Y sucedió que cuando el SEÑOR iba a llevarse a Elías al cielo^a en un torbellino, Elías venía de Gilgal^b con Eliseo^c. 2 Y Elías dijo a Eliseo: Te ruego que te quedes aquí^a, porque el SEÑOR me ha enviado hasta Betel^b. Pero Eliseo dijo: Vive el SEÑOR y vive tu alma, que no me apartaré de ti^c. Y descendieron a Betel. 3 Entonces los hijos de los profetas que estaban en Betel salieron al encuentro de Eliseo y le dijeron: ¿Sabes que hoy el SEÑOR te quitará a tu señor de sobre ti^1a? Y él dijo: Sí, yo lo sé; callad. 4 Elías entonces le dijo: Eliseo, te ruego que te quedes aquí^a, porque el SEÑOR me ha enviado a Jericó^b. Pero él dijo: Vive el SEÑOR y vive tu alma, que no me apartaré de ti^c. Y fueron a Jericó. 5 Y los hijos de los profetas que estaban en Jericó se acercaron a Eliseo y le dijeron: ¿Sabes que hoy el SEÑOR te quitará a tu señor de sobre ti¹? Y él respondió: Sí, yo lo sé; callad^a. 6 Entonces Elías le dijo: Te ruego que te quedes aquí, porque el SEÑOR me ha enviado al Jordán^a. Pero él dijo: Vive el SEÑOR y vive tu alma, que no me apartaré de ti. Siguieron, pues, los dos^b.

7 Y cincuenta hombres de los hijos de los profetas fueron y se pararon frente^a a ellos, a lo lejos, mientras ellos dos se pararon junto al Jordán. 8 Entonces Elías tomó su manto^a, lo dobló y golpeó las aguas, yestas se dividieron a uno y a otro lado¹, y los dos pasaron por tierra seca^b. 9 Y¹ cuando habían pasado, Elías dijo a Eliseo: Pide lo que quieras que yo haga por ti antes de que yo sea separado de ti. Y Eliseo dijo: Te ruego que una doble porción de tu espíritu sea sobre mí^a. 10 Y él dijo: Has pedido una cosa difícil. Sin embargo, si me ves cuando sea llevado^a de ti, así te sucederá; pero si no, no será así. 11 Y aconteció que mientras ellos iban andando y hablando, he aquí, apareció un carro de fuego y caballos de fuego^a que separó a los dos. Y Elías subió al cielo en un torbellino. 12 Lo vio Eliseo y clamó: Padre mío, padre mío, los carros¹ de Israel y su gente de a caballo^a. Y no lo vio más. Entonces tomó sus vestidos y los rasgó^b en dos pedazos. 13 También recogió el manto de Elías que se le había caído, y regresó y se paró a la orilla del Jordán. 14 Y tomando el manto de Elías que se le había caído, golpeó las aguas, y dijo: ¿Dónde está el SEÑOR, el Dios de Elías? Y cuando él golpeó también las aguas,estas¹ se dividieron a uno y a otro lado², y pasó Eliseo^a.

15 Cuando lo vieron los hijos de los profetas que estaban en Jericó frente a él^a, dijeron: El espíritu de Elías reposa sobre Eliseo. Y fueron a su encuentro y se postraron en tierra ante él. 16 Y le dijeron: He aquí, ahora hay con tus siervos cincuenta hombres fuertes; te rogamos que los dejes ir a buscar a tu señor; tal vez¹ el Espíritu del SEÑOR lo ha levantado y lo ha echado en algún monte o en algún valle^a. Y él dijo: No los enviéis. 17 Pero cuando le insistieron hasta la saciedad^1a, dijo: Enviadlos. Entonces enviaron cincuenta hombres; y buscaron durante tres días, pero no lo hallaron. 18 Y volvieron a Eliseo¹ que se había quedado en Jericó, y él les dijo: ¿No os dije: «No vayáis»?

19 Entonces los hombres de la ciudad dijeron a Eliseo: He aquí, ahora el emplazamiento de esta ciudad es bueno, como mi señor ve, pero el agua es mala y la tierra estéril¹. 20 Y él dijo: Traedme una vasija nueva, y poned sal en ella¹. Y se la trajeron. 21 Y él salió al manantial de las aguas, echó sal en él¹, y dijo: Así dice el SEÑOR: «He purificado² estas aguas; de allí no saldrá³ más muerte ni esterilidad^a». 22 Y las aguas han quedado purificadas¹ hasta hoy, conforme a la palabra que habló Eliseo.

23 Después subió de allí a Betel; y mientras subía por el camino, unos muchachos salieron de la ciudad y se burlaban^a de él, y le decían: ¡Sube, calvo; sube, calvo! 24 Cuando él miró hacia atrás y los vio, los maldijo^a en el nombre del SEÑOR. Entonces salieron dos osas del bosque y despedazaron de ellos a cuarenta y dos muchachos. 25 De allí fue al monte Carmelo^a, y desde allí regresó a Samaria.

Now it came about, when the LORD was about to ^abring Elijah up by a ¹whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah left ^bGilgal with ^cElisha. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “^aStay here please, for the LORD has sent me as far as ^bBethel.” But Elisha said, “^cAs surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 Then ^athe sons of the prophets who were at Bethel went out to Elisha and said to him, “Are you aware that the LORD will take away your master from over ¹you today?” And he said, “Yes, I am aware; say nothing about it.”

4 And Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please ^astay here, for the LORD has sent me to ^bJericho.” But he said, “^cAs surely as the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 Then ^athe sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “^bDo you know that the LORD will take away your master from over ¹you today?” And he ²answered, “Yes, I know; say nothing about it.” 6 And Elijah said to him, “Please ^astay here, for the LORD has sent me to ^bthe Jordan.” But he said, “As surely as the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.

7 Now ^afifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 And Elijah ^atook his coat, folded it, and ^bstruck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask me what I should do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let a ^adouble portion of your spirit be upon me.” 10 He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you ^asee me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they were walking along and talking, behold, ^aa chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and they separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up by a ¹whirlwind to heaven. 12 And Elisha was watching it and he was crying out, “^aMy father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he did not see ¹Elijah again. Then ^bhe took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 He also took up the coat of Elijah that had fallen from him, and he went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the coat of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the waters, and said, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had ^astruck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.

15 Now when ^athe sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah has settled on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him. 16 Then they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men; please let them go and search for your master, in case ^athe Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley.” But he said, “You shall not send anyone.” 17 Yet when ^athey urged him until he was ashamed to refuse, he said, “Send them.” So they sent fifty men; and they 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 say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold now, the site of the city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land ¹is unfruitful.” 20 And he said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt ¹in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went out to the spring of water and ^athrew salt ¹in it and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘I have ²purified these waters; there shall not come from there death or ³unfruitfulness any longer.’” 22 So the waters have been ¹purified to this day, in accordance with the word of Elisha which he spoke.

23 Now he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the road, some young boys came out from the city and ^aridiculed him and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!” 24 When he looked behind him and saw them, he ^acursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two ¹of the boys. 25 He then went on from there to ^aMount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

And it came about when the LORD was about to ^atake up Elijah by a ¹whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with ^bElisha from ^cGilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “^aStay here please, for the LORD has sent me as far as ^bBethel.” But Elisha said, “^cAs the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 Then ^athe sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over ¹you today?” And he said, “Yes, I know; be still.”

4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please ^astay here, for the LORD has sent me to ^bJericho.” But he said, “^cAs the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 ^aThe sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “^bDo you know that the LORD will take away your master from over ¹you today?” And he ²answered, “Yes, I know; be still.” 6 Then Elijah said to him, “Please ^astay here, for the LORD has sent me to ^bthe Jordan.” And he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.

7 Now ^afifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 Elijah ^atook his mantle and folded it together and ^bstruck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please, let a ^adouble portion of your spirit be upon me.” 10 He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you ^asee me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 11 As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared ^aa chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a ¹whirlwind to heaven. 12 Elisha saw it and cried out, “^aMy father, my father, the ¹chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw ²Elijah no more. Then ^bhe took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had ^astruck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.

15 Now when ^athe sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him. 16 They said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men, please let them go and search for your master; perhaps ^athe Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.” 17 But when ^athey urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men; and they searched three days but did not find him. 18 They returned to him while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold now, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land ¹is unfruitful.” 20 He said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt ¹in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 He went out to the spring of water and ^athrew salt ¹in it and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘I have ²purified these waters; there shall not be from there death or ³unfruitfulness any longer.’” 22 So the waters have been ¹purified to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.

23 Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, young lads came out from the city and ^amocked him and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!” 24 When he looked behind him and saw them, he ^acursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of ¹their number. 25 He went from there to ^aMount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.