Elijah Taken to Heaven

Now it came about, when the Lord was about to (A)bring Elijah up by a [a]whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah left (B)Gilgal with (C)Elisha. And Elijah said to Elisha, “(D)Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as (E)Bethel.” But Elisha said, “(F)As surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. Then (G)the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel went out to Elisha and said to him, “Are you aware that the Lord will take away your master from over [b]you today?” And he said, “Yes, I am aware; say nothing about it.”

And Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please (H)stay here, for the Lord has sent me to (I)Jericho.” But he said, “(J)As surely as the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. Then (K)the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “(L)Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over [c]you today?” And he [d]answered, “Yes, I know; say nothing about it.” And Elijah said to him, “Please (M)stay here, for the Lord has sent me to (N)the Jordan.” But he said, “As surely as the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.

Now (O)fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. And Elijah (P)took his coat, folded it, and (Q)struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask me what I should do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let a (R)double portion of your spirit be upon me.” 10 He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you (S)see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they were walking along and talking, behold, (T)a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and they separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up by a [e]whirlwind to heaven. 12 And Elisha was watching it and he was crying out, “(U)My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he did not see [f]Elijah again. Then (V)he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 2:1 Or windstorm
  2. 2 Kings 2:3 Lit your head
  3. 2 Kings 2:5 Lit your head
  4. 2 Kings 2:5 Lit said
  5. 2 Kings 2:11 Or windstorm
  6. 2 Kings 2:12 Lit him

Elijah Taken Up to Heaven

When the Lord was about to take(A) Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind,(B) Elijah and Elisha(C) were on their way from Gilgal.(D) Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here;(E) the Lord has sent me to Bethel.”

But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.”(F) So they went down to Bethel.

The company(G) of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.”

Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho.(H)

And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.

The company(I) of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.”

Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here;(J) the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.”(K)

And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.”(L) So the two of them walked on.

Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. Elijah took his cloak,(M) rolled it up and struck(N) the water with it. The water divided(O) to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry(P) ground.

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”

“Let me inherit a double(Q) portion of your spirit,”(R) Elisha replied.

10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire(S) and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven(T) in a whirlwind.(U) 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots(V) and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore(W) it in two.

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And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.

And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.

And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.

And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.

And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the Lord hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.

And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.

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.

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 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 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 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.

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