2:1  And it came about when the LORD had purposed to take up Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

2:2  Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here please, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel.

2:3  Then the sons of the prophets who lived at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, "Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?" And he said, "Yes, I know; keep still."

2:4  Elijah said to him, "Elisha, please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho." But he said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they came to Jericho.

2:5  The sons of the prophets who lived at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, "Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?" And he answered, "Yes, I know; keep still."

2:6  Then Elijah said to him, "Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan." And he said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So the two of them went on.

2:7  Now fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan.

2:8  Elijah took his mantle and folded it together and struck the waters, and they divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

2:9  When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you before God takes me from you." And Elisha said, "Please, let a double portion of your spirit come upon me."

2:10  He said, "You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when God takes me from you, you shall have it; but if not, you shall not have it."

2:11  As they went along and talked, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven.

2:12  Elisha saw it and cried out, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" And he saw Elijah no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

2:13  He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan.

2:14  He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, "Where can I find the LORD, the God of Elijah?" And when he also had struck the waters, they divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.

2:15  Now when the sons of the prophets who lived at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha." And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

2:16  They said to him, "Behold now, there live with your servants fifty strong men, please let them go and search for your master; perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley." And he said, "You shall not send."

2:17  But when they urged him until he felt ashamed, he said, "Send." They sent therefore fifty men; and they searched three days but did not find him.

2:18  They returned to him while he stayed at Jericho; and he said to them, "Did I not say to you, 'Do not go'?"

2:19  Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "Behold now, the situation of this city has become pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water has become bad and the land has become unfruitful."

2:20  He said, "Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it." So they brought it to him.

2:21  He went out to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, "Thus says the LORD, 'I have purified these waters; there shall not emanate from there death or unfruitfulness any longer.'"

2:22  So the waters have remained purified to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.

2:23  Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he went up by the way, young lads came out from the city and mocked him and said to him, "Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!"

2:24  When he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of their number.

2:25  He went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.