en-v0.1→en-v0.2-dev·#0edadc23c5b2Contribute to en-v0.2

2 Kings 2:1-25 — Elijah Taken Up to Heaven; Elisha Succeeds

2Kgs.2.1-25

¹When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were going from Gilgal. ²Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as surely as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. ³Then the company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take your master away from over you?” He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.” ⁴Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as surely as you live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. ⁵Then the company of the prophets at Jericho came up to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take your master away from over you?” He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.” ⁶Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as surely as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. ⁷Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. ⁸Then Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water, and it parted to one side and to the other, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground. ⁹When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I should do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” ¹⁰He said, “You have asked a hard thing. If you see me being taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” ¹¹As they were going on and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire with horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in the whirlwind. ¹²Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” Then he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. ¹³He picked up Elijah's mantle, which had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. ¹⁴Then he took Elijah's mantle, which had fallen from him, and struck the water and said, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” He too struck the water, and it parted to one side and to the other, and Elisha crossed over. ¹⁵When the company of the prophets at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. ¹⁶Then they said to him, “Look now, your servants have fifty strong men. Please let them go and search for your master, lest the Spirit of the LORD has lifted him up and cast him on one of the mountains or into one of the valleys.” But he said, “Do not send them.” ¹⁷But they kept pressing him until he was ashamed, and he said, “Send them.” So they sent fifty men, and they searched for three days, but did not find him. ¹⁸They returned to him while he was staying in Jericho, and he said to them, “Did I not tell you, 'Do not go' ?” ¹⁹Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Look now, the situation of the city is good, as my lord sees, but the water is bad and the land causes miscarriage.” ²⁰He said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. ²¹Then he went out to the spring of the water and threw salt there and said, “Thus says the LORD: I have healed this water. No longer shall there come from it death or miscarriage .” ²²So the water has remained healed to this day, according to the word Elisha spoke. ²³Then he went up from there to Bethel. As he was going up on the way, some young boys came out from the city and mocked him, saying to him, “Go up, baldhead! Go up, baldhead!” ²⁴And he turned around and saw them and cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. ²⁵From there he went to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

Translation Notes

4/11/2026

💡 Read the current translation below. If you have suggestions, comment by verse.

📚 Reference Translations

🔬 Exegesis Resources