ר אֶל־אֱלִישָׁע֙ שְׁאַל֙ מָ֣ה אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לָּ֔ךְ בְּטֶ֖רֶם אֶלָּקַ֣ח מֵעִמָּ֑ךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֔ע וִֽיהִי־נָ֛א פִּֽי־שְׁנַ֥יִם בְּרוּחֲךָ֖ אֵלָֽי׃
건너매 엘리야가 엘리사에게 이르되 나를 네게서 취하시기 전에 내가 네게 어떻게 할 것을 구하라 엘리사가 가로되 당신의 영감이 갑절이나 내게 있기를 구하나이다
Rashi
And it came to pass afterwards that David smote After David stated [his intention] to build a house, and the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “You shall not build,” David said, “Since it is not incumbent upon me to build the house, only upon my son, I shall now prepare and arrange everything for him for [the time] when my son comes to build the House so that he has everything prepared.” And now he [the Chronicler] leaves everything and relates how he [David] prepared the building, how he fought with his enemies and designated their spoils for the construction of the House. And so is the manner of the verse, and an example is found regarding Elijah and Elisha, i.e., after he [Elisha] said, (II Ki. 2:9): “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit to me,” he [the author] leaves the entire story of the kings and proceeds to relate some of the wonders of Elisha, how they were a double portion, until he completed them all.
From David to Destruction
Immediately preceding Eliyahu HaNavi’s ascent, Eliyahu HaNavi tells Elisha “She’al Mah E’eseh Lach BeTerem Elakach Mei’Imach,” “request what I should do for you before I am taken away from you” (Melachim II 2:9). Elisha’s response, “Pi Shenayim BeRuchacha Eilai,” “may twice as much as your spirit be mine,” is one of the most astounding requests in all of Tanach.
From David to Destruction
After Elisha requests double of his teacher’s spirit (“Pi Shenayim BeRuchacha Eilai,” “may twice as much as your spirit be mine,” as recorded in Melachim II 2:9) Eliyahu HaNavi responds that Elisha will be rewarded with his request if he is able to perceive the former’s ascent to heaven (Melachim II 2:10). What might Eliyahu intend with this oblique response?