2 Kings 2
Elijah Makes a Swift Departure
2:1 Just before1 the
2:4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here, for the
2:6 Elijah said to him, “Stay here, for the
2:9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “What can I do for you,7 before I am taken away from you?” Elisha answered, “May I receive a double portion of the prophetic spirit that energizes you.”8 2:10 Elijah9 replied, “That’s a difficult request!10 If you see me taken from you, may it be so, but if you don’t, it will not happen.”
2:11 As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a fiery chariot11 pulled by fiery horses appeared.12 They went between Elijah and Elisha,13 and Elijah went up to heaven in a windstorm.
2:12 While Elisha was watching, he was crying out, “My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!”14 Then he could no longer see him. He grabbed his clothes and tore them in two.
2:13 He picked up Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen off him, and went back and stood on the shore of the Jordan.
2:14 He took the cloak that had fallen off Elijah,15 hit the water with it, and said, “Where is the
2:15 When the members of the prophetic guild in Jericho,16 who were standing at a distance,17 saw him do this, they said, “The spirit that energized Elijah18 rests upon Elisha.” They went to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him.
2:16 They said to him, “Look, there are fifty capable men with your servants. Let them go and look for your master, for the wind sent from the
Elisha Demonstrates His Authority
2:19 The men of the city said to Elisha, “Look, the city has a good location, as our23 master can see. But the water is bad and the land doesn’t produce crops.”24
2:20 Elisha25 said, “Get me a new jar and put some salt in it.” So they got it.
2:21 He went out to the spring and threw the salt in. Then he said, “This is what the
2:23 He went up from there to Bethel.29 As he was traveling up the road, some young boys30 came out of the city and made fun of him, saying, “Go on up, baldy! Go on up, baldy!” 2:24 When he turned around and saw them, he called God’s judgment down on them.31 Two female bears came out of the woods and ripped forty-two of the boys to pieces. 2:25 From there he traveled to Mount Carmel and then back to Samaria.32