II Kings 2

1. And it came to pass when the LORD was about to take Elijah up into heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

2. And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Bethel.” And Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

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

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

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

6. And Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jordan.” And he said, “As the LORD 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 on and stood afar off across from them. And both of them stood by the Jordan.

8. And Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the waters. And they were divided to the one side and to the other side, so that both of them crossed over on dry ground.

9. And it came to pass when they had gone over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken away from you.” And Elisha said, “Please, let a double portion of your Spirit be upon me.”

10. And he said, “You have asked a hard thing, but if you see me taken from you, it shall be so to you; but if not, it shall not be.”

11. Then it came to pass as they went on and talked, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire came, and they separated between them both. And Elijah went up in a tempest into heaven.

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

13. He also took up the mantle of Elijah which had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of Jordan.

14. And he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the waters, and said, “Where is the LORD God of Elijah, even He?” When he also hit the waters, then they parted to the one side and to the other side. And Elisha went over.

15. And when the sons of the prophets across in Jericho saw him, they said, “The Spirit of Elijah rests upon Elisha!” And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.

16. And they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and seek your master, lest the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.”

17. But when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” And they sent fifty men. And they looked for three days, but did not find him.

18. And they returned to him, and he was staying in Jericho. And he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go?’ ”

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

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

21. And he went forth to the spring of the waters and threw the salt in there, and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘I have healed these waters. There shall not be any more death or barrenness from there.’ ”

22. And the waters were healed, even to this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spoke.

23. And he went up from there to Bethel. And while he was going up on the highway, a gang of youths came out from the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, bald head! Go up, bald head!”

24. So he turned around and saw them and declared them vile in the name of the LORD. Then two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of them.

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