2 Kings 2

Elijah Taken to Heaven

1Now it came about, when the Lord was about to 1bring Elijah up by a 2whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah left 3Gilgal with 4Elisha. 2And Elijah said to Elisha, “5Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as 6Bethel.” But Elisha said, “7As surely as 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 went out to Elisha and said to him, “Are you aware that the Lord will take away your master from over 9you today?” And he said, “Yes, I am aware; say nothing about it.”

4And Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please 10stay here, for the Lord has sent me to 11Jericho.” But he said, “12As surely as the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5Then 13the 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; say nothing about it.” 6And Elijah said to him, “Please 17stay here, for the Lord has sent me to 18the Jordan.” But he said, “As surely 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. 8And Elijah 20took his coat, folded it, 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 me what I should 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.” 11And as they were walking along and talking, behold, 24a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and they separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up by a 25whirlwind to heaven. 12And Elisha was watching it and he was crying out, “26My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he did not see 27Elijah again. Then 28he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13He also took up the coat of Elijah that had fallen from him, and he went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14Then he took the coat of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the waters, and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had 29struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

15Now when 30the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah has settled on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him. 16Then they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men; please let them go and search for your master, in case 31the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley.” But he said, “You shall not send anyone.” 17Yet when 32they urged him until he was ashamed to refuse, he said, “Send them.” So they sent fifty men; and they searched for three days, but did not find him. 18They returned to him while he was staying in 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 site of the city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land 33is unfruitful.” 20And he said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt 34in it.” So they brought it to him. 21Then he went out to the spring of water and 35threw salt 36in it and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have 37purified these waters; there shall not come from there death or 38unfruitfulness any longer.’” 22So the waters have been 39purified to this day, in accordance with the word of Elisha which he spoke.

23Now he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the road, some young boys came out from the city and 40ridiculed him and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!” 24When he looked behind him and saw them, he 41cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two 42of the boys. 25He then went on from there to 43Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.