1 ¶ Now when the LORD was ready to take Elijah up into heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal.

2 And Elijah said to Elisha, Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Bethel. But Elisha said to him, As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they went down to Bethel.

3 And the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said, Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from you today? And he said, Yes, I know; hold your peace.

4 Then Elijah said to him, Elisha, please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho. But he said, As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they went to Jericho.

5 And the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said to him, Do you know that the LORD will take away your master today? And he answered, Yes, I know it; hold your peace.

6 Then Elijah said to him, Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan. But he said, As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So the two of them went on.

7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went, and stood afar off to watch: as they both stood by Jordan.

8 And Elijah took his mantle, and rolled it up, and struck the waters, and they were divided to one side and the other, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

9 ¶ And after they crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, Tell me what I can do for you, before I am taken from you. And Elisha said, I beg you, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.

10 And he said, You have asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, you will have it; otherwise, you will not.

11 And as they walked further, and talked, behold, a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, appeared and separated them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

12 And Elisha saw it, and cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and its horsemen. And when he could not see him any longer: he took hold of his own clothes, and tore them into two pieces.

13 ¶ He also picked up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of the Jordan;

14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he struck the waters, they parted to one side and the other: and Elisha crossed over.

15 And when the sons of the prophets who were watching at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground in front of him.

16 And they said to him, Behold now, there are among your servants fifty strong men; we urge you to let them go and look for your master: for perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has lifted him up, and dropped him on some mountain, or in some valley. But he said, You must not send them.

17 However after they urged him until he felt embarrassed, he said, Send them. So they sent out fifty men; and looked for three days, but did not find him.

18 And when they came back to him, (for he waited at Jericho,) he said to them, Did I not say to you, Do not go?

19 ¶ Then the men of the city said to Elisha, Look, the location of this city is good, as my lord sees: but the water is not, and the land is unfruitful.

20 And he said, Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it. And they brought it to him.

21 And he went out to the spring of water, and threw the salt in it, and said, The LORD says, I have healed these waters; no more deaths or miscarriages will come from them.

22 So the waters are still good today, as Elisha declared.

23 And he went up from there to Bethel: and as he was going up along the road, little children came out of the city, and mocked him, saying to him, Go up, you bald head; go up, you bald head.

24 And he turned around, and looked at them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And two she bears came out of the woods, and tore forty- two of the children.

25 And he went from there to mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.