THE SECOND BOOK OF
THE KINGS,
2 Kings 2 ©
Elijah divides the Jordan, v. 1. etc. He grants Elisha his request on a certain condition, and ascends into heaven in a fiery chariot, 9. Elisha divides the Jordan also, 13. Is acknowledged to be a prophet by the children of the prophets, 15. Who seek Elijah, but in vain, 16. Elisha heals the waters at Jericho, 19. He curses certain children, that mockingly cried after him, and are devoured by two bears, 23.
AND it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from 1Gilgal.
And Elijah said unto Elisha, 2Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to 3Beth-el. And Elisha said unto him, 4As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, 5I will not leave thee. So they went down to Beth-el.
And the 6sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, 7Knowest thou that the LORD will take away 8thy master from 9thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to 10Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
And the sons of the prophets 11that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.
And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and 12stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.
And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.
¶And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let 13a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
And he said, Thou hast asked a 14hard thing: nevertheless, 15if thou 16see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a 17chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
¶And Elisha saw it, and he cried, 18Mya father, my father, the 19chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, 20and rent them in two 21pieces.
He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the 22LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and 23bowed themselves to the ground before him.
¶And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with 24thy servants fifty 25strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath 26taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, 27Ye shall not send.
And when they urged him till he was 28ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not.
And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?
¶And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught,b and the ground 29barren.
And he said, 30Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him.
And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more 31death or 32barren land.
So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.
¶And he went up from thence unto Beth-el: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and 33mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou 34bald head; go up, thou bald head.
And he turned back, and looked on them, and 35cursed them 36in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
And he went from thence to mount 37Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.