And it came about when the LORD
was about to atake
up Elijah
by a 1whirlwind
to heaven
, that Elijah
went
with bElisha
from cGilgal
.
Elijah said
to Elisha
, " aStay
here
please
, for the LORD
has sent
me as far
as bBethel
." But Elisha
said
, " cAs the LORD
lives
and as you yourself
live
, I will not leave
you." So they went
down
to Bethel
.
Then athe sons of the prophets
who
were at Bethel
came
out to Elisha
and said
to him, "Do you know
that the LORD
will take
away your master
from over
1you today
?" And he said
, "Yes
, I know
; be still
."
Elijah said
to him, "Elisha
, please
astay
here
, for the LORD
has sent
me to bJericho
." But he said
, " aAs the LORD
lives
, and as you yourself
live
, I will not leave
you." So they came
to Jericho
.
aThe sons of the prophets
who
were at Jericho
approached
Elisha
and said
to him, " bDo you know
that the LORD
will take
away your master
from over
1you today
?" And he 2answered
, "Yes
, I know
; be still
."
Then Elijah said
to him, "Please
astay
here
, for the LORD
has sent
me to bthe Jordan
." And he said
, "As the LORD
lives
, and as you yourself
live
, I will not leave
you." So the two
of them went
on.
Now afifty men
of the sons
of the prophets
went
and stood
opposite
them at a distance
, while the two
of them stood
by the Jordan
.
Elijah atook
his mantle
and folded
it together
and bstruck
the waters
, and they were divided
here
and there
, so that the two
of them crossed
over
on dry
ground
.
When they had crossed over
, Elijah
said
to Elisha
, "Ask
what
I shall do
for you before
I am taken
from you." And Elisha
said
, "Please
, let a adouble
portion
of your spirit
be upon me."
He said, "You have asked
a hard
thing
. Nevertheless, if
you asee
me when I am taken
from you, it shall be so
for you; but if
not, it shall not be so."
As they were going along and talking
, behold
, there appeared aa chariot
of fire
and horses
of fire
which separated
the two
of them. And Elijah
went
up by a 1whirlwind
to heaven
.
Elisha saw
it and cried
out, " aMy father
, my father
, the 1chariots
of Israel
and its horsemen
!" And he saw
2Elijah no
more
. Then bhe took
hold
of his own clothes
and tore
them in two
pieces
.
He also took up the mantle
of Elijah
that fell
from him and returned
and stood
by the bank
of the Jordan
.
He took the mantle
of Elijah
that fell
from him and struck
the waters
and said
, "Where
is the LORD
, the God
of Elijah
?" And when he also
had astruck
the waters
, they were divided
here
and there
; and Elisha
crossed
over
.
Now when athe sons of the prophets
who
were at Jericho
opposite
him saw
him, they said
, "The spirit
of Elijah
rests
on Elisha
." And they came
to meet
him and bowed
themselves to the ground
before him.
They said to him, "Behold
now
, there
are with your servants
fifty
strong
men
, please
let them go
and search
for your master
; perhaps
athe Spirit
of the LORD
has taken
him up and cast
him on some
mountain
or
into some
valley
." And he said
, "You shall not send
."
But when athey urged him until
he was ashamed
, he said
, "Send
." They sent
therefore fifty
men
; and they searched
three
days
but did not find
him.
They returned to him while he was staying
at Jericho
; and he said
to them, "Did I not say
to you, `Do not go
'?"
Then the men of the city
said
to Elisha
, "Behold
now, the situation
of this city
is pleasant
, as my lord
sees
; but the water
is bad
and the land
1is unfruitful
."
He said, "Bring
me a new
jar
, and put
salt
1in it." So they brought
it to him.
He went out to the spring
of water
and athrew
salt
1in it and said
, "Thus
says
the LORD
, `I have 2purified
these
waters
; there shall not be from there
death
or 3unfruitfulness
any
longer
.' "
So the waters have been 1purified
to this
day
, according to the word
of Elisha
which
he spoke
.
Then he went up from there
to Bethel
; and as he was going
up by the way
, young
lads
came
out from the city
and amocked
him and said
to him, "Go
up, you baldhead
; go
up, you baldhead
!"
When he looked behind
him and saw
them, he acursed
them in the name
of the LORD
. Then two
female bears
came
out of the woods
and tore
up forty-two
lads
of 1their number.
He went from there
to aMount
Carmel
, and from there
he returned
to Samaria
.