2 Kings 2
International Children’s Bible
Elijah Is Taken to Heaven
2 It was near the time for the Lord to take Elijah. He was going to take him by a whirlwind up into heaven. Elijah and Elisha were at Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here. The Lord has told me to go to Bethel.”
But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you live, I won’t leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 A group of the prophets at Bethel came to Elisha. They said to him, “Do you know the Lord will take your master away from you today?”
Elisha said, “Yes, I know. But don’t talk about it.”
4 Elijah said to him, “Stay here, because the Lord has sent me to Jericho.”
But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you live, I won’t leave you.”
So they went to Jericho. 5 A group of the prophets at Jericho came to Elisha. They said, “Do you know that the Lord will take your master away from you today?”
Elisha answered, “Yes, I know. But don’t talk about it.”
6 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here. The Lord has sent me to the Jordan River.”
Elisha answered, “As the Lord lives, and as you live, I won’t leave you.”
So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men from a group of the prophets came. They stood far from where Elijah and Elisha were by the Jordan. 8 Elijah took off his coat. Then he rolled it up and hit the water. The water divided to the right and to the left. Then Elijah and Elisha crossed over on dry ground.
9 After they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “What can I do for you before I am taken from you?”
Elisha said, “Leave me a double share of your spirit.”[a]
10 Elijah said, “You have asked a hard thing. But if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours. If you don’t, it won’t happen.”
11 Elijah and Elisha were still walking and talking. Then a chariot and horses of fire appeared. The chariot and horses of fire separated Elijah from Elisha. Then Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw it and shouted, “My father! My father! The chariots of Israel and their horsemen!” Elisha did not see him anymore. Elisha grabbed his own clothes and tore them to show how sad he was.
13 He picked up Elijah’s coat that had fallen from him. Then Elisha returned and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Elisha hit the water with Elijah’s coat. He said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” When he hit the water, it divided to the right and to the left. Then Elisha crossed over.
15 A group of the prophets at Jericho were watching. They said, “Elisha now has the spirit Elijah had.” They came to meet him. And they bowed down to the ground before him. 16 They said to him, “There are 50 strong men with us! Please let them go and look for your master. Maybe the Spirit of the Lord has taken Elijah up and set him down. He may be on some mountain or in some valley.”
But Elisha answered, “No. Don’t send them.”
17 The group of prophets begged Elisha until he hated to refuse them anymore. Then he said, “Send them.” So they sent 50 men who looked for three days. But they could not find Elijah. 18 Then they came back to Elisha at Jericho where he was staying. He said to them, “I told you not to go, didn’t I?”
Elisha Makes the Water Pure
19 The men of the city said to Elisha, “Look, master, this city is a nice place to live. You can see that. But the water is bad. That’s why the land cannot grow crops.”
20 Elisha said, “Bring me a new bowl and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.
21 Then Elisha went out to the spring of water and threw the salt in it. He said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. From now on it won’t cause death. And it won’t keep the land from growing crops.’” 22 The water was healed. It is still good today. It happened just as Elisha had said.
Young People Make Fun of Elisha
23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. On the way some young men came out of the city. They made fun of Elisha. They said to him, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” 24 Elisha turned around and looked at them. He put a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two female bears came out of the woods. They tore to pieces 42 of the young men. 25 Then Elisha left and went on to Mount Carmel. From there he went back to Samaria.
Footnotes
- 2:9 “Leave . . . spirit.” By law, the first son in a family would inherit a double share of his father’s possessions. Elisha is asking to inherit a share of his master’s power. He is not asking for twice as much power as Elijah had.
2 Kings 2
New King James Version
Elijah Ascends to Heaven
2 And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to (A)take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with (B)Elisha from Gilgal. 2 Then Elijah said to Elisha, (C)“Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Bethel.”
But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and (D)as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they went down to Bethel.
3 Now (E)the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master [a]from over you today?”
And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent!”
4 Then Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Jericho.”
But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they came to Jericho.
5 Now the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?”
So he answered, “Yes, I know; keep silent!”
6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to the Jordan.”
But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So the two of them went on. 7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood facing them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and (F)it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry (G)ground.
9 And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?”
Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”
10 So he said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly (H)a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah (I)went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, (J)“My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces. 13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, (K)it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.
15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were (L)from[b] Jericho saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him, and bowed to the ground before him. 16 Then they said to him, “Look now, there are fifty strong men with your servants. Please let them go and search for your master, (M)lest perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.”
And he said, “You shall not send anyone.”
17 But when they urged him till he was (N)ashamed, he said, “Send them!” Therefore they sent fifty men, and they searched for three days but did not find him. 18 And when they came back to him, for he had stayed in Jericho, he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”
Elisha Performs Miracles
19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please notice, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren.”
20 And he said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went out to the source of the water, and (O)cast in the salt there, and said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘I have [c]healed this water; from it there shall be no more death or barrenness.’ ” 22 So the water remains (P)healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.
23 Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up the road, some youths came from the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”
24 So he turned around and looked at them, and (Q)pronounced a curse on them in the name of the Lord. And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.
25 Then he went from there to (R)Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 2:3 Lit. from your head
- 2 Kings 2:15 Or at Jericho opposite him saw
- 2 Kings 2:21 purified
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.