1 And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into
heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
2 And
Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to
Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy
soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.
4 And
Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent
me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy
soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
5 And
the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said
unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to
day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
6 And
Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to
Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy
soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.
7 And
fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and
they two stood by Jordan.
8 And
Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and
they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.
9 And
it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask
what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I
pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
10 And
he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken
from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
11 And
it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a
chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah
went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
12 And
Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of
Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of
his own clothes, and rent 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 Jordan;
14 And
he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and
said, Where is the
LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither
and thither: and Elisha went over.
15 And
when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said,
The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed
themselves to the ground before him.
16 And
they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men;
let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of
the LORD hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some
valley. And he said, Ye shall not send.
17 And
when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore
fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not.
18 And
when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them,
Did I not say unto you, Go not?
19 And
the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of
this city is pleasant,
as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren.
20 And
he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to
him.
21 And
he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and
said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from
thence any more death or barren land.
22 So
the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which
he spake.
23 And
he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there
came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him,
Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
24 And
he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD.
And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two
children of them.
25 And
he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.
