II Kings 02 Elisha, Elijah's Successor

 II Kings 02

Elisha, Elijah's Successor

12 When Elisha saw it, he cried out, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" And he saw him no more. And he took hold of his clothes and tore them in two.

13 And he picked up Elijah's cloak that had fallen from him, and turned and stood at the edge of the Jordan.

14 And he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the waters, and said, "Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?" Then he struck the waters, and they divided hither and thither, and Elisha passed over.

15 And when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite saw him, they said, "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha." So they came to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him.

16 And they said to him, Behold, there are fifty valiant men with thy servants: let them go, I pray thee, and seek thy master: perhaps the Spirit of the LORD will lift him up, and cast him into one of the valleys. But he said, Send them not. 

17 But they pressed him until he was weary; and he said unto them, Send. And they sent fifty men, and they sought him three days, but found him not.

 18 And they returned to him, while he tarried at Jericho: and he said unto them, Did I not tell you that ye should not go? 

19 And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, the habitation of this city is good, as my master seeth; but the waters are bad, and the land is barren. 

20 And he said, Bring me a new flask, and put salt in it. And they brought it unto him. 

21 Then he went out to the spring of water, and cast salt therein: and he said, “Thus says the Lord: I will heal these waters; there will be no more death or barrenness in them.” 

22 So the waters have been healed to this day, according to the word that Elisha had spoken.

 23 Then he went up from there to Bethel. And as he was going up the road, some young men came out of the city and mocked him, saying to him, “Go up, bald man! Go up, bald man!” 

24 Then he turned back and saw them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two she-bears came out of the wood and tore forty-two of the little ones to pieces. 

25 Then he went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.