2 Kings 2:2-25 ▼

2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here please, for YHWH has sent me as far as Bethel.” And Elisha said, “As YHWH lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” And they went down to Bethel.

3 And the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today YHWH will take away your master from over your head?” And he said, “Yes, I know. Keep silent.”

4 And Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here please, for YHWH has sent me to Jericho.” And he said, “As YHWH lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” And they came to Jericho.

5 And the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came to Elisha, and they said to him, “Do you know that today YHWH will take away your master from over your head?” And he answered, “Yes, I know. Keep silent.”

6 And Elijah said to him, “Stay here, please, for YHWH has sent me to the Jordan.” And he said, “As YHWH lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” And the two of them went on.

7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood facing them at a distance, and the two of them stood by the Jordan.

8 And Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up, and he struck the waters, and they were divided here and here, and the two of them passed over on the dry ground.

9 And so it was at their passing over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I may do for you before I am taken away from you.” And Elisha said, “Let be, please, a double portion of your spirit upon me.”

10 And he said, “You have made it difficult by asking. If you see me taken from you, it will be so for you. But if not, it will not be.”

11 And it came to pass, as they were walking, walking on and speaking, that behold a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and they separated between the two of them, and Elijah went up in the whirlwind into the heavens.

12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen,” and he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.

13 And He took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him, and he returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan.

14 And he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the waters, and he said, “Where is YHWH, God of Elijah—even he?” And he struck the waters, and they were divided here and here. And Elisha passed over.

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

16 And they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty men, sons of valor. Let them go, please, and search for your master, lest the Spirit of YHWH has taken him up and cast him upon one of the mountains, or into one of the valleys.” And he said, “You? shall not send anyone.”

17 And they urged him until he was ashamed, and he said, “Send them.” And they sent fifty men, and they searched for three days, and they did not find him.

18 And they came back to him, for he had stayed in Jericho. And he said to them, “Did not I say to you? not to go?”

19 And the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold, please, the site of the city is good, as my lord sees. And the waters are bad and the ground barren.”

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

21 And he went out to the source of the waters, and he cast in there the salt and said, “Thus says YHWH, ‘I have healed these waters. There shall not be from there anymore death or barrenness.’”

22 And the waters were healed up to this day, according to the word of Elisha that he spoke.

23 And he went up from there to Bethel, and he was going up the road, and some little youths came from the city and mocked him and said to him, “Go up, baldhead! Go up, baldhead!”

24 And he turned around and looked at them, and he cursed them in the name of YHWH. And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled of them forty-two youths.

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