2 Kings 2
2
Elijah Taken to Heaven
1When the Lord was going to take Elijah to heaven in a windstorm, Elijah and Elisha left Gilgal. 2Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here because the Lord is sending me to Bethel.”
Elisha answered, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not abandon you.” So they went to Bethel.
3Some of the disciples of the prophets at Bethel came to Elisha. They asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”
He answered, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”
4Elijah said, “Elisha, please stay here because the Lord is sending me to Jericho.”
Elisha answered, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not abandon you.” So they went to Jericho.
5Then some of the disciples of the prophets who were in Jericho approached Elisha. They asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”
He answered, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”
6Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here because the Lord is sending me to the Jordan River.”
Elisha answered, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not abandon you.”
7Fifty disciples of the prophets stood at a distance as Elijah and Elisha stood by the Jordan River. 8Elijah took his coat, rolled it up, and struck the water with it. The water divided to their left and their right, and the two men crossed ⌞the river⌟ on dry ground.
9While they were crossing, Elijah asked Elisha, “What should I do for you before I’m taken from you?”
Elisha answered, “Let me inherit a double share of your spirit.”
10Elijah said, “You have asked for something difficult. If you see me taken from you, it will be yours. Otherwise, it will not.”
11As they continued walking and talking, a fiery chariot with fiery horses separated the two of them, and Elijah went to heaven in a windstorm.
12When Elisha saw this, he cried out, “Master! Master! Israel’s chariot and horses!” When he couldn’t see Elijah anymore, he grabbed his own garment and tore it in two ⌞to show his grief⌟. 13Then he picked up Elijah’s coat (which had fallen off Elijah), went back, and stood on the bank of the Jordan River. 14He took the coat and struck the water with it. He asked, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” As he struck the water, it divided to his left and his right, and Elisha crossed ⌞the river⌟.
15The disciples of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him from a distance. They said, “Elijah’s spirit rests on Elisha!” Then they went to meet him and bowed in front of him with their faces touching the ground. 16They said to him, “There are 50 strong men here with us. Please let them go and search for your master. Maybe the Lord’s Spirit lifted him up and dropped him on one of the hills or in one of the valleys.”
Elisha answered, “Don’t send them ⌞to look⌟.” 17But the disciples kept urging him ⌞to send the men⌟ until he was embarrassed. So he said, “Send them.” They sent 50 men who searched for three days without finding him. 18They returned to Elisha in Jericho, where he was waiting. He said, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”
Elisha Purifies Jericho’s Water
19The people of the city ⌞of Jericho⌟ told Elisha, “This city’s location is as good as you will ever find. But the water is bad, and the land cannot grow crops.”
20Elisha said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it.” They brought it to him. 21He went to the spring and threw the salt into it. Then he said, “This is what the Lord says: I have purified this water. No more deaths or crop failures will come from this water.” 22To this day the water is still pure, as Elisha had said.
23From there he went to Bethel. As he walked along the road, some boys came out of the city and mocked him. They said, “Go away, baldy! Go away!”
24Looking back, he saw them and cursed them in the Lord’s name. Two bears came out of the woods and tore 42 of these youths apart. 25He left that place, went to Mount Carmel, and returned to Samaria.
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
2 Kings 2
2
The Lord Takes Elijah Away
1Not long before the Lord took Elijah up into heaven in a strong wind, Elijah and Elisha were leaving Gilgal. 2Elijah said to Elisha, “The Lord wants me to go to Bethel, but you must stay here.”
Elisha replied, “I swear by the living Lord and by your own life that I will stay with you no matter what!” And he went with Elijah to Bethel.
3A group of prophets who lived there asked Elisha, “Do you know that today the Lord is going to take away your master?”
“Yes, I do,” Elisha answered. “But don't remind me of it.”
4Elijah then said, “Elisha, now the Lord wants me to go to Jericho, but you must stay here.”
Elisha replied, “I swear by the living Lord and by your own life, that I will stay with you no matter what!” And he went with Elijah to Jericho.
5A group of prophets who lived there asked Elisha, “Do you know that today the Lord is going to take away your master?”
“Yes, I do,” Elisha answered. “But don't remind me of it.”
6Elijah then said to Elisha, “Now the Lord wants me to go to the Jordan River, but you must stay here.”
Elisha replied, “I swear by the living Lord and by your own life that I will never leave you!” So the two of them walked on together.
7Fifty prophets followed Elijah and Elisha from Jericho, then stood at a distance and watched as the two men walked toward the river. 8When they got there, Elijah took off his coat, then he rolled it up and struck the water with it. At once a path opened up through the river, and the two of them walked across on dry ground.
9 #
Dt 21.15-17. After they had reached the other side, Elijah said, “Elisha, the Lord will soon take me away. What can I do for you before that happens?”
Elisha answered, “Please give me twice as much of your power as you give the other prophets, so I can be the one who takes your place as their leader.”
10“It won't be easy,” Elijah answered. “It can happen only if you see me as I am being taken away.”
11Elijah and Elisha were walking along and talking, when suddenly there appeared between them a flaming chariot pulled by fiery horses. At once, a strong wind took Elijah up into heaven. 12#2 K 13.14; Si 48.9,12. Elisha saw this and shouted, “Israel's cavalry and chariots have taken my master away!”#2.12 Israel's … away: Or “Master, you were like cavalry and chariots for the people of Israel!” After Elijah had gone, Elisha tore his clothes in sorrow.
13Elijah's coat had fallen off, so Elisha picked it up and walked back to the Jordan River. 14He struck the water with the coat and wondered, “Will the Lord perform miracles for me as he did for Elijah?” As soon as Elisha did this, a dry path opened up through the water, and he walked across.
15When the prophets from Jericho saw what happened, they said to each other, “Elisha now has Elijah's power.”
They walked over to him, bowed down, 16and said, “There are 50 strong men here with us. Please let them go look for your master. Maybe the Spirit of the Lord carried him off to some mountain or valley.”
“No,” Elisha replied, “they won't find him.”
17They kept begging until he was embarrassed to say no. He finally agreed, and the prophets sent the men out. They looked three days for Elijah but never found him. 18They returned to Jericho, and Elisha said, “I told you that you wouldn't find him.”
Elisha Makes the Water Pure at Jericho
19One day the people of Jericho said, “Elisha, you can see that our city is in a good spot. But the water from our spring is so bad that it even keeps our crops from growing.”
20He replied, “Put some salt in a new bowl and bring it to me.”
They brought him the bowl of salt, 21and he carried it to the spring. He threw the salt into the water and said, “The Lord has made this water pure again. From now on you'll be able to grow crops, and no one will starve.”
22The water has been fine ever since, just as Elisha said.
Some Boys Make Fun of Elisha
23Elisha left and headed toward Bethel. Along the way some boys started making fun of him by shouting, “Go away, baldy! Get out of here!”
24Elisha turned around and stared at the boys. Then he cursed them in the name of the Lord. At once two bears ran out of the woods and ripped to pieces 42 of the boys.
25Elisha went up to Mount Carmel, then returned to Samaria.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.