Moments before departing the world and ascending to heaven in a storm, Elijah stands before the Jordan River and performs a final act of absolute control over nature. Crossing the river serves as both a physical and spiritual transition, preparing the ground for the prophet's miraculous departure. He takes his cloak, an expensive and unique garment traditionally worn by prophets [מצודת ציון]. The primary approach among commentators is that he folds and rolls the fabric tightly together, making it stiff enough to strike the surface of the water [רש״י, רד״ק, רלב״ג, מצודות, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Upon impact, the river splits. The water on one side continues to flow away, while the water on the other side halts entirely, remaining in place without flowing downstream [מצודת דוד]. This creates a path of completely dry land for the two prophets to walk across [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Some commentators emphasize that this was not a mere hovering or light passage over the surface, but a massive, complete splitting of the river, mirroring the historic splitting of the Red Sea [חומת אנך].
Beyond the physical event, this act carries deep symbolism that summarizes Elijah's life work. His control over the Jordan reflects his earlier decree to stop the rain during the days of Ahab. Just as he previously commanded the waters in the sky, he now commands the waters on the earth. The water standing like a wall against its natural flow, combined with the fire that will soon appear, represents a total reversal of the laws of nature. This serves as a preview of his upcoming departure, showing that taking a physical body into heaven will also completely defy human nature [אברבנאל].
On a deeper level, this event is understood as the final purification of the prophet's body. To enter the upper worlds, Elijah must separate himself from the heavy, material elements of earth and water, leaving only fire and wind. Having already cleansed himself of the earth element, he now seeks to remove the element of water. His cloak represents his physical body, and folding it signifies returning to an unformed state, ready to be reshaped by God. By striking the river, Elijah effectively cancels the element of water within his own inner world. Because human beings influence the entire universe, overriding the laws of nature within his own body forces nature to change in the outside world, causing the river to split [מלבי״ם]. Furthermore, stepping into the Jordan gathers the four basic elements of creation in one place: the earth beneath his feet, the water of the river, the wind of the approaching storm, and the fire of the heavenly chariot. Bringing these forces together unites them in peace within him, transforming his physical body into an eternal, everlasting form [אברבנאל].