¶ And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up¹ Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind², that Elijah went with Elisha³ from Gilgal⁴.

And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here,⁵ I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD⁶ liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not⁷ leave thee. So they went down to Bethel⁸.

And the sons⁹ of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master¹⁰ 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 Jericho¹¹. And he said, As the LORD¹² liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.

And the sons¹³ 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;¹⁴ 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 men¹⁵ of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off¹⁶: and they two stood by Jordan.

And Elijah took his mantle¹⁷, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were¹⁸ 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 what¹⁹ I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said²⁰, I pray thee, let a double portion²¹ of thy spirit be upon me.

¶ And he said, Thou hast²² asked a hard thing²³: 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.

²⁴And 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 whirlwind²⁵ into heaven²⁶.

And Elisha saw it,²⁷ and he cried, My father²⁸, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him²⁹ no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them³⁰ in two pieces.

¶ He took up also the mantle³¹ of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank³² of Jordan;

And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote³³ the waters, and said, Where is³⁴ the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.

And when the sons of the prophets which were to view³⁵ at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit³⁶ of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed³⁷ themselves to the ground before him.

And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men³⁸; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain³⁹, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send.

And when they urged⁴⁰ him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not⁴¹.

And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?

¶ And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth⁴²: but the water⁴³ is naught, and the ground barren⁴⁴.

¶ And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein.⁴⁵ And they brought it to him.

And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast⁴⁶ the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed⁴⁷ these waters; there shall⁴⁸ not be from thence any more death or barren land.

So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.

And he went up from thence unto Bethel⁴⁹: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children⁵⁰ out of the city, and mocked⁵¹ him, and said unto him, Go up⁵², thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.

And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them⁵³ in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears⁵⁴ out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them⁵⁵.

And he went from thence to mount Carmel⁵⁶, and from thence he returned to Samaria.