2 Kings 2

Elijah Taken to Heaven

1Now it cameH1961 aboutH1961, when the LordH3068 was about to 1bringH5927 ElijahH452 upH5927 by a 2whirlwindH5591 to heavenH8064, that ElijahH452 leftH1980H4480 3GilgalH1537 with 4ElishaH477. 2And ElijahH452 saidH559 to ElishaH477, “5StayH3427 hereH6311 pleaseH4994, for the LordH3068 has sentH7971 me as farH5704 as 6BethelH1008.” But ElishaH477 saidH559, “7As surely as 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 wentH3318 outH3318 to ElishaH477 and saidH559 to him, “AreH3045 you awareH3045 that the LordH3068 will takeH3947 away your masterH113 from overH5921 9you todayH3117?” And he saidH559, “YesH1571, I amH3045 awareH3045; sayH2814 nothingH2814 about it.”

4And ElijahH452 saidH559 to him, “ElishaH477, pleaseH4994 10stayH3427 hereH6311, for the LordH3068 has sentH7971 me to 11JerichoH3405.” But he saidH559, “12As surely as the LordH3068 livesH2416, and as you yourselfH5315 liveH2416, I will not leaveH5800 you.” So they cameH935 to JerichoH3405. 5Then 13the 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; sayH2814 nothingH2814 about it.” 6And ElijahH452 saidH559 to him, “PleaseH4994 17stayH3427 hereH6311, for the LordH3068 has sentH7971 me to 18the JordanH3383.” But he saidH559, “As surely 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. 8And ElijahH452 20tookH3947 his coatH155, foldedH1563 it, 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 me whatH4100 I should 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.” 11And as they were walkingH1980 along and talkingH1696, beholdH2009, 24a chariotH7393 of fireH784 appeared with horsesH5483 of fireH784, and they separatedH6504 the twoH8147 of them. Then ElijahH452 wentH5927 upH5927 by a 25whirlwindH5591 to heavenH8064. 12And ElishaH477 was watchingH7200 it and he was cryingH6817 outH6817, “26My fatherH1, my fatherH1, the chariotH7393 of IsraelH3478 and its horsemenH6571!” And he did not seeH7200 27Elijah againH5750. Then 28he tookH2388 holdH2388 of his own clothesH899 and toreH7167 them in twoH8147 piecesH7168. 13He also tookH7311 upH7311 the coatH155 of ElijahH452 that had fallenH5307 from him, and he wentH7725 backH7725 and stoodH5975 by the bankH8193 of the JordanH3383. 14Then he tookH3947 the coatH155 of ElijahH452 that had fallenH5307 from him and struckH5221 the watersH4325, and saidH559, “WhereH346 is the LordH3068, the GodH430 of ElijahH452?” And when he alsoH637 had 29struckH5221 the watersH4325, they were dividedH2673 hereH2008 and thereH2008; and ElishaH477 crossedH5674 overH5674.

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

15Now when 30the sonsH1121 of the prophetsH5030 whoH834 were at JerichoH3405 oppositeH4480H5048 him sawH7200 him, they saidH559, “The spiritH7307 of ElijahH452 has settledH5117 on ElishaH477.” And they cameH935 to meetH7122 him and bowedH2331 downH2331 to the groundH776 before him. 16Then they saidH559 to him, “BeholdH2009 nowH4994, thereH3426 areH3426 with your servantsH5650 fiftyH2572 strongH2428 menH376; pleaseH4994 let them goH1980 and searchH1245 for your masterH113, inH6435 caseH6435 31the SpiritH7307 of the LordH3068 has takenH5375 him upH5375 and castH7993 him on someH259 mountainH2022 orH176 into someH259 valleyH1516.” But he saidH559, “You shall not sendH7971 anyone.” 17Yet when 32they urgedH6484 him untilH5704 he wasH954 ashamedH954 to refuse, he saidH559, “SendH7971 them.” So they sentH7971 fiftyH2572 menH376; and they searchedH1245 for threeH7969 daysH3117, but did not findH4672 him. 18They returnedH7725 to him while he was stayingH3427 in 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 siteH4186 of the cityH5892 is pleasantH2896, as my lordH113 seesH7200; but the waterH4325 is badH7451 and the landH776 33isH7921 unfruitfulH7921.” 20And he saidH559, “BringH3947 me a newH2319 jarH6746, and putH7760 saltH4417 34in it.” So they broughtH3947 it to him. 21Then he wentH3318 outH3318 to the springH4161 of waterH4325 and 35threwH7993 saltH4417 36in it and saidH559, “ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH3068 saysH559: ‘I have 37purifiedH7495 theseH428 watersH4325; there shall not comeH1961 from thereH8033 deathH4194 or 38unfruitfulnessH7921 anyH5750 longerH5750.’” 22So the watersH4325 have been 39purifiedH7495 to thisH2088 dayH3117, in accordance with the wordH1697 of ElishaH477 whichH834 he spokeH1696.

23Now he wentH5927 upH5927 from thereH8033 to BethelH1008; and as he was goingH5927 upH5927 by the roadH1870, some youngH6996 boysH5288 cameH3318 outH3318 from the cityH5892 and 40ridiculedH7046 him and saidH559 to him, “GoH5927 upH5927, you baldheadH7142; goH5927 upH5927, you baldheadH7142!” 24When he lookedH6437 behindH310 him and sawH7200 them, he 41cursedH7043 them in the nameH8034 of the LordH3068. Then twoH8147 female bearsH1677 cameH3318 outH3318 of the woodsH3293 and toreH1234 upH1234 forty-twoH705H8147 42of the boysH3206. 25He then wentH1980 on from thereH8033 to 43MountH2022 CarmelH3760, and from thereH8033 he returnedH7725 to SamariaH8111.