2 Kings 2 - Introduction

1 Elijah, taking his leaue of Elisha, with his mantle diuideth Iordan,

9 and granting Elisha his request, is taken vp by a fierie charet into heauen.

12 Elisha, diuiding Iordan with Elijahs mantle, is acknowledged his successor.

16 The young prophets, hardly obtaining leaue to seeke Elijah, could not finde him.

19 Elisha with salt, healeth the vnwholesome waters.

23 Beares destroy the children that mocked Elisha.

1 And it came to passe when the Lord would take vp Elijah into heauen by a whirlewinde, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

2 And Elijah said vnto Elisha, Tarie here, I pray thee: for the Lord hath sent me to Bethel: and Elisha said vnto him, As the Lord liueth, and as thy soule liueth, I wil not leaue thee. So they went downe to Bethel.

3 And the sonnes of the Prophets that were at Bethel, came foorth to Elisha, and said vnto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it, hold you your peace.

4 And Elijah said vnto him, Elisha, tarie here, I pray thee: for the Lord hath sent me to Iericho: And hee said, As the Lord liueth, and as thy soule liueth, I will not leaue thee. So they came to Iericho.

[Elijah taken vp.]

5 And the sonnes of the Prophets that were at Iericho came to Elisha, and said vnto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day? And hee answered, Yea, I knowe it, holde you your peace.

6 And Elijah said vnto him, Tarie, I pray thee, here: for the Lord hath sent me to Iordan. And he said, As the Lord liueth, and as thy soule liueth, I will not leaue thee. And they two went on.

7 And fiftie men of the sonnes of the Prophets went, and stood [Note: Hebrew: in sight, or ouer against.] to view afarre off: and they two stood by Iordan.

8 And Elijah tooke his mantle, and wrapt it together, and smote the waters, and they were diuided hither and thither, so that they two went ouer on drie ground.

9 And it came to passe when they were gone ouer, that Elijah said vnto Elisha, Aske what I shall doe for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be vpon me.

10 And hee said, [Note: Hebrew: thou hast done hard in asking.] Thou hast asked a hard thing: neuerthelesse, if thou see me, when I am taken from thee, it shall be so vnto thee: but if not, it shall not be so.

11 And it came to passe as they still went on and talked, that beholde, there appeared a charet of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder, and [Note: Sir 48:9; Genesis 2:58.] Elijah went vp by a whirlewind into heauen.

12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, [Note: 2 Kings 13:14.] My father, my father, the charet of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he tooke hold of his owne cloathes, and rent them in two pieces.

13 He tooke vp also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the [Note: Hebrew: lip.] banke of Iordan.

14 And he tooke the mantle of Eliiah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? And when hee also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went ouer.

15 And when the sonnes of the Prophets which were [Note: Genesis 2:7.] to view at Iericho, saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha: And they came to meet him, and bowed themselues to the ground before him.

[Waters healed.]

16 And they said vnto him, Behold now, there bee with thy seruants fiftie [Note: Hebrew: sonnes of strength.] strong men, let them goe, we pray thee, and seeke thy master: lest peraduenture the Spirit of the Lord hath taken him vp, and cast him vpon [Note: Hebrew: one of the mountaines.] some mountaine, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send.

17 And when they vrged him, till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fiftie men, and they sought three dayes, but found him not.

18 And when they came againe to him (for he taried at Iericho) hee said vnto them, Did I not say vnto you, Goe not?

19 And the men of the city said vnto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is nought, and the ground [Note: Hebrew: causing to miscary.] barren.

20 And hee said, Bring mee a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him.

21 And he went forth vnto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the Lord, I haue healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death, or barren land.

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

23 And he went vp from thence vnto Bethel: and as hee was going vp by the way, there came foorth little children out of the citie, and mocked him, and said vnto him, Goe vp thou bald head, Goe vp thou bald head.

24 And hee turned backe, and looked on them, and cursed them in the Name of the Lord: and there came foorth two shee Beares out of the wood, and tare fortie and two children of them.

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