1 It happened, when Yahweh would take up Elijah by a whirlwind into
heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha,
Please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me as far as Bethel. Elisha said, As
Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they went down
to Bethel. 3 The sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came forth to
Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that Yahweh will take away your master
from your head today?”
He said, “Yes, I know it; hold your peace.”
4 Elijah said to him, Elisha, please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me to
Jericho. He said, As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave
you. So they came to Jericho. 5 The sons of the prophets who were at
Jericho came near to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that Yahweh will
take away your master from your head today?”
He answered, “Yes, I know it. Hold your peace.”
6 Elijah said to him, “Please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me to the
Jordan.”
He said, “As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.”
They two went on. 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood
over against them afar off: and they two stood by the Jordan. 8 Elijah
took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and struck the waters, and they
were divided here and there, so that they two went over on dry ground.
9 It happened, when they had gone over, that Elijah said to Elisha, Ask
what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you. Elisha said, please let
a double portion of your spirit be on me. 10 He said, You have asked a
hard thing: nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it
shall be so to you; but if not, it shall not be so. 11 It happened, as
they still went on, and talked, that behold, there appeared a chariot
of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them both apart; and Elijah went up
by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my
father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen of it! He saw him no more:
and he took hold of his own clothes, and tore them in two pieces. 13 He
took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and
stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the mantle of Elijah that fell
from him, and struck the waters, and said, Where is Yahweh, the God of
Elijah? and when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and
there; and Elisha went over. 15 When the sons of the prophets who were at
Jericho over against him saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah does rest
on Elisha. They came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before
him. 16 They said to him, See now, there are with your servants fifty
strong men; let them go, we pray you, and seek your master, lest the Spirit
of Yahweh has taken him up, and cast him on some mountain, or into some
valley. He said, You shall not send. 17 When they urged him until he
was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought
three days, but didn’t find him. 18 They came back to him, while he stayed
at Jericho; and he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t go?’” 19 The
men of the city said to Elisha, Behold, we pray you, the situation of this
city is pleasant, as my lord sees: but the water is bad, and the land
miscarries. 20 He said, Bring me a new jar, and put salt therein. They
brought it to him. 21 He went forth to the spring of the waters, and cast
salt therein, and said, Thus says Yahweh, I have healed these waters; there
shall not be from there any more death or miscarrying. 22 So the waters
were healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.
23 He went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way,
there came forth young lads out of the city, and mocked him, and said to him,
Go up, you baldy; go up, you baldhead. 24 He looked behind him and saw
them, and cursed them in the name of Yahweh. There came forth two she-bears
out of the wood, and mauled forty-two lads of them. 25 He went from there
to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.
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