Beginning
Elijah and King Ahaziah
1 After Ahab died, Moab broke away from Israel’s rule. 2 Ahaziah fell down through the wooden bars in his upstairs room in Samaria. He was badly hurt. He sent messengers and told them, “Go. Ask Baal-Zebub god of Ekron if I will get well from my injuries.”
3 But the Lord’s angel said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Get up. Go meet the messengers sent by the king of Samaria. Say to them, ‘Why are you going to ask questions of Baal-Zebub god of Ekron? Is it because you think there is no God in Israel?’ 4 So this is what the Lord says: ‘You will not get up from the bed you are lying on. You will die.’” Then Elijah left.
5 The messengers came back to Ahaziah. He asked them, “Why have you come back?”
6 They said, “A man came to meet us. He said, ‘Go back to the king who sent you. Tell him what the Lord says: “Why do you send men to ask questions of Baal-Zebub god of Ekron? Is it because you think there is no God in Israel? This is why you will not get up from your bed. You will die.”’”
7 Ahaziah asked them, “What did the man look like who met you and told you this?”
8 They answered, “He wore a hairy coat and a leather belt around his waist.”
Ahaziah said, “It was Elijah the Tishbite.”
9 Then he sent a captain with his 50 men to Elijah. The captain went to Elijah, who was sitting on top of the hill. He said to Elijah, “Man of God, the king says, ‘Come down!’”
10 Elijah answered the captain, “I am a man of God. So let fire come down from heaven and burn up you and your 50 men.” Then fire came down from heaven. It burned up the captain and his 50 men.
11 Ahaziah sent another captain and 50 men to Elijah. The captain said to him, “Man of God, this is what the king says: ‘Come down quickly!’”
12 Elijah answered, “I am a man of God. So let fire come down from heaven and burn up you and your 50 men!” Then fire came down from heaven. It burned up the captain and his 50 men.
13 Ahaziah sent a third captain with his 50 men. The third captain came and fell down on his knees before Elijah. He begged Elijah, “Man of God, I ask you. Please let my life and the lives of your 50 servants be valuable to you! 14 See, fire came down from heaven. It burned up the first two captains of 50 with all their men. But now, let my life be valuable to you.”
15 The Lord’s angel said to Elijah, “Go with him. Don’t be afraid of him.” So Elijah got up and went with him to see the king.
16 Elijah told Ahaziah, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You have sent messengers to ask questions of Baal-Zebub god of Ekron. Is it because you think there is no God in Israel to ask? Because of this, you will not get up from your bed. You will die.’” 17 So he died, just as the Lord, through Elijah, had said he would.
Joram became king in Ahaziah’s place. This was during the second year Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat was king of Judah. Joram ruled because Ahaziah had no son to take his place. 18 The other things Ahaziah did are written down. They are in the book of the history of the kings of Israel.
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.
War Between Israel and Moab
3 Joram son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria. He began to rule in Jehoshaphat’s eighteenth year as king of Judah. Joram ruled 12 years. 2 Joram did what the Lord said was wrong. But he was not like his father and mother. He removed the stone pillars his father had made for Baal. 3 But he continued to do the same sins Jeroboam son of Nebat had done. Jeroboam had caused the people of Israel to sin. And Joram did not stop doing these same sins.
4 Mesha king of Moab raised sheep. He had to give 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 male sheep to the king of Israel. 5 But when Ahab died, the king of Moab turned against the king of Israel. 6 So King Joram went out from Samaria and gathered all Israel. 7 He sent messengers to Jehoshaphat king of Judah. He said, “The king of Moab has turned against me. Will you go with me against Moab in battle?”
Jehoshaphat said, “I will go with you. I am ready to join you. My soldiers and my horses are ready to join with your army.”
8 Jehoshaphat asked, “Which way should we go to attack?”
Joram answered, “Through the Desert of Edom.”
9 So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. They marched seven days. There was no more water for the army or for their animals that were with them. 10 The king of Israel said, “How terrible this is! Has the Lord called us three kings together so the Moabites can defeat us?”
11 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there a prophet of the Lord here? We can ask the Lord through a prophet.”
An officer of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He was Elijah’s servant.”
12 Jehoshaphat said, “He speaks the Lord’s truth.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to see Elisha.
13 Elisha spoke to the king of Israel. He said, “I have nothing to do with you! Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother!”
The king of Israel said to Elisha, “No. The Lord has called us three kings together to let the Moabites defeat us.”
14 Elisha said, “I serve the Lord of heaven’s armies. As surely as he lives, I tell you the truth. I wouldn’t even look at you or notice you if Jehoshaphat king of Judah were not here. I respect him! 15 Now bring me someone who plays the harp.”
While the harp was being played, the Lord gave Elisha power. 16 Then Elisha said, “The Lord says to dig holes in the valley. 17 He says that you won’t see wind or rain. But the valley will be filled with water. Then you, your cattle and other animals will drink. 18 This is easy for the Lord to do. He will also let you defeat Moab. 19 You will destroy every strong, walled city and every important town. You will cut down every good tree. You will stop up all springs of water. You will ruin every good field with rocks.”
20 The next morning, about the time the sacrifice was offered, there was water! It came from the direction of Edom and filled the valley.
21 All the Moabites had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. They gathered everyone old enough to put on armor. And they waited at the border. 22 But when the Moabites got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water. They saw the water across from them. It looked as red as blood. 23 The Moabites said, “This is blood! Surely the kings have fought and killed each other! Come, Moabites, let’s take what is valuable from the dead bodies!”
24 The Moabites came to the camp of the Israelites. But the Israelites came out and fought them until they ran away. The Israelites went on into the land to fight the Moabites. 25 They tore down the cities. They threw rocks on every good field and filled it. They stopped up all the springs of water. And they cut down all the good trees. Kir Hareseth was the only city with its stones still in place. But the men with slings surrounded Kir Hareseth and conquered it, too.
26 The king of Moab saw that the battle was too strong for him. So he took 700 men with swords to break through to the king of Edom. But they could not break through. 27 Then the king of Moab took his oldest son, who would have become king after him. And he offered his son as a burnt offering on the wall. So there was great anger against the Israelites. They left and went back to their own land.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.