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2 Kings 2
Christian Standard Bible
2 Kings 2
Christian Standard Bible
Elijah in the Whirlwind
2 The time had come for the Lord to take Elijah up to heaven(A) in a whirlwind.(B) Elijah and Elisha(C) were traveling from Gilgal,(D) 2 and Elijah said to Elisha,(E) “Stay here;(F) the Lord is sending me on to Bethel.”(G)
But Elisha replied, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”(H) So they went down to Bethel.
3 Then the sons of the prophets(I) who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the Lord will take your master away from you today?” (J)
He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”
4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here; the Lord is sending me to Jericho.”(K)
But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.
5 Then the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho came up to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the Lord will take your master away from you today?”
He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”
6 Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord is sending me to the Jordan.”(L)
But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.
7 Fifty men from the sons of the prophets came and stood observing them at a distance while the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his mantle,(M) rolled it up, and struck the water, which parted to the right and left. Then the two of them crossed over on dry ground.(N) 9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken from you.”
So Elisha answered, “Please, let me inherit two shares of your spirit.”(O)
10 Elijah replied, “You have asked for something difficult. If you see me being taken from you,(P) you will have it. If not, you won’t.”
11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire with horses of fire(Q) suddenly appeared and separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up into heaven in the whirlwind.(R) 12 As Elisha watched, he kept crying out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” (S)
Elisha Succeeds Elijah
When he could see him no longer, he took hold of his own clothes, tore them in two,(T) 13 picked up the mantle(U) that had fallen off Elijah, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the mantle Elijah had dropped, and he struck the water. “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” he asked. He struck the water himself, and it parted to the right and the left, and Elisha crossed over.
15 When the sons of the prophets from Jericho who were observing saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” They came to meet him and bowed down to the ground in front of him.
16 Then the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Since there are fifty strong men here with your servants, please let them go and search for your master. Maybe the Spirit of the Lord has carried him away and put him on one of the mountains or into one of the valleys.”(V)
He answered, “Don’t send them.”
17 However, they urged him to the point of embarrassment,(W) so he said, “Send them.” They sent fifty men, who looked for three days but did not find him. 18 When they returned to him in Jericho(X) where he was staying, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”
19 The men of the city said to Elisha, “My lord can see that even though the city’s location is good, the water is bad and the land unfruitful.”(Y)
20 He replied, “Bring me a new bowl and put salt in it.”(Z)
After they had brought him one, 21 Elisha went out to the spring, threw salt in it,(AA) and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. No longer will death or unfruitfulness result from it.’” 22 Therefore, the water still remains healthy today according to the word that Elisha spoke.
23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel.(AB) As he was walking up the path, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him,(AC) chanting, “Go up, baldy! Go up, baldy!” 24 He turned around, looked at them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord.(AD) Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the children. 25 From there Elisha went to Mount Carmel,(AE) and then he returned to Samaria.(AF)
2 Kings 2
New International Version
2 Kings 2
New International Version
Elijah Taken Up to Heaven
2 When the Lord was about to take(A) Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind,(B) Elijah and Elisha(C) were on their way from Gilgal.(D) 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here;(E) the Lord has sent me to Bethel.”
But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.”(F) So they went down to Bethel.
3 The company(G) of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.”
4 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho.(H)”
And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.
5 The company(I) of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.”
6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here;(J) the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.”(K)
And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.”(L) So the two of them walked on.
7 Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak,(M) rolled it up and struck(N) the water with it. The water divided(O) to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry(P) ground.
9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”
“Let me inherit a double(Q) portion of your spirit,”(R) Elisha replied.
10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”
11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire(S) and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven(T) in a whirlwind.(U) 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots(V) and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore(W) it in two.
13 Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the cloak(X) that had fallen from Elijah and struck(Y) the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.
15 The company(Z) of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit(AA) of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 “Look,” they said, “we your servants have fifty able men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit(AB) of the Lord has picked him up(AC) and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.”
“No,” Elisha replied, “do not send them.”
17 But they persisted until he was too embarrassed(AD) to refuse. So he said, “Send them.” And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find him. 18 When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”
Healing of the Water
19 The people of the city said to Elisha, “Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.”
20 “Bring me a new bowl,” he said, “and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.
21 Then he went out to the spring and threw(AE) the salt into it, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.’” 22 And the water has remained pure(AF) to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken.
Elisha Is Jeered
23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered(AG) at him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!” 24 He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse(AH) on them in the name(AI) of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. 25 And he went on to Mount Carmel(AJ) and from there returned to Samaria.
2 Kings 2
New King James Version
2 Kings 2
New King James Version
Elijah Ascends to Heaven
2 And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to (A)take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with (B)Elisha from Gilgal. 2 Then Elijah said to Elisha, (C)“Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Bethel.”
But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and (D)as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they went down to Bethel.
3 Now (E)the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master [a]from over you today?”
And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent!”
4 Then Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Jericho.”
But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they came to Jericho.
5 Now the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?”
So he answered, “Yes, I know; keep silent!”
6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to the Jordan.”
But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So the two of them went on. 7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood facing them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and (F)it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry (G)ground.
9 And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?”
Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”
10 So he said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly (H)a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah (I)went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, (J)“My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces. 13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, (K)it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.
15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were (L)from[b] Jericho saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him, and bowed to the ground before him. 16 Then they said to him, “Look now, there are fifty strong men with your servants. Please let them go and search for your master, (M)lest perhaps 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 anyone.”
17 But when they urged him till he was (N)ashamed, he said, “Send them!” Therefore they sent fifty men, and they searched for three days but did not find him. 18 And when they came back to him, for he had stayed in Jericho, he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”
Elisha Performs Miracles
19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please notice, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren.”
20 And he said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went out to the source of the water, and (O)cast in the salt there, and said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘I have [c]healed this water; from it there shall be no more death or barrenness.’ ” 22 So the water remains (P)healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.
23 Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up the road, some youths came from the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”
24 So he turned around and looked at them, and (Q)pronounced a curse on them in the name of the Lord. And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.
25 Then he went from there to (R)Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 2:3 Lit. from your head
- 2 Kings 2:15 Or at Jericho opposite him saw
- 2 Kings 2:21 purified
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.