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the Lord was about to take up Elijah into heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were travelling from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me on to Bethel.”
But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
3 Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “do not speak of it.”
4 Then Elijah said to him, “Elisha, 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 went to Jericho.
5 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came up to Elijah and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master today?”
He replied, “Yes, I know; do not speak of it.”
6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me on to the Jordan.”
But Elisha replied, “As the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.
7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets came and stood facing them from a distance, while Elijah and Elishah stood by the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the waters, and they parted to the right and to the left. Then the two of them walked across the Jordan on dry ground.
9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”
Elisha replied, “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”
10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah replied. “Yet if you see me as am being taken from you, it will be granted you. But if you do not, then it will not be.”
11 As they continued walking along and talking, a chariot of fire with horses suddenly appeared and separated the two of them. Then Elijah ascended up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 When Elisha saw this, he cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And he saw Elijah no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two.
13 Elisha picked up the mantle that had fallen from Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the mantle that had fallen from Elijah, and he struck the water with it. “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it parted to the right and to the left, and Elisha crossed over.
15 The sons of the prophets from Jericho were watching, and they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha!” And they went to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him. 16 They said to him, “Look, there are fifty able men with your servants; please let them go and search for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has carried him away and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.”
But he told them, “No, do not send anyone.”
17 But they continued to urge him until he became too ashamed to refuse. So he said, “Send them.” So they sent out fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find Elijah. 18 When they returned to him while he was still in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”
19 Then the people of the city said to Elisha, “Look, the location of this city is good, as my lord can see, but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.”
20 He replied, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.
21 Then Elisha went out to the spring of water and threw the salt into it, and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. From now on it will never cause death or make the land unfruitful’.” 22 So the water has remained wholesome to this day, according to the word that Elisha spoke.
23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some youths came out of the city and jeered at him and said, “Go away, you baldhead! Go away, you baldhead!” 24 He turned around and looked at them, and he cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths. 25 From there Elisha went on to Mount Carmel, and then he returned to Samaria.