2 Kings 2
1 And it came to pass, when Yahweh was about to take up Elijah in a storm into the heavens, that Elijah departed, with Elisha, from Gilgal.
Now it happened that, when the Lord willed to lift up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were going out of Gilgal.
2 Then said Elijah unto Elisha—Tarry here, I pray thee, for, Yahweh, hath sent me as far as Bethel. And Elisha said, By the life of Yahweh and by the life of thine own soul, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.
And Elijah said to Elisha: “Remain here. For the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” And Elisha said to him, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not forsake you.” And when they had descended to Bethel,
3 And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came forth unto Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that, to-day, Yahweh is taking away thy lord, from thy head? And he said—I also, know, be silent.
the sons of the prophets, who were at Bethel, went out to Elisha. And they said to him, “Do you not know that today the Lord will take away your lord from you?” And he responded: “I know it. Be silent.”
4 Then Elijah said to him—Elisha, I pray thee, tarry here, for, Yahweh, hath sent me to Jericho. And he said—By the life of Yahweh and by the life of thine own soul, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
Then Elijah said to Elisha: “Remain here. For the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” And he said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not forsake you.” And when they had arrived at Jericho,
5 Then drew near the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho, unto Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that, to-day, Yahweh is taking away thy lord from thy head? And he said—I also, know; be silent.
the sons of the prophets, who were at Jericho, drew near to Elisha. And they said to him, “Do you not know that today the Lord will take away your lord from you?” And he said: “I know it. Be silent.”
6 And Elijah said to him—Tarry here, I pray thee, for, Yahweh, hath sent me to the Jordan. And he said—By the life of Yahweh and by the life of thine own soul, I will not leave thee. So they two, went on.
Then Elijah said to him: “Remain here. For the Lord has sent me as far as the Jordan.” And he said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not forsake you.” And so, the two of them continued on together.
7 But, fifty men of the sons of the prophets, came, and stood over against them, afar off, —and, they two, stood by the Jordan.
And fifty men from the sons of the prophets followed them, and they stood opposite them, at a distance. But the two of them were standing above the Jordan.
8 Then Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided, hither and thither, —so that they two, passed over, on dry ground.
And Elijah took his cloak, and he rolled it up, and he struck the waters, which were divided into two parts. And they both went across on dry ground.
9 And it came to pass, as they went over, that, Elijah, said unto Elisha—Ask, what I shall do for thee, ere yet I be taken from thee. And Elisha said, Let there be, I pray thee, a double portion of thy spirit upon me.
And when they had gone across, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what you wish that I may do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “I beg you, that twice your spirit may be accomplished in me.”
10 And he said—Thou hast asked a hard thing, —if thou see me when taken from thee, thou shall have it, so, but, if not, thou shalt not have it.
And he responded: “You have requested a difficult thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, you will have what you requested. But if you do not see, it shall not be.”
11 And it came to pass, as they were going on and on and talking, that lo! there was a chariot of fire, with horses of fire, which parted, those two, asunder, —and Elijah went up in a storm, into the heavens.
And as they continued on, they were conversing while walking. And behold, a fiery chariot with fiery horses divided the two. And Elijah ascended by a whirlwind into heaven.
12 And, as soon as Elisha saw it, he, began crying out—My father! my father! The chariots of Israel, and the horsemen thereof! But, when he could see him no longer, he took hold of his clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
Then Elisha saw it, and he cried out: “My father, my father! The chariot of Israel with its driver!” And he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own garments, and he tore them into two parts.
13 Then took he up the mantle of Elijah, which had fallen from him, —and returned and stood, on the brink of the Jordan;
And he picked up the cloak of Elijah, which had fallen from him. And turning back, he stood above the bank of the Jordan.
14 and took the mantle of Elijah which had fallen from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah? And, when, he also, smote the waters, they were divided, hither and thither, and Elisha, passed over.
And he struck the waters with the cloak of Elijah, which had fallen from him, and they were not divided. And he said, “Where is the God of Elijah, even now?” And he struck the waters, and they were divided here and there. And Elisha went across.
15 And, when the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho, over against him, saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah, resteth, on Elisha. So they came to meet him, and bowed themselves down to him, to the ground.
Then the sons of the prophets, who were at Jericho, watching from a distance, said, “The spirit of Elijah has rested upon Elisha.” And approaching to meet him, they reverenced him prone on the ground.
16 Then said they unto him—Lo! we pray thee, there are with thy servants fifty men, sons of valour—let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy lord, lest the Spirit of Yahweh have borne him away, and cast him on one of the mountains, or into one of the valleys. And he said—Ye shall not send.
And they said to him, “Behold, with your servants there are fifty strong men, who are able to go forth and to seek your lord. For perhaps, the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley.” But he said, “Do not send them.”
17 But, when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said—Send. So they sent fifty men, and made search three days, but found him not.
And they urged him, until he acquiesced and said, “Send them.” And they sent fifty men. And after they had searched for three days, they did not find him.
18 And, when they came back unto him, he, having tarried at Jericho, he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Do not go?
And they returned to him, for he was living in Jericho. And he said to them: “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not send them?’”
19 And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Lo! we pray thee, the situation of the city, is good, as, my lord, seeth, —but, the waters, are bad, and, the land, apt to miscarry.
Also, the men of the city said to Elisha: “Behold, this city is a very good habitation, as you yourself perceive, O lord. But the waters are very bad, and the ground is barren.”
20 And he said—Bring me a new bowl, and put therein, salt. So they brought it unto him;
And so he said, “Bring a new vessel to me, and place salt in it.” And when they had brought it,
21 and he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast therein, saith, —and said—Thus, saith Yahweh, I have healed these waters; there shall come from thence, no longer, death or aptness to miscarry.
he went out to the source of the waters, and he cast the salt into it. And he said: “Thus says the Lord: I have healed these waters, and no longer shall there be death or barrenness in them.”
22 So the waters were healed, [as they remain] unto this day, —according to the word of Elisha which he spake.
Then the waters were healed, even to this day, in accord with the word of Elisha, which he spoke.
23 And he went up from thence, to Bethel, —and, as he was going up on the way, some lads, came forth, out of the city, and made mockery of him, and said to him, Go up, bald head! Go up, bald head!
Then he went up from there into Bethel. And as he was ascending along the way, little boys departed from the city. And they were mocking him, saying: “Go up, bald head! Go up, bald head!”
24 And, when he turned round and saw them, he cursed them, in the name of Yahweh, —and there came forth two she-bears out of the wood, and tare, of them, forty-two youths.
And when he had looked back, he saw them, and he cursed them in the name of the Lord. And two bears went out from the forest, and they wounded forty-two boys among them.
25 And he went from thence, unto Mount Carmel, —and, from thence, he returned, to Samaria.
Then he went away from there to mount Carmel. And he returned from there into Samaria.
