Chapter 2

And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up⁵³ Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went⁴ with Elisha from Gilgal.

And Elijah said⁴ unto Elisha, Tarry³ here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent¹ me to Bethel. And Elisha said⁴ [unto him, As] the LORD liveth, and [as] thy soul liveth, I will not leave⁴ thee. So they went down⁴ to Bethel.

And the sons of the prophets that [were] at Bethel came forth⁴ to Elisha, and said⁴ unto him, Knowest¹ thou that the LORD will take away⁶ thy master from thy head to day? And he said,⁴ Yea, I know¹ [it]; hold ye your peace.⁵⁴

And Elijah said⁴ unto him, Elisha, tarry³ here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent¹ me to Jericho. And he said,⁴ [As] the LORD liveth, and [as] thy soul liveth, I will not leave⁴ thee. So they came⁴ to Jericho.

And the sons of the prophets that [were] at Jericho came⁴ to Elisha, and said⁴ unto him, Knowest¹ thou that the LORD will take away⁶ thy master from thy head to day? And he answered,⁴ Yea, I know¹ [it]; hold ye your peace.⁵⁴

And Elijah said⁴ unto him, Tarry,³ I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent¹ me to Jordan. And he said,⁴ [As] the LORD liveth, and [as] thy soul liveth, I will not leave⁴ thee. And they two went on.⁴

And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went,¹ and stood⁴ to view afar off: and they two stood¹ by Jordan.

And Elijah took⁴ his mantle, and wrapped [it] together,⁴ and smote⁵⁵ the waters, and they were divided¹¹ hither and thither, so that they two went over⁴ on dry ground.

And it came to pass, when they were gone over,² that Elijah said¹ unto Elisha, Ask³ what I shall do⁴ for thee, before I be taken away¹¹ from thee. And Elisha said,⁴ I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

And he said,⁴ Thou hast asked² a hard thing:⁵² [nevertheless], if thou see⁴ me [when I am] taken²⁷ from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be [so].

And it came to pass, as they still² went on,⁶ and talked,¹⁵ that, behold, [there appeared] a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted⁵⁵ them both asunder; and Elijah went up⁴ by a whirlwind into heaven.

And Elisha saw⁶ [it], and he cried,¹⁸ My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw¹ him no more: and he took hold⁵⁵ of his own clothes, and rent⁴ them in two pieces.

He took up⁵⁵ also the mantle of Elijah that fell¹ from him, and went back,⁴ and stood⁴ by the bank of Jordan;

And he took⁴ the mantle of Elijah that fell¹ from him, and smote⁵⁵ the waters, and said,⁴ Where [is] the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten⁵⁵ the waters, they parted¹¹ hither and thither: and Elisha went over.⁴

And when the sons of the prophets which [were] to view at Jericho saw⁴ him, they said,⁴ The spirit of Elijah doth rest¹ on Elisha. And they came⁴ to meet² him, and bowed¹⁰¹ themselves to the ground before him.

And they said⁴ unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; ⁵⁸² let them go,⁴ we pray thee, and seek¹⁷ thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up,¹ and cast⁵⁵ him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said,⁴ Ye shall not send.⁴

And when they urged⁴ him till he was ashamed,² he said,⁴ Send.³ They sent⁴ therefore fifty men; and they sought¹⁷ three days, but found¹ him not.

And when they came again⁴ to him, (for he tarried⁶ at Jericho,) he said⁴ unto them, Did I not say¹ unto you, Go⁴ not?

And the men of the city said⁴ unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city [is] pleasant, as my lord seeth:⁶ but the water [is] naught, and the ground barren.¹⁸

And he said,⁴ Bring³ me a new cruse, and put³ salt therein. And they brought⁴ [it] to him.

And he went forth⁴ unto the spring of the waters, and cast⁵⁵ the salt in there, and said,⁴ Thus saith¹ the LORD, I have healed¹⁴ these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren¹⁸ [land].

So the waters were healed¹¹ unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.¹⁴

And he went up⁴ from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up⁶ by the way, there came forth¹ little children out of the city, and mocked¹⁰¹ him, and said⁴ unto him, Go up,³ thou bald head; go up,³ thou bald head.

And he turned⁴ back, and looked⁴ on them, and cursed¹⁷ them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth⁴ two she bears out of the wood, and tare¹⁷ forty and two children of them.

And he went⁴ from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned¹ to Samaria.