Înălţarea lui Ilie la cer

Când a vrut Domnul să-l ridice pe Ilie la cer într-un vârtej de vânt, Ilie şi Elisei[a] ieşeau împreună din Ghilgal.

Ilie i-a zis lui Elisei:

– Rămâi aici, te rog, pentru că Domnul mă trimite până la Betel.

– Viu este Domnul şi viu este sufletul tău că nu te voi părăsi, i-a răspuns Elisei.

Aşa că au coborât împreună la Betel.

Fiii profeţilor[b], care erau la Betel, l-au întâmpinat pe Elisei şi i-au zis:

– Ştii că Domnul îl va răpi astăzi pe stăpânul tău de lângă tine[c]?

– Da, ştiu, le-a răspuns Elisei, dar tăceţi!

Apoi Ilie i-a zis lui Elisei:

– Rămâi aici, te rog, pentru că Domnul mă trimite la Ierihon.

– Viu este Domnul şi viu este sufletul tău că nu te voi părăsi, i-a răspuns Elisei.

Aşa că s-au dus împreună la Ierihon.

Profeţii care erau la Ierihon l-au întâmpinat pe Elisei şi i-au zis:

– Ştii că Domnul îl va răpi astăzi pe stăpânul tău de lângă tine?

– Da, ştiu, a răspuns el, dar tăceţi!

Apoi Ilie i-a zis:

– Rămâi aici, te rog, pentru că Domnul mă trimite la Iordan.

– Viu este Domnul şi viu este sufletul tău că nu te voi părăsi, i-a răspuns Elisei.

Aşa că au plecat împreună. Cincizeci de bărbaţi dintre profeţi au venit şi s-au oprit la o anumită distanţă înaintea lor. Amândoi stăteau pe malul Iordanului. Atunci Ilie şi-a luat mantaua, a făcut-o sul şi a lovit cu ea apele, iar apele s-au despărţit într-o parte şi într-alta şi au trecut amândoi pe uscat.

După ce au trecut, Ilie i-a zis lui Elisei:

– Spune-mi ce pot să fac pentru tine înainte de a fi luat de la tine?

– Te rog, aş vrea să-mi revină o îndoită măsură din duhul tău, i-a zis Elisei.

10 Ilie i-a răspuns:

– Ai cerut un lucru greu, dar dacă mă vei vedea când voi fi luat de lângă tine, aşa ţi se va întâmpla; dacă nu, nu ţi se va întâmpla aşa.

11 Şi în timp ce mergeau şi vorbeau unul cu altul, un car de foc şi nişte cai de foc i-au despărţit pe unul de celălalt şi Ilie s-a înălţat la cer într-un vârtej de vânt. 12 Elisei privea şi striga: „Părintele meu! Părintele meu! Carul lui Israel şi călăreţii lui!“ După ce nu l-a mai văzut, Elisei şi-a luat hainele şi le-a rupt în două. 13 Apoi a ridicat mantaua pe care o lăsase Ilie să cadă, s-a întors şi a stat pe malul Iordanului. 14 După ce a luat mantaua pe care o lăsase Ilie să cadă, a lovit cu ea apele şi a zis: „Unde este acum Domnul, Dumnezeul lui Ilie?“ Şi de îndată ce a lovit apele, ele s-au despărţit într-o parte şi într-alta, şi Elisei a trecut dincolo. 15 Când au văzut lucrul acesta, profeţii care erau în faţa Ierihonului au zis: „Duhul lui Ilie a venit peste Elisei!“ I-au ieşit în întâmpinare şi i s-au închinat până la pământ. 16 Ei i-au zis:

– Între slujitorii tăi sunt cincizeci de oameni curajoşi. Îngăduie-le, te rugăm, să-l caute pe stăpânul tău. Poate că Duhul Domnului l-a dus şi l-a aruncat pe vreun munte sau în vreo vale.

– Să nu-i trimiteţi, le-a răspuns el.

17 Însă ei au stăruit până când acesta, stânjenit, le-a zis:

– Trimiteţi-i!

I-au trimis deci pe cei cincizeci de oameni care l-au căutat timp de trei zile fără să-l găsească. 18 Elisei îi aştepta la Ierihon şi când s-au întors la el, le-a zis:

– Nu v-am spus să nu vă duceţi?

Vindecarea apelor de la Ierihon

19 După aceea, bărbaţii din cetate i-au zis lui Elisei:

– Stăpâne, după cum vezi, aşezarea cetăţii este bună, dar apele sunt rele şi pământul este sterp.

20 – Aduceţi-mi un vas nou şi puneţi sare în el, le-a zis el.

Şi ei i-au adus. 21 Apoi Elisei s-a dus la izvorul apelor, a aruncat în el sare şi a zis: „Aşa vorbeşte Domnul: «Vindec aceste ape şi niciodată nu vor mai cauza moartea, nici nu vor mai face pământul neroditor!»“ 22 Şi apele au rămas vindecate până în ziua de azi, potrivit cuvântului rostit de Elisei.

Pedepsirea tinerilor batjocoritori

23 De acolo Elisei s-a dus la Betel. În timp ce mergea pe drum, nişte băieţaşi au ieşit din cetate şi şi-au bătut joc de el, strigându-i: „Suie-te, pleşuvule! Suie-te, pleşuvule!“ 24 El s-a uitat în spate, i-a văzut şi i-a blestemat în Numele Domnului. Atunci au ieşit din pădure două ursoaice şi au sfâşiat patruzeci şi doi dintre aceşti copii. 25 De acolo Elisei s-a dus la muntele Carmel, iar după aceea s-a întors în Samaria.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Regi 2:1 Elisei (ebr.: Elişa) înseamnă Dumnezeu mântuie
  2. 2 Regi 2:3 Prin fiu se înţelege calitatea de membru al grupului profeţilor, grup care avea probabil şi anumiţi mentori, cum au fost Samuel, Ilie, Elisei; peste tot în capitol
  3. 2 Regi 2:3 Lit.: de deasupra capului tău; şi în v. 5
'2 Kings 2 ' not found for the version: J.B. Phillips New Testament.

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.

13 Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the cloak(X) that had fallen from Elijah and struck(Y) the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.

15 The company(Z) of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit(AA) of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 “Look,” they said, “we your servants have fifty able men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit(AB) of the Lord has picked him up(AC) and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.”

“No,” Elisha replied, “do not send them.”

17 But they persisted until he was too embarrassed(AD) to refuse. So he said, “Send them.” And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find him. 18 When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”

Healing of the Water

19 The people of the city said to Elisha, “Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.”

20 “Bring me a new bowl,” he said, “and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.

21 Then he went out to the spring and threw(AE) the salt into it, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.’” 22 And the water has remained pure(AF) to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken.

Elisha Is Jeered

23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered(AG) at him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!” 24 He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse(AH) on them in the name(AI) of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. 25 And he went on to Mount Carmel(AJ) and from there returned to Samaria.

Elijah Ascends to Heaven

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. 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.

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!”

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.

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!”

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. 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. 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.

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

  1. 2 Kings 2:3 Lit. from your head
  2. 2 Kings 2:15 Or at Jericho opposite him saw
  3. 2 Kings 2:21 purified