2 Kings 2:3–15

³Then the sons of the prophets ^jwho were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the Lord will take your master away from you today?” ^k

He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

⁴Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here; the Lord is sending me to Jericho.” ^l

But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.

⁵Then the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho came up to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the Lord will take your master away from you today?”

He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

⁶Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord is sending me to the Jordan.” ^m

But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.

⁷Fifty men from the sons of the prophets came and stood facing them from a distance while the two of them stood by the Jordan. ⁸Elijah took his mantle, ⁿrolled it up, and struck the waters, which parted to the right and left. Then the two of them crossed over on dry ground. ^o9After they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken from you.”

So Elisha answered, “Please, let me inherit two shares ^pof your spirit.” ^q

¹⁰Elijah replied, “You have asked for something difficult. If you see me being taken from you, ^ryou will have it. If not, you won’t.”

¹¹As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire with horses of fire ^ssuddenly appeared and separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up into heaven in the whirlwind. ^t12As Elisha watched, he kept crying out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” ^uThen he never saw Elijah again. He took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces. ^v

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

¹³Elisha picked up the mantle ^wthat had fallen off Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. ¹⁴Then he took the mantle Elijah had dropped and struck the waters. “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” he asked. He struck the waters himself, and they parted to the right and the left, and Elisha crossed over.

¹⁵When the sons of the prophets from Jericho who were facing him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” They came to meet him and bowed down to the ground in front of him.