2 Kings 2

Elijah Taken to Heaven

1And it came about when the Lord was about to 1take up Elijah by a 2whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with 3Elisha from 4Gilgal. 2Elijah said to Elisha, “5Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as 6Bethel.” But Elisha said, “7As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3Then 8the 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 9you today?” And he said, “Yes, I know; be still.”

4Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please 10stay here, for the Lord has sent me to 11Jericho.” But he said, “12As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 513The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “14Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over 15you today?” And he 16answered, “Yes, I know; be still.” 6Then Elijah said to him, “Please 17stay here, for the Lord has sent me to 18the 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 19fifty 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 20took his mantle and folded it together and 21struck 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 22double portion of your spirit be upon me.” 10He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you 23see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 11As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared 24a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a 25whirlwind to heaven. 12Elisha saw it and cried out, “26My father, my father, the 27chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw 28Elijah no more. Then 29he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14He 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 30struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

15Now when 31the 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. 16They said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men, please let them go and search for your master; perhaps 32the 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.” 17But when 33they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men; and they searched three days but did not find him. 18They returned to him while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

19Then 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 34is unfruitful.” 20He said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt 35in it.” So they brought it to him. 21He went out to the spring of water and 36threw salt 37in it and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘I have 38purified these waters; there shall not be from there death or 39unfruitfulness any longer.’” 22So the waters have been 40purified to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.

23Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, young lads came out from the city and 41mocked him and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!” 24When he looked behind him and saw them, he 42cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of 43their number. 25He went from there to 44Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.