 1 When the Lord was to take Elijah up into Heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said, As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they went down to Bethel. 3 The sons of the prophets at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said to him, Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from your head today? And he said, Yes, I know. Keep silent. 4 Elijah said to him, Elisha, please stay here. For the Lord has sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they came to Jericho. 5 The sons of the prophets at Jericho came to Elisha and said to him, Do you know that the Lord will take your master away from your head today? And he answered, Yes, I know. Keep silent. 6 Elijah said to him, Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. And the two of them went on. 7 Fifty of the sons of the prophets stood far off across from them and both of them stood by the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the waters and they divided here and there so that both of them crossed over on dry ground. 9 When they had gone over, Elijah said to Elisha. Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken away from you. Elisha said, Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me. 10 He said, You have asked a hard thing, but if you see me taken from you, it will be so to you. But if not, it will not be. 11 As they talked, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire came and separated between them and Elijah went in a tempest up into Heaven. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen. Then he saw him no more. So he took hold of his clothes and tore them in pieces. 13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood by the bank of Jordan. 14 He took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the waters and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? He also hit the waters and they parted here and there and Elisha went over. 15 When the sons of the prophets across in Jericho saw him they said, The spirit of Elijah rests upon Elisha. Then they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 They said to him, There are now with your servants 50 strong men. Please let them go and seek your master lest the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley. He said, You shall not send. 17 They urged him until he was ashamed and he said, Send. So they sent 50 men and looked for three days but did not find him. 18 They returned to him as he was staying in Jericho and he said to them, Did I not say to you, Do not go? 19 The men of the city said to Elisha, The location of this city is pleasant as my lord sees. But the waters are bad and the ground is barren. 20 He said, Bring me a new jar and put salt in it. They brought it to him. 21 He went forth to the spring of the waters and threw the salt in there and said, Thus says the Lord, I have healed these waters. There will not be any more death or barrenness from there. 22 The waters were healed to this day, according to the saying of Elisha that he spoke. 23 He went from there to Bethel and was going on the highway. Little boys came out from the city and mocked him and said to him, Go up, bald head. Go up, bald head. 24 He turned behind him and saw them and declared them vile in the name of the Lord. Then two she bears came out of the woods and tore 42 boys of them. 25 From there he went to Mount Carmel and from there he returned to Samaria.
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