Elijah and Elisha take one last walk together. Elijah parts the Jordan with his cloak, and Elisha asks for a double portion of his spirit. A chariot of fire appears, and Elijah goes up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha picks up the cloak, parts the Jordan himself, heals a bad spring, and some young mockers meet two angry bears.
1Shortly before Yahweh took Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal, 2and Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for Yahweh has sent me on to Bethel.”
2KI 2:1[NOTE]ELIJAH TAKEN UP. Only Enoch and Elijah left this world without dying, Genesis 5:24. See the Big Question pages Elijah's Whirlwind.
But Elisha replied, “As surely as Yahweh lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”
So they went down to Bethel.
3Then the sons of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that Yahweh will take your master away from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” he replied. “Do not speak of it.”
4And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for Yahweh has sent me on to Jericho.”
But Elisha replied, “As surely as Yahweh lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”
So they went to Jericho.
5Then the sons of the prophets at Jericho came up to Elisha and said, “Do you know that Yahweh will take your master away from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” he replied. “Do not speak of it.”
6And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for Yahweh has sent me on to the Jordan.”
But Elisha replied, “As surely as Yahweh lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”
So the two of them went on.
7Then a company of fifty of the sons of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing Elijah and Elisha as the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8And Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and struck the waters, which parted to the right and to the left, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
2KI 2:8[MIRACLE]Elijah parted the Jordan with his mantle
9After they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken away from you?”
“Please, let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.
2KI 2:9[NOTABLE]Elisha could have asked for anything. He asked for more of God's Spirit to carry on Elijah's work. The double portion was the oldest son's share, Deuteronomy 21:17.
2KI 2:9[NOTE]A DOUBLE PORTION. See the Big Question pages The Double Portion.
10“You have requested a difficult thing,” said Elijah. “Nevertheless, if you see me as I am taken from you, it will be yours. But if not, then it will not be so.”
2KI 2:10[PROPHECY]If Elisha saw Elijah taken up he would receive the double portion → 2KI 2:12; 2KI 2:15
11As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire with horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up into heaven in a whirlwind.
2KI 2:11[MIRACLE]Elijah taken up in a whirlwind with chariot of fire
12As Elisha watched, he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And he saw Elijah no more. So taking hold of his own clothes, he tore them in two.
2KI 2:12[FULFILLS]If Elisha saw Elijah taken up he would receive the double portion ← 2KI 2:10
13Elisha also picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah, and he went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the waters. “Where now is Yahweh, the God of Elijah?” he asked.
And when he had struck the waters, they parted to the right and to the left, and Elisha crossed over.
2KI 2:14[MIRACLE]Elisha parts the Jordan, showing he received the double portion
Elisha Succeeds Elijah
15When the sons of the prophets who were watching him from Jericho saw what had happened, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him.
2KI 2:15[FULFILLS]If Elisha saw Elijah taken up he would receive the double portion ← 2KI 2:10
16“Look now,” they said to Elisha, “we your servants have fifty valiant men. Please let them go and search for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of Yahweh has taken him up and put him on one of the mountains or in one of the valleys.”
“Do not send them,” Elisha replied.
17But when they pressed him to the point of embarrassment, he said, “Send them.”
And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find Elijah.
18When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”
Elisha Heals the Waters of Jericho
19Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please note, our lord, that the city’s location is good, as you can see. But the water is bad and the land is unfruitful.”
2KI 2:19[MIRACLE]Elisha healed the waters of Jericho with salt
20“Bring me a new bowl,” he replied, “and put some salt in it.”
So they brought it to him,21and Elisha went out to the spring, cast the salt into it, and said, “This is what Yahweh says:‘I have healed this water. No longer will it cause death or unfruitfulness.’”
22And the waters there have been healthy to this day, according to the word spoken by Elisha.
Elisha Mocked
23From there, Elisha went up to Bethel, and as he was walking up the road, a group of boys came out of the city and jeered at him, chanting, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”
2KI 2:23[MIRACLE]Bears from the woods mauled 42 mocking youths after Elisha's curse
2KI 2:23[NOTE]BOYS. The Hebrew words can mean anything from small boys to young men. See the Big Question pages The Bears and the Boys.
24Then he turned around, looked at them, and called down a curse on them in the name of Yahweh.
Suddenly two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.
25And Elisha went on to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.
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