2 Kings 2

God takes Elijah home

Now Elijah and Elisha were on traveling from Gigal when the Existing One was ready to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind. Elijah told Elisha, “Please stay here, because the Existing One has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the Existing One lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel together. A guild of prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Did you know that today’s the day that the Existing One will take away your master away from you?” And he said, “Yes, I know; I don’t want to talk about it.”

Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, because the Existing One has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As surely as the Existing One lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho. The prophet’s guild at Jericho came up to Elisha and asked him, “Did you know that today’s the day that the Existing One will take your master away from you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know, and I don’t want to talk about it.”

Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, because the Existing One has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Existing One lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. Fifty men from the prophetic guild also followed along, leaving some distance in between them. Then Elijah took off his cloak, rolled it up, and slapped the water which parted so that the two of them could walk through on dry ground.

When they had crossed, Elijah told Elisha, “Is there anything you want to ask me before I’m taken away from you?” Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” And he said, “That’s a tough one. If you see me as I’m being taken away, you will receive it; if you don’t see me, you won’t receive it.” They carried on talking when suddenly chariots of fire and horses of fire were in between them. And Elijah went up into heaven by a whirlwind. Elisha saw it and cried, “My dad, my dad! Israel’s chariots and horsemen!” And they vanished.

Then he grabbed his clothes and tore them into two pieces. He picked up Elijah’s cloak which had fallen off him, and he went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. Then he took Elijah’s cloak and smacked the water, saying, “Where is the Existing One, the God of Elijah?” And when he hit the water, the water was parted again, and Elisha walked across.

Elijah’s body not found

Now when the prophets guild at Jericho saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to greet him and bowed down in front of him, saying, “There are now fifty strong men with your servants. Please let them go look for your master. It may be that the Existing One’s Spirit picked him up and dropped him off on a mountain or valley somewhere.” And he said, “That won’t be necessary.” But they urged him until he felt ashamed, so he said, “Ok, fine. Go ahead and send them.” So they sent the fifty men who searched for three days but never found him. When they returned to Jericho, Elisha said, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”

Elisha cleanses water supply

Now the city’s men said to Elisha, “This city is pleasant as you can see, but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.” He said, “Bring me a new bowl with salt in it.” So they brought it to him. Then he went to the spring of water, threw the salt in it, and said, “The Existing One says, I have healed this water; from now on, neither death nor miscarriage will come from it.” So the water has been healed to this day, just like the message Elisha delivered said it would be.

Elisha curses kids with bears

From there he went on to Bethel, and while he was on the way, some young boys came out of the city and teased him, saying, “Keep walking, you baldhead! Keep walking, baldy!” He turned around, and when he saw them, he cursed them on behalf of the Existing One. Two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. From there he went to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.