2 Kings 2

1When Yahweh was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.

2Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for Yahweh has sent me on to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As Yahweh lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

3The company of prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today Yahweh is going to take your master from over you?” He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

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

5The company of prophets who were at Jericho came up to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today Yahweh is going to take your master from over you?” He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

6Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for Yahweh has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As Yahweh lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.

7Fifty men of the company of prophets went and stood at a distance, facing them, while the two of them stood by the Jordan.

8Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and struck the water. It divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

9When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I should do for you before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let me receive a double portion of your spirit.”

10He said, “You have asked a hard thing. If you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be yours; but if not, it will not.”

11As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.

12Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two.

13He picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.

14He took Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and struck the water, and said, “Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah?” When he too struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and Elisha crossed over.

15When the company of prophets from Jericho, who were facing him, saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” They came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.

16They said to him, “Look, we your servants have fifty strong men with us. Please let them go and search for your master. It may be that the Spirit of Yahweh has picked him up and thrown him down on one of the mountains or into one of the valleys.” He said, “Do not send them.”

17But they kept urging him until he was embarrassed to refuse, and he said, “Send them.” So they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find him.

18When they came back to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Did I not tell you not to go?”

19The men of the city said to Elisha, “Look, this city is well situated, as my lord can see, but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful.”

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

21Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, and said, “This is what Yahweh says: I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unfruitful.”

22So the water has remained healthy to this day, according to the word that Elisha had spoken.

23From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was going up the road, some young boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying to him, “Go on up, baldhead! Go on up, baldhead!”

24He turned around, looked at them, and cursed them in the name of Yahweh. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.

25From there he went on to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.