Context Elijah Taken to Heaven1And it came about when the LORD was about to take up Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2Elijah said to Elisha, Stay here please, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel. But Elisha said, As the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you. So they went down to Bethel. 3Then 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? And he said, Yes, I know; be still. 4Elijah said to him, Elisha, please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho. But he said, As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you. So they came to Jericho. 5The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today? And he answered, Yes, I know; be still. 6Then Elijah said to him, Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan. And he said, As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you. So the two of them went on. 7Now fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8Elijah took his mantle and folded it together and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground. 9When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you. And Elisha said, Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me. 10He 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. 11As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven. 12Elisha saw it and cried out, My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen! And he saw Elijah no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah? And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over. Elisha Succeeds Elijah 15Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha. And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him. 16They said to him, Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men, please let them go and search for your master; perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley. And he said, You shall not send. 17But when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they searched three days but did not find him. 18They returned to him while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, Did I not say to you, Do not go? 19Then the men of the city said to Elisha, Behold now, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful. 20He said, Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it. So they brought it to him. 21He went out to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, Thus says the LORD, I have purified these waters; there shall not be from there death or unfruitfulness any longer. 22So the waters have been purified to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke. 23Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, young lads came out from the city and mocked him and said to him, Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead! 24When he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of their number. 25He went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria. Parallel Verses American Standard VersionAnd it came to pass, when Jehovah would take up Elijah by a whirlwind into heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. Douay-Rheims Bible And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elias into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elias and Eliseus were going from Galgal. Darby Bible Translation And it came to pass when Jehovah would take up Elijah into the heavens by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. English Revised Version And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah by a whirlwind into heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. Webster's Bible Translation And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. World English Bible It happened, when Yahweh would take up Elijah by a whirlwind into heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. Young's Literal Translation And it cometh to pass, at Jehovah's taking up Elijah in a whirlwind to the heavens, that Elijah goeth, and Elisha, from Gilgal, Library The Translation of Elijah and the Ascension of Christ'And 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 whirlwind into heaven.'--2 KINGS ii. 11. 'And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.'--LUKE xxiv. 51. These two events, the translation of Elijah and the Ascension of our Lord, have sometimes been put side by side in order to show that the latter narrative is nothing … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Elijah's Translation and Elisha's Deathbed The Chariot of Fire Gentleness Succeeding Strength Preparing to Depart Whether Hope is a Help or a Hindrance to Action? Jericho Itself. Consolations against the Fear of Death. The Healing of the Waters The Country of Jericho, and the Situation of the City. The Baptist's Testimony. Links 2 Kings 2:1 NIV • 2 Kings 2:1 NLT • 2 Kings 2:1 ESV • 2 Kings 2:1 NASB • 2 Kings 2:1 KJV • 2 Kings 2:1 Bible Apps • 2 Kings 2:1 Parallel • Bible Hub |