2 Kings 2

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 This is what happened when Yahweh took Elijah up to heaven in the whirlwind: Elijah and Elisha set outfrom Gilgal,	1 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, he and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.
2 and Elijah said to Elisha, 'You stay here, for Yahweh is only sending me to Bethel.' But Elisha replied,'As Yahweh lives and as you yourself live, I wil not leave you!' and they went down to Bethel.	2 "Stay here, please," Elijah said to Elisha. "The LORD has sent me on to Bethel." "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live," Elisha replied, "I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel,
3 The brotherhood of prophets living at Bethel came out to meet Elisha and said, 'Do you know thatYahweh wil carry your lord and master away today?' 'Yes, I know,' he said, 'be quiet.'	3 where the guild prophets went out to Elisha and asked him, "Do you know that the LORD will take your master from over you today?" "Yes, I know it," he replied. "Keep still."
4 Elijah said, 'Elisha, you stay here, Yahweh is only sending me to Jericho.' But he replied, 'As Yahwehlives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you!' and they went on to Jericho.	4 Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here, please, Elisha, for the LORD has sent me on to Jericho." "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live," Elisha replied, "I will not leave you."
5 The brotherhood of prophets living at Jericho went up to Elisha and said, 'Do you know that Yahweh wil carry your lord and master away today?' 'Yes, I know,' he said, 'be quiet.'	5 They went on to Jericho, where the guild prophets approached Elisha and asked him, "Do you know that the LORD will take your master from over you today?" "Yes, I know it," he replied. "Keep still."
6 Elijah said, 'Elisha, you stay here, Yahweh is only sending me to the Jordan.' But he replied, 'As Yahwehlives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you!' And they went on together.	6 Elijah said to Elisha, "Please stay here; the LORD has sent me on to the Jordan." "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live," Elisha replied, "I will not leave you." And so the two went on together.
7 Fifty of the brotherhood of prophets followed them, halting some distance away as the two of them stoodbeside the Jordan.	7 Fifty of the guild prophets followed, and when the two stopped at the Jordan, stood facing them at a distance.
8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water; and the water divided to left and right, and the twoof them crossed over dry-shod.	8 Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up and struck the water, which divided, and both crossed over on dry ground.
9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, 'Make your request. What can I do for you before I amsnatched away from you?' Elisha answered, 'Let me inherit a double share of your spirit.'	9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask for whatever I may do for you, before I am taken from you." Elisha answered, "May I receive a double portion of your spirit."
10 'Your request is difficult,' Elijah said. 'If you see me while I am being snatched away from you, it wil beas you ask; if not, it wil not be so.'	10 "You have asked something that is not easy," he replied. "Still, if you see me taken up from you, your wish will be granted; otherwise not."
11 Now as they walked on, talking as they went, a chariot of fire appeared and horses of fire comingbetween the two of them; and Elijah went up to heaven in the whirlwind.	11 As they walked on conversing, a flaming chariot and flaming horses came between them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
12 Elisha saw it, and shouted, 'My father! My father! Chariot of Israel and its chargers!' Then he lost sightof him, and taking hold of his own clothes he tore them in half.	12 When Elisha saw it happen he cried out, "My father! my father! Israel's chariots and drivers!" But when he could no longer see him, Elisha gripped his own garment and tore it in two.
13 He picked up Elijah's cloak which had fal en, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.	13 Then he picked up Elijah's mantle which had fallen from him, and went back and stood at the bank of the Jordan.
14 He took Elijah's cloak and struck the water. 'Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah?' he cried. As hestruck the water it divided to right and left, and Elisha crossed over.	14 Wielding the mantle which had fallen from Elijah, he struck the water in his turn and said, "Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" When Elisha struck the water it divided and he crossed over.
15 The brotherhood of prophets saw him in the distance, and said, 'The spirit of Elijah has come to rest onElisha'; they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.	15 The guild prophets in Jericho, who were on the other side, saw him and said, "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha." They went to meet him, bowing to the ground before him.
16 'Look,' they said, 'your servants have fifty strong men with them, let them go and look for your master;the Spirit of Yahweh may have taken him up and thrown him down on a mountain or into a val ey.' 'Send no one,'he replied.	16 "Among your servants are fifty brave men," they said. "Let them go in search of your master. Perhaps the spirit of the LORD has carried him away to some mountain or some valley." "Do not send them," he answered.
17 But they so shamed him with their insistence that he consented. So they sent fifty men who searchedfor three days without finding him.	17 However, they kept urging him, until he was embarrassed and said, "Send them." So they sent the fifty men, who searched for three days without finding him.
18 They then came back to Elisha who had stayed in Jericho; he said, 'Didn't I tell you not to go?'	18 When they returned to Elisha in Jericho, where he was staying, he said to them, "Did I not tell you not to go?"
19 The people of the city said to Elisha, 'The city is pleasant to live in, as my lord indeed can see, but thewater is foul and the country suffers from miscarriages.'	19 Once the inhabitants of the city complained to Elisha, "The site of the city is fine indeed, as my lord can see, but the water is bad and the land unfruitful."
20 'Bring me a new bowl,' he said, 'and put some salt in it.' They brought it to him.	20 "Bring me a new bowl," Elisha said, "and put salt into it." When they had brought it to him,
21 Then he went to the source of the water, threw salt into it and said, 'Yahweh says this, "I make thiswater wholesome: neither death nor miscarriage shal come from it any more." '	21 he went out to the spring and threw salt into it, saying, "Thus says the LORD, 'I have purified this water. Never again shall death or miscarriage spring from it.'"
22 And the water became wholesome, as it is today, exactly as Elisha had said it would.	22 And the water has stayed pure even to this day, just as Elisha prophesied.
23 From there he went up to Bethel, and while he was on the road, some smal boys came out of the townand jeered at him. 'Hurry up, baldy!' they shouted. 'Come on up, baldy!'	23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. While he was on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him. "Go up, baldhead," they shouted, "go up, baldhead!"
24 He turned round and looked at them; and he cursed them in the name of Yahweh. And two bears cameout of the forest and savaged forty-two of the boys.	24 The prophet turned and saw them, and he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the children to pieces.
25 From there he went on to Mount Carmel and then returned to Samaria.	25 From there he went to Mount Carmel, and thence he returned to Samaria.