< 2 Kings 2 >
1 And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to take up Elijah by a storm-wind to heaven, that Elijah went out with Elisha' from Gilgal.
And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elias into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elias and Eliseus were going from Galgal.
2 And Elijah said unto Elisha', Remain, I pray thee, here; for the Lord hath sent me as far as Beth-el. But Elisha' said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Beth-el.
And Elias said to Eliseus: Stay thou here, because the Lord hath sent me as far as Bethel. And Eliseus said to him: As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And when they were come down to Bethel,
3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha', and said unto him, Knowest thou that today the Lord will take away thy master from thy head? And he said, I also know it; be still.
The sons of the prophets, that were at Bethel, came forth to Eliseus, and said to him: Dost thou know that this day the Lord will take away thy master from thee? And he answered: I also know it: hold your peace.
4 And Elijah said unto him, Elisha', remain, I pray thee, here; for the Lord hath sent me to Jericho. But he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
And Elias said to Eliseus: Stay here because the Lord hath sent me to Jericho. And he said: As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And when they were come to Jericho,
5 And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came near to Elisha', and said unto him, Knowest thou that today the Lord will take away thy master from thy head? And he said, I also know it; be still.
The sons of the prophets that were at Jericho, came to Eliseus, and said to him: Dost thou know that this day the Lord will take away thy master from thee? And he said: I also know it: hold your peace.
6 And Elijah said unto him, Remain, I pray thee, here; for the Lord hath sent me to the Jordan. But he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So these two went on.
And Elias said to him: Stay here, because the Lord hath sent me as far as the Jordan. And he said: As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee; and they two went on together,
7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood opposite [to them] afar off: and those two stood by the Jordan.
And fifty men of the sons of the prophets followed them, and stood in sight at a distance: but they two stood by the Jordan.
8 And Elijah took his mantle, and folded it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, and they went, both of them, over on dry ground.
And Elias took his mantle and folded it together, and struck the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, and they both passed over on dry ground.
9 And it came to pass, when they passed over, that Elijah said unto Elisha', Ask what I shall do for thee, before I shall be taken away from thee. And Elisha' said, Let there be, I pray thee, a double portion of thy spirit upon me.
And when they were gone over, Elias said to Eliseus: Ask what thou wilt have me to do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Eliseus said: I beseech thee that in me may be thy double spirit.
10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so [given] unto thee; but if not, it shall not be.
And he answered: Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless if thou see me when I am taken from thee, thou shalt have what thou hast asked: but if thou see me not, thou shalt not have it.
11 And it came to pass, as they went on, speaking as they were going, that, behold, there came a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a storm-wind to heaven.
And as they went on, walking and talking together, behold a fiery chariot, and fiery horses parted them both asunder: and Elias went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
12 And Elisha' saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and their horsemen. And he saw him no more; and he took hold of his clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
And Eliseus saw him, and cried: My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the driver thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own garments, and rent them in two pieces.
13 And he lifted up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back, and stood by the border of the Jordan;
And he took up the mantle of Elias, that fell from him: and going back, he stood upon the bank of the Jordan,
14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord the God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither; and Elisha' passed over.
And he struck the waters with the mantle of Elias, that had fallen from him, and they were not divided. And he said: Where is now the God of Elias? And he struck the waters, and they were divided, hither and thither, and Eliseus passed over.
15 And when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho, at a distance, saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah Doth rest on Elisha'. And they came forth to meet him, and bowed themselves unto him to the ground.
And the sons of the prophets at Jericho, who were over against him, seeing it said: The spirit of Elias hath rested upon Eliseus. And coming to meet him, they worshipped him, falling to the ground,
16 And they said unto him, Behold now, there are among thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master; peradventure the Spirit of the Lord hath taken him up, and cast him upon one of the mountains, or into one of the valleys. And he said, Ye must not send.
And they said to him: Behold, there are with thy servants fifty strong men, that can go, and seek thy master, lest perhaps the spirit of the Lord hath taken him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley. And he said: Do not send.
17 And they urged him till he was ashamed, when he said, Send. And they sent fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not.
But they pressed him, till he consented, and said: Send. And they sent fifty men: and they sought three days but found him not.
18 And they returned again to him, for he had remained at Jericho; and he then said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Ye should not go?
And they came back to him: for he abode at Jericho, and he said to them: Did I not say to you: Do not send?
19 And the men of the city said unto Elisha', Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is good, as my Lord seeth; but the water is bad, and the land causeth untimely births.
And the men of the city said to Eliseus: Behold the situation of this city is very good, as thou, my lord, seest: but the waters are very bad, and the ground barren.
20 And he said, Fetch me a new flask, and put salt therein: and they fetched it to him.
And he said: Bring me a new vessel, and put salt into it. And when they had brought it,
21 And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast therein the salt, and said, Thus hath said the Lord, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from there any more death or untimely births.
He went out to the spring of the waters, and cast the salt into it, and said: Thus saith the Lord: I have healed these waters, and there shall be no more in them death or barrenness.
22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the word of Elisha' which he spoke.
And the waters were healed unto this day, according to the word of Eliseus, which he spoke.
23 And he went up from there to Beth-el: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth young lads out of the city, and they mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, bald-head! go up, bald-head!
And he went up from thence to Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, little boys came out of the city and mocked him, saying: Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
24 And 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 forest, and tore of them forty and two boys.
And looking back, he saw them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord: and there came forth two bears out of the forest, and tore of them two and forty boys.
25 And he went from there to mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.
And from thence he went to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.