2 Kings 2
1 When Yahweh was about to take [the prophet] Elijah up to heaven in a (whirlwind/twisting wind), Elijah and [his fellow prophet] Elisha were traveling [south] from Gilgal [town].
And it came to pass, when Yhwh would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, because Yahweh has told [only] me to go to Bethel [town].” But Elisha replied, “Just as certainly as Yahweh lives and you live, I will not leave you!” So they went down [together] to Bethel.
And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for Yhwh hath sent me to Beth–el. And Elisha said unto him, As Yhwh liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Beth–el.
3 A group of prophets came to Elisha [and Elijah before they entered the town], and they asked Elisha, “Do you know that Yahweh is going to take your master/boss [Elijah] away from you today?” Elisha answered, “Certainly I know that, but don’t talk about it!” [IDM]
And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth–el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that Yhwh will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
4 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, because Yahweh has told [only] me to go to Jericho.” But Elisha replied [again], “Just as certainly as Yahweh lives and you live, I will not leave you!” So they went [together] to Jericho [city].
And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for Yhwh hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As Yhwh liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
5 [As they neared] Jericho, a group of prophets who were from there came to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that Yahweh is going to take your master/boss [Elijah] away from you today?” He answered again, “Certainly I know that, but don’t talk about it!” [IDM]
And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that Yhwh will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
6 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, because Yahweh has told [only] me to go to the Jordan [River].” But [again] Elisha replied, “As certainly as Yahweh lives and you live, I will not leave you!” So they continued walking together.
And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for Yhwh hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As Yhwh liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.
7 Fifty men from a group of prophets [who were from Jericho] also went, but they watched from a distance as Elijah and Elisha stopped at the edge of the Jordan [River].
And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.
8 Then Elijah rolled up his cloak and struck the water with it. A path opened up for them through the river, and they walked across [as though they were] on dry ground.
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.
9 When they came to the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, “What do you want me to do for you before (I am taken away/Yahweh takes me away)?” Elisha replied, “I want to receive twice as much of your power [as you have had, ] (OR enable me to very powerfully continue your ministry).”
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 a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
10 Elijah replied, “You have asked for something which is difficult [for me to cause to happen]. But, if you see me when (I am taken from you/Yahweh takes me from you), you will get what you are requesting. But if you do not see me, then you will not get it.”
And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
11 As they were walking and talking, suddenly a chariot that had fire [surrounding it], pulled by horses which also had fire [surrounding them], appeared. [The chariot driver] drove the chariot between Elijah and Elisha and separated them. Then Elijah was taken up to heaven in a (whirlwind/twisting wind).
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
12 Elisha saw it. He cried out, “My father/master! My father/master! The chariots of us Israeli people and their drivers [have taken my master away]!” [They disappeared into the sky, ] and Elisha never saw Elijah again. Then Elisha tore his own robe into two pieces [to show that he was sad].
And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
13 Elijah’s cloak [had fallen off when he was taken away, so] Elisha picked it up and returned to the bank of the Jordan [River].
He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
14 He [rolled up the cloak and] struck the water with it, and cried out, “Will Yahweh, the God who [enabled] Elijah [to perform miracles, enable me to do similar things]?” Then the water separated, and a path opened up for him, and Elisha went across.
And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is Yhwh God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
15 When the group of prophets from Jericho saw what happened, they exclaimed, “Elisha now has the power that Elijah had!” [MTY] They walked over to him and bowed down in front of him.
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 bowed themselves to the ground before him.
16 [One of] them said, “Sir, if you permit us, 50 of our strongest men will go and search for your master [on the other side of the river]. Perhaps the Spirit of Yahweh has left him on some mountain or in some valley.” Elisha replied, “No, do not send them.”
And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of Yhwh hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send.
17 But they kept insisting. Finally he was tired of saying “No,” and he said, “Okay, send them.” So 50 men searched for three days, but they did not find Elijah.
And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not.
18 They returned to Jericho, and Elisha was still there. He said to them, “I told you that you should not go, [because you would not find him]!” [RHQ]
And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho, ) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?
19 Then the leaders of [Jericho] city came to talk with Elisha. One of them said, “Our master, we have a problem. You can see that this is a very nice place [to live in]. But the water is bad, and as a result, crops will not grow on the land.”
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, and the ground barren.
20 Elisha said to them, “Put some salt in a new bowl and bring the bowl to me.” So they brought it to him.
And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him.
21 Then he went out to the spring [from which the people in the town got water]. He threw the salt into the spring. Then he said, “This is what Yahweh says: ‘I have made this water good/pure. No longer will anyone die, from having drunk this water, and now crops will be able to grow.’” [LIT]
And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith Yhwh, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.
22 And the water became pure, just as Elisha said it would be. Since that time it has always remained pure.
So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.
23 Elisha left Jericho and went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, a group of young boys from Bethel [saw him and] started to make fun of him. They continued shouting, “Go away, you bald-headed man!”
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 mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
24 Elisha turned around and looked/glared at them. He asked Yahweh to (curse them/do something bad to them). Immediately two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of them.
And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of Yhwh. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
25 Elisha left Bethel and went to Carmel Mountain, and after that he returned to Samaria [city].
And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.
