The Second Book of the Kings

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- Kapitel 2 -

When Yahweh was about to take the prophet Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and his fellow prophet Elisha were traveling south from Gilgal.

Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, because Yahweh has told only me to go to the city of Bethel.” But Elisha replied, “Just as certainly as Yahweh lives and you live, I will not leave you!” So they went down together to Bethel.

An association of prophets at Bethel came to Elisha and Elijah; they asked Elisha, “Do you know that Yahweh is going to take your master Elijah away from you today?” Elisha answered, “Certainly I know that, but do not talk about it!”

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 the city of Jericho.

As they neared Jericho, another association of prophets who were from there came to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that Yahweh is going to take your master Elijah away from you today?” He answered again, “Certainly I know that, but do not talk about it!”

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.

Fifty men from the association 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.

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.

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?” Elisha replied, “I want to receive twice as much of your power as the other prophets have.”

Elijah replied, “You have asked for something which is difficult for me to make happen. But if you see me when I am taken from you, you will get what you are requesting. But if you do not see me, then you will not get it.”

As they were walking and talking, suddenly a chariot surrounded by fire pulled by horses surrounded by fire, appeared. The chariot driver drove the chariot between Elijah and Elisha and separated them. Then Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind.

Elisha saw it. He cried out, “My father! My father! The Israelite chariots 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 deeply saddened.

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.

He rolled up the cloak and struck the water with it, and cried out, “Is Yahweh, the God of Elijah, here with me, too?” Then the water separated, and a path opened up for him, and Elisha went across.

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

When the association of prophets from Jericho saw what happened, they exclaimed, “Elisha now has the power that Elijah had!” They walked over to Elisha and bowed down in front of him.

One of them said, “Sir, if you permit us, fifty 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.”

But they continued to urge him. Finally he was tired of saying “No,” and he said, “Very well, send them.” So fifty men searched for three days, but they did not find Elijah.

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!”

Elisha Heals the Waters of Jericho

Then the leaders of Jericho 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.”

Elisha said to them, “Put some salt in a new bowl and bring the bowl to me.” So they brought it to him.

Then Elisha 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. No one will die anymore because of bad water, and the land will grow fruitful crops.’”

And the water became pure, just as Elisha said it would. Since that time it has always remained pure.

Elisha Mocked

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!”

Elisha turned around and reprimanded them in the name of Yahweh. Immediately two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of them.

Elisha left Bethel and went to Mount Carmel, and after that he returned to the city of Samaria.

When the LORD was about to take Elijah up by a whirlwind into heaven, Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

Elijah said to Elisha, “Please wait here, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

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 from over you today?” He said, “Yes, I know it. Hold your peace.”

Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please wait here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” He said, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho.

The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came near to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?” He answered, “Yes, I know it. Hold your peace.”

Elijah said to him, “Please wait here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” He said, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” Then they both went on.

Fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance; and they both stood by the Jordan.

Elijah took his mantle, and rolled it up, and struck the waters; and they were divided here and there, so that they both went over on dry ground.

When they had gone over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be on me.”

He said, “You have asked a hard thing. If you see me when I am taken from you, it will be so for you; but if not, it will not be so.”

As they continued on and talked, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

Elisha saw it, and he cried, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” He saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

He also took up Elijah’s mantle that fell from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.

He took Elijah’s mantle that fell from him, and struck the waters, and said, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” When he also had struck the waters, they were divided apart, and Elisha went over.

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

When the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho facing him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” They came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

They said to him, “See now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and seek your master. Perhaps the LORD’s Spirit has taken him up, and put him on some mountain or into some valley.” He said, “Don’t send them.”

When they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send them.” Therefore they sent fifty men; and they searched for three days, but didn’t find him.

They came back to him while he stayed at Jericho; and he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t go’?”

Elisha Heals the Waters of Jericho

The men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold, please, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the land is barren.”

He said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it.” Then they brought it to him.

He went out to the spring of the waters, and threw salt into it, and said, “The LORD says, ‘I have healed these waters. There shall not be from there any more death or barren wasteland.’”

So the waters were healed to this day, according to Elisha’s word which he spoke.

Elisha Mocked

He went up from there to Bethel. As he was going up by the way, some youths came out of the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldy! Go up, you baldy!”

He looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in the LORD’s name. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of those youths.

He went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.