2 Kings 2:1–9

Elijah Taken to Heaven

¹And it came about when the Lord was about to ^atake up Elijah by a ¹whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with ^bElisha from ^cGilgal.

²Elijah said to Elisha, “^aStay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as ^bBethel.” But Elisha said, “^cAs the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

³Then ^athe sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over ¹you today?” And he said, “Yes, I know; be still.”

⁴Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please ^astay here, for the Lord has sent me to ^bJericho.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho.

^5aThe sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “^bDo you know that the Lord will take away your master from over ¹you today?” And he ²answered, “Yes, I know; be still.”

⁶Then Elijah said to him, “Please ^astay here, for the Lord has sent me to ^bthe Jordan.” And he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.

⁷Now ^afifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan.

⁸Elijah ^atook his mantle and folded it together and ^bstruck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

⁹When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please, let a ^adouble portion of your spirit be upon me.”