1 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha left Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 The company of prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the LORD will take your master away from you today?” He said, “I know it too. Be silent.” 4 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 you live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 The company of prophets at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the LORD will take your master away from you today?” He said, “I know it too. Be silent.” 6 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 you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men from the company of prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and struck the water. The water parted to one side and the other, and the two of them crossed on dry ground. 9 After they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I may do for you before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be mine.” 10 He said, “You have asked a difficult thing. If you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours; but if not, it will not.” 11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire suddenly separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father! The chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” When he saw him no more, he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two. 13 He picked up Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen from him, went back, and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen from him, struck the water, and said, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” He too struck the water, and it parted to one side and the other, and Elisha crossed. 15 When the company of prophets from Jericho saw him from the opposite side, they said, “Elijah’s spirit rests on Elisha.” They came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 They said to him, “Look, there are fifty strong men here among your servants. Please let them go and search for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has lifted him up and thrown him onto a mountain or into a valley.” He said, “Do not send them.” 17 But they kept pressing him until he was embarrassed, and he said, “Send them.” So they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find him. 18 They returned to him while he was staying in Jericho, and he said to them, “Did I not tell you not to go?” 19 The men of the city said to Elisha, “As my lord can see, the city is well situated, but the water is bad and the land is barren.” 20 He said, “Bring me a new bowl and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 He went out to the spring, threw the salt into it, and said, “This is what the LORD says: I have healed this water. It will no longer cause death or barrenness.” 22 And the water has remained healed to this day, according to the word Elisha spoke.

23 From there he went up to Bethel. As he was going up the road, some young boys came out of the city and mocked him, saying, “Go up, baldhead! Go up, baldhead!” 24 He turned around, looked at them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. 25 From there he went to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.