2 Kings 2

Elijah Taken to Heaven

1And it cameH1961 about when the LordH3068 was about to 1takeH5927 up ElijahH452 by a 2whirlwindH5591 to heavenH8064, that ElijahH452 wentH1980 with 3ElishaH477 from 4GilgalH1537. 2ElijahH452 saidH559 to ElishaH477, “5StayH3427 hereH6311 pleaseH4994, for the LordH3068 has sentH7971 me as farH5704 as 6BethelH1008.” But ElishaH477 saidH559, “7As the LordH3068 livesH2416 and as you yourselfH5315 liveH2416, I will not leaveH5800 you.” So they wentH3381 downH3381 to BethelH1008. 3Then 8the sonsH1121 of the prophetsH5030 whoH834 were at BethelH1008 cameH3318 out to ElishaH477 and saidH559 to him, “Do you knowH3045 that the LordH3068 will takeH3947 away your masterH113 from overH5921 9you todayH3117?” And he saidH559, “YesH1571, I knowH3045; be stillH2814.”

4ElijahH452 saidH559 to him, “ElishaH477, pleaseH4994 10stayH3427 hereH6311, for the LordH3068 has sentH7971 me to 11JerichoH3405.” But he saidH559, “12As the LordH3068 livesH2416, and as you yourselfH5315 liveH2416, I will not leaveH5800 you.” So they cameH935 to JerichoH3405. 513The sonsH1121 of the prophetsH5030 whoH834 were at JerichoH3405 approachedH5066 ElishaH477 and saidH559 to him, “14Do you knowH3045 that the LordH3068 will takeH3947 away your masterH113 from overH5921 15you todayH3117?” And he 16answeredH559, “YesH1571, I knowH3045; be stillH2814.” 6Then ElijahH452 saidH559 to him, “PleaseH4994 17stayH3427 hereH6311, for the LordH3068 has sentH7971 me to 18the JordanH3383.” And he saidH559, “As the LordH3068 livesH2416, and as you yourselfH5315 liveH2416, I will not leaveH5800 you.” So the twoH8147 of them wentH1980 on.

7Now 19fiftyH2572 menH376 of the sonsH1121 of the prophetsH5030 wentH1980 and stoodH5975 oppositeH4480H5048 them at a distanceH7350, while the twoH8147 of them stoodH5975 by the JordanH3383. 8ElijahH452 20tookH3947 his mantleH155 and foldedH1563 it togetherH1563 and 21struckH5221 the watersH4325, and they were dividedH2673 hereH2008 and thereH2008, so that the twoH8147 of them crossedH5674 overH5674 on dryH2724 groundH2724.

9When they had crossedH5674 overH5674, ElijahH452 saidH559 to ElishaH477, “AskH7592 whatH4100 I shall doH6213 for you beforeH2962 I am takenH3947 from you.” And ElishaH477 saidH559, “PleaseH4994, let a 22doubleH8147 portionH6310 of your spiritH7307 be upon me.” 10He saidH559, “You have askedH7592 a hardH7185 thingH7185. Nevertheless, ifH518 you 23seeH7200 me when I am takenH3947 from you, it shall be soH3651 for you; but ifH518 not, it shall not be so.” 11As they were goingH1980 along and talkingH1696, beholdH2009, there appeared 24a chariotH7393 of fireH784 and horsesH5483 of fireH784 which separatedH6504 the twoH8147 of them. And ElijahH452 wentH5927 up by a 25whirlwindH5591 to heavenH8064. 12ElishaH477 sawH7200 it and criedH6817 out, “26My fatherH1, my fatherH1, the 27chariotsH7393 of IsraelH3478 and its horsemenH6571!” And he sawH7200 28Elijah noH3808 moreH5750. Then 29he tookH2388 holdH2388 of his own clothesH899 and toreH7167 them in twoH8147 piecesH7168. 13He also tookH7311 up the mantleH155 of ElijahH452 that fellH5307 from him and returnedH7725 and stoodH5975 by the bankH8193 of the JordanH3383. 14He tookH3947 the mantleH155 of ElijahH452 that fellH5307 from him and struckH5221 the watersH4325 and saidH559, “WhereH346 is the LordH3068, the GodH430 of ElijahH452?” And when he alsoH637 had 30struckH5221 the watersH4325, they were dividedH2673 hereH2008 and thereH2008; and ElishaH477 crossedH5674 overH5674.

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

15Now when 31the sonsH1121 of the prophetsH5030 whoH834 were at JerichoH3405 oppositeH4480H5048 him sawH7200 him, they saidH559, “The spiritH7307 of ElijahH452 restsH5117 on ElishaH477.” And they cameH935 to meetH7122 him and bowedH7812 themselves to the groundH776 before him. 16They saidH559 to him, “BeholdH2009 nowH4994, thereH3426 are with your servantsH5650 fiftyH2572 strongH2428 menH376, pleaseH4994 let them goH1980 and searchH1245 for your masterH113; perhapsH6435 32the SpiritH7307 of the LordH3068 has takenH5375 him up and castH7993 him on someH259 mountainH2022 orH176 into someH259 valleyH1516.” And he saidH559, “You shall not sendH7971.” 17But when 33they urgedH6484 him untilH5704 he was ashamedH954, he saidH559, “SendH7971.” They sentH7971 therefore fiftyH2572 menH376; and they searchedH1245 threeH7969 daysH3117 but did not findH4672 him. 18They returnedH7725 to him while he was stayingH3427 at JerichoH3405; and he saidH559 to them, “Did I not sayH559 to you, ‘Do not goH1980’?”

19Then the menH376 of the cityH5892 saidH559 to ElishaH477, “BeholdH2009 now, the situationH4186 of this cityH5892 is pleasantH2896, as my lordH113 seesH7200; but the waterH4325 is badH7451 and the landH776 34is unfruitfulH7921.” 20He saidH559, “BringH3947 me a newH2319 jarH6746, and putH7760 saltH4417 35in it.” So they broughtH3947 it to him. 21He wentH3318 out to the springH4161 of waterH4325 and 36threwH7993 saltH4417 37in it and saidH559, “ThusH3541 saysH559 the LordH3068, ‘I have 38purifiedH7495 theseH428 watersH4325; there shall not be from thereH8033 deathH4194 or 39unfruitfulnessH7921 anyH5750 longerH5750.’” 22So the watersH4325 have been 40purifiedH7495 to thisH2088 dayH3117, according to the wordH1697 of ElishaH477 whichH834 he spokeH1696.

23Then he wentH5927 up from thereH8033 to BethelH1008; and as he was goingH5927 up by the wayH1870, youngH6996 ladsH5288 cameH3318 out from the cityH5892 and 41mockedH7046 him and saidH559 to him, “GoH5927 up, you baldheadH7142; goH5927 up, you baldheadH7142!” 24When he lookedH6437 behindH310 him and sawH7200 them, he 42cursedH7043 them in the nameH8034 of the LordH3068. Then twoH8147 female bearsH1677 cameH3318 out of the woodsH3293 and toreH1234 up forty-twoH705H8147 ladsH3206 of 43their number. 25He wentH1980 from thereH8033 to 44MountH2022 CarmelH3760, and from thereH8033 he returnedH7725 to SamariaH8111.