Elijah Taken Up to Heaven

1And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

2And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray you; for the LORD has sent me to Beth-el. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they went down to Beth-el.

3And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Know you that the LORD will take away your master from over you today? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold your peace.

4And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray you; 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.

5And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Know you that the LORD will take away your master from over you today? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold your peace.

6And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray you, 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 they both went on.

7And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view from afar off: and they both stood by the Jordan.

8And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that they both went over on dry ground.

9And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for you, before I be taken away from you. And Elisha said, I pray you, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.

10And he said, You have asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so unto you; but if not, it shall not be so.

11And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and separated them both; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

12And 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 tore them in two pieces.

13He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;

14And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and struck the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had struck the waters, they parted to the one side and to the other: and Elisha went over.

15And when the sons of the prophets who were from Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah does rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

16And they said unto him, Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray you, and seek your master: lest peradventure the spirit of the LORD has taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, You shall not send them.

17And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send them. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not.

18And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?

Healing of Jericho's Water

19And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray you, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees: but the water is bad, and the ground barren.

20And he said, Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it. And they brought it to him.

21And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus says the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from there any more death or barren land.

22So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spoke.

Elisha Mocked

23And he went up from there unto Beth-el: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth youths out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, you bald head; go up, you bald head.

24And 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 tore forty and two of the youths.

25And he went from there to mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.