Chapter 2

Elijah Taken to Heaven

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

2 Elijah 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.

3 Then 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.”

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

5 aThe 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.”

6 Then 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.

7 Now 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.

8 Elijah 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.

9 When 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.”

10 He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you asee me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.”

11 As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared aa chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a 1whirlwind to heaven.

12 Elisha saw it and cried out, “aMy father, my father, the 1chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw 2Elijah no more. Then bhe took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan.

14 He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had astruck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

15 Now when athe sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

16 They said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men, please let them go and search for your master; perhaps athe Spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.”

17 But when athey urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men; and they searched three days but did not find him.

18 They returned to him while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold now, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land 1is unfruitful.”

20 He said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt 1in it.” So they brought it to him.

21 He went out to the spring of water and athrew salt 1in it and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘I have 2purified these waters; there shall not be from there death or 3unfruitfulness any longer.’ ”

22 So the waters have been 1purified to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.

23 Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, young lads came out from the city and amocked him and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!”

24 When he looked behind him and saw them, he acursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of 1their number.

25 He went from there to aMount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.