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 the Lord was going to take Eliu with a whirlwind as it were into heaven, that Eliu and Elisaie went out of Galgala.
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 Eliu said to Elisaie, Stay here, I pray you; for God has sent me to Baethel. And Elisaie said, [As] the Lord lives and your soul lives, I will not leave you; so they came to Baethel.
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 who were in Baethel came to Elisaie, and said to him, Do you know, that the Lord this day is going to take your lord away from your head? And he said, Yes, I know [it]; be silent.
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 Eliu said to Elisaie, Stay here, I pray you; for the Lord has sent me to Jericho. And he said, [As] the Lord lives and your soul lives, I will not leave you. And 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 who were in Jericho drew near to Elisaie, and said to him, Do you know that the Lord is about to take away your master today from your head? And he said, Yes, I know [it]; hold 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 Eliu said to him, Stay here, I pray you, for the Lord has sent me to Jordan. And Elisaie said, [As] the Lord lives and your soul lives, I will not leave you: and they both 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 also], and they stood opposite afar off: and both stood on [the bank] of 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 Eliu took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and struck the water: and the water was divided on this side and on that side, and they both 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 while they were crossing over, that Eliu said to Elisaie, Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken up from you. And Elisaie said, Let there be, I pray you, a double [portion] of your spirit 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 Eliu said, You have asked a hard thing: if you shall see me when I am taken up from you, then shall it be so to you; and 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 were going, they went on talking; and, behold, a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and it separated between them both; and Eliu was taken up in a whirlwind as it were 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 Elisaie saw, and cried, Father, father, the chariot of Israel, and the horseman thereof! And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his garments, and tore them into 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].
And Elisaie took up the mantle of Eliu, which fell from off him upon Elisaie; and Elisaie returned, and stood upon the brink 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 Eliu, which fell from off him, and struck the water, and said, Where is the Lord God of Eliu? and he struck the waters, and they were divided hither and there; and Elisaie 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 the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho on the opposite side saw him, and said, The spirit of Eliu has rested upon Elisaie. And they came to meet him, and did obeisance to him to the ground.
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 to him, Behold now, [there are] with your servants fifty men of strength: let them go now, and seek your lord: perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up, and cast him into Jordan, or on one of the mountains, or on one of the hills. And Elisaie said, You 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 they pressed him until he was ashamed; and he said, Send. And they sent fifty men, and sought three days, and 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 they returned to him, for he lived in Jericho: and Elisaie said, Did I not say to 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 to Elisaie, Behold, the situation of the city [is] good, as [our] lord sees; but the waters [are] bad, 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 Elisaie said, Bring me a new pitcher, and put salt in it. And they took [one], and 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 Elisaie went out to the spring of the waters, and cast salt therein, and says, Thus says the Lord, I have healed these waters; there shall not be any longer death thence or barren [land].
22 And the water became pure, just as Elisha said it would be. Since that time it has always remained pure.
And the waters were healed until this day, according to the word of Elisaie which he spoke.
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 thence to Baethel: and as he was going up by the way there came up also little children from the city, and mocked him, and said to him, Go up, bald-head, go up.
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 after them, and saw them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And, behold, there came out two bears out of the wood, and they tore 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 thence to mount Carmel, and returned thence to Samaria.
