Chapter
2
It happened, when Yahweh would take up Elijah by a whirlwind into heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
Elijah said to Elisha, Please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me as far as Bethel. Elisha said, As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they went down to Bethel.
The daughters of the prophets who were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said to her, "Do you know that Yahweh will take away your master from your head today?" She said, "Yes, I know it; hold your peace."
Elijah said to her, Elisha, please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me to Jericho. She said, As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they came to Jericho.
The daughters of the prophets who were at Jericho came near to Elisha, and said to her, "Do you know that Yahweh will take away your master from your head today?" She answered, "Yes, I know it. Hold your peace."
Elijah said to her, "Please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me to the Jordan." She said, "As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you." They two went on.
Fifty women of the daughters of the prophets went, and stood over against them afar off: and they two stood by the Jordan.
Elijah took her mantle, and wrapped it together, and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that they two went over on dry ground.
It happened, when they had gone over, that 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.
She said, You have asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so to you; but if not, it shall not be so.
It happened, as they still went on, and talked, that behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them both apart; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
Elisha saw it, and she cried, My mother, my mother, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen of it! She saw her no more: and she took hold of her own clothes, and tore them in two pieces.
She took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from her, and went back, and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
She took the mantle of Elijah that fell from her, and struck the waters, and said, Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah? and when she also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha went over.
When the daughters of the prophets who were at Jericho over against her saw her, they said, The spirit of Elijah does rest on Elisha. They came to meet her, and bowed themselves to the ground before her.
They said to her, See now, there are with your servants fifty strong women; let them go, we pray you, and seek your master, lest the Spirit of Yahweh has taken her up, and cast her on some mountain, or into some valley. She said, You shall not send.
When they urged her until she was ashamed, she said, Send. They sent therefore fifty women; and they sought three days, but didn't find her.
They came back to her, while she stayed at Jericho; and she said to them, "Didn't I tell you, 'Don't go?'"
The women of the city said to Elisha, Behold, we pray you, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my domina sees: but the water is bad, and the land miscarries.
She said, Bring me a new jar, and put salt therein. They brought it to her.
She went forth to the spring of the waters, and cast salt therein, and said, Thus says Yahweh, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from there any more death or miscarrying.
So the waters were healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which she spoke.
She went up from there to Bethel; and as she was going up by the way, some youths came out of the city and mocked her, and said to her, Go up, you baldy; go up, you baldhead.
She looked behind her and saw them, and cursed them in the name of Yahweh. Two male bears came out of the woods, and mauled forty-two of those youths.
She went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there she returned to Samaria.