2 Kings 2

Chapter 2

Elijah Taken into Heaven

1 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal.

2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the LORD has told me to go to Bethel.”
But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you!” So they went down together to Bethel.

3 The group of prophets from Bethel came to Elisha and asked him, “Did you know that the LORD is going to take your master away from you today?”
“Of course I know,” Elisha answered. “But be quiet about it.”

4 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the LORD has told me to go to Jericho.”
But Elisha replied again, “As surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you.” So they went on together to Jericho.

5 Then the group of prophets from Jericho came to Elisha and asked him, “Did you know that the LORD is going to take your master away from you today?”
“Of course I know,” Elisha answered. “But be quiet about it.”

6 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the LORD has told me to go to the Jordan River.”
But again Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you.” So they went on together.
7 Fifty men from the group of prophets also went and watched from a distance as Elijah and Elisha stopped beside the Jordan River.

8 Then Elijah folded his cloak together and struck the water with it. The river divided, and the two of them went across on dry ground!

9 When they came to the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken away.”
And Elisha replied, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit and become your successor.”

10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah replied. “If you see me when I am taken from you, then you will get your request. But if not, then you won’t.”
11 As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, drawn by horses of fire. It drove between the two men, separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven.

12 Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father! My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!” And as they disappeared from sight, Elisha tore his clothes in distress.
13 Elisha picked up Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen when he was taken up. Then Elisha returned to the bank of the Jordan River.

14 He struck the water with Elijah’s cloak and cried out, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” Then the river divided, and Elisha went across.
15 When the group of prophets from Jericho saw from a distance what happened, they exclaimed, “Elijah’s spirit rests upon Elisha!” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.

16 “Sir,” they said, “just say the word and fifty of our strongest men will search the wilderness for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has left him on some mountain or in some valley.”

“No,” Elisha said, “don’t send them.”17 But they kept urging him until they shamed him into agreeing, and he finally said, “All right, send them.” So fifty men searched for three days but did not find Elijah.

18 Elisha was still at Jericho when they returned. “Didn’t I tell you not to go?” he asked.

Elisha’s First Miracles

19 One day the leaders of the town of Jericho visited Elisha. “We have a problem, my lord,” they told him. “This town is located in pleasant surroundings, as you can see. But the water is bad, and the land is unproductive.”
20 Elisha said, “Bring me a new bowl with salt in it.” So they brought it to him.21 Then he went out to the spring that supplied the town with water and threw the salt into it. And he said, “This is what the LORD says: I have purified this water. It will no longer cause death or infertility.t”

22 And the water has remained pure ever since, just as Elisha said.
23 Elisha left Jericho and went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, a group of boys from the town began mocking and making fun of him. “Go away, baldy!” they chanted. “Go away, baldy!”24 Elisha turned around and looked at them, and he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of them.

25 From there Elisha went to Mount Carmel and finally returned to Samaria.

2 KINGS 2

The [Lord] //Takes Elijah Away

1 Not long before the [Lord] took Elijah up into heaven in a strong wind, Elijah and Elisha were leaving Gilgal.

2 Elijah said to Elisha, “The [Lord] wants me to go to Bethel, but you must stay here.”
Elisha replied, “I swear by the living [Lord] and by your own life that I will stay with you no matter what!” And he went with Elijah to Bethel.

3 A group of prophets who lived there asked Elisha, “Do you know that today the [Lord] is going to take away your master?”
“Yes, I do,” Elisha answered. “But don't remind me of it.”

4 Elijah then said, “Elisha, now the [Lord] wants me to go to Jericho, but you must stay here.”
Elisha replied, “I swear by the living [Lord] and by your own life, that I will stay with you no matter what!” And he went with Elijah to Jericho.

5 A group of prophets who lived there asked Elisha, “Do you know that today the [Lord] is going to take away your master?”
“Yes, I do,” Elisha answered. “But don't remind me of it.”

6 Elijah then said to Elisha, “Now the [Lord] wants me to go to the Jordan River, but you must stay here.”
Elisha replied, “I swear by the living [Lord] and by your own life that I will never leave you!” So the two of them walked on together.
7 Fifty prophets followed Elijah and Elisha from Jericho, then stood at a distance and watched as the two men walked toward the river.

8 When they got there, Elijah took off his coat, then he rolled it up and struck the water with it. At once a path opened up through the river, and the two of them walked across on dry ground.

9  t After they had reached the other side, Elijah said, “Elisha, the [Lord] will soon take me away. What can I do for you before that happens?”
Elisha answered, “Please give me twice as much of your power as you give the other prophets, so I can be the one who takes your place as their leader.”

10 “It won't be easy,” Elijah answered. “It can happen only if you see me as I am being taken away.”
11 Elijah and Elisha were walking along and talking, when suddenly there appeared between them a flaming chariot pulled by fiery horses. At once, a strong wind took Elijah up into heaven.

12 t Elisha saw this and shouted, “Israel's cavalry and chariots have taken my master away!”t After Elijah had gone, Elisha tore his clothes in sorrow.
13 Elijah's coat had fallen off, so Elisha picked it up and walked back to the Jordan River.

14 He struck the water with the coat and wondered, “Will the [Lord] perform miracles for me as he did for Elijah?” As soon as Elisha did this, a dry path opened up through the water, and he walked across.

15 When the prophets from Jericho saw what happened, they said to each other, “Elisha now has Elijah's power.”
They walked over to him, bowed down,

16 and said, “There are 50 strong men here with us. Please let them go look for your master. Maybe the Spirit of the [Lord] carried him off to some mountain or valley.”
“No,” Elisha replied, “they won't find him.”
17 They kept begging until he was embarrassed to say no. He finally agreed, and the prophets sent the men out. They looked three days for Elijah but never found him.

18 They returned to Jericho, and Elisha said, “I told you that you wouldn't find him.”

Elisha Makes //the Water Pure //at Jericho

19 One day the people of Jericho said, “Elisha, you can see that our city is in a good spot. But the water from our spring is so bad that it even keeps our crops from growing.”

20 He replied, “Put some salt in a new bowl and bring it to me.”
They brought him the bowl of salt,

21 and he carried it to the spring. He threw the salt into the water and said, “The [Lord] has made this water pure again. From now on you'll be able to grow crops, and no one will starve.”

22 The water has been fine ever since, just as Elisha said.

Some Boys Make Fun //of Elisha

23 Elisha left and headed toward Bethel. Along the way some boys started making fun of him by shouting, “Go away, baldy! Get out of here!”

24 Elisha turned around and stared at the boys. Then he cursed them in the name of the [Lord]. At once two bears ran out of the woods and ripped to pieces 42 of the boys.
25 Elisha went up to Mount Carmel, then returned to Samaria.