4 Kings 2

¹And it came to pass, when our Lord would take up Elias by a hurl wind into heaven, Elias and Eliseus went from Galgal.

²And Elias said to Eliseus: Sit here, because our Lord hath sent me as far as Bethel. To whom Eliseus said: Our Lord liveth, and thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And when he was come down to Bethel,

³the children of the prophets, that were in Bethel, went forth to Eliseus, and said to him: Doest thou know, that this day our Lord will take thy master from thee? Who answered: I also know it: hold your peace.

⁴And Elias said to Eliseus: Sit here, because our Lord hath sent me into Jericho. And he said: Our Lord liveth, and thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And when they were come to Jericho,

⁵the children of the Prophets, that were in Jericho, came to Eliseus, and said to him: Doest thou know that this day our Lord will take away thy master from thee? And he said: I also know it, hold your peace.

⁶And Elias said to him: Sit here, because our Lord hath sent me as far as Jordan. Who said: Our Lord liveth, and thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee: They went therefore both together,

⁷and fifty men of the children of the Prophets followed them, who also stood over against them, far off: but they two stood upon Jordan.

⁸And Elias took his mantle, and folded it together, and smote the waters, which were divided into two parts, and they both passed over by the dry land.

⁹And when they were over, Elias said to Eliseus: Ask what thou wilt have me do for thee, before I be taken from thee. And Eliseus said: I beseech thee that in me may be thy double spirit.

¹⁰Who answered: Thou hast asked a hard thing: Nevertheless if thou see me when I shall be taken from thee, thou shalt have that thou hast asked: but if thou see me not, thou shalt not have it.

¹¹And when they went forward, and going talked together, behold a fiery chariot, and fiery horses parted them two asunder: and Elias ascended by a hurl wind into heaven.

¹²And Eliseus saw him, and cried: My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the guider thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took his garments, and rent them in two pieces.

¹³And he took up the mantle of Elias, that was fallen to him: and returning he stood upon the bank of Jordan,

¹⁴and with the mantle of Elias, that fell down to him, he smote the waters, and they were not divided. And he said: Where is the God of Elias, now also? And he smote the waters, and they were divided this way and that way, and Eliseus passed over.

¹⁵And the children of the prophets, that were in Jericho, over against him seeing him, said: The spirit of Elias hath rested upon Eliseus. And coming to meet him, adored him flat to the ground,

¹⁶and they said to him: Behold, there are with thy servants fifty strong men, that can go, and seek thy master, lest perhaps the spirit of our Lord hath taken him, and cast him upon one of the mountains, or into one of the valleys. Who said: Send not.

¹⁷And they forced him, till he agreed, and said: Send. And they sent fifty men. Who when they had sought three days, found not.

¹⁸And they returned to him: but he dwelt in Jericho, & he said to them: Did I not say to you: Send not?

¹⁹The men also of the city said to Eliseus: Behold the habitation of this city is very good, as thyself my lord perceivest: but the waters are very ill, and the ground barren.

²⁰But he said: Fetch me a new vessel, and put salt into it. Which when they had brought,

²¹going out to the fountain of the waters, he cast salt into it, and said: Thus saith our Lord: I have amended these waters, and death shall no more be in them, nor barrenness.

²²The waters therefore were amended until this day, according to the word of Eliseus, which he spake.

²³And from thence he went up into Bethel: & when he went up by the way, little lads came forth out of the city, and mocked him, saying: Come up baldhead, come up baldhead.

²⁴Who when he had looked back, he saw them, and cursed them in the name of our Lord: and two bears came forth out of the forest, and tore of them two & forty boys.

²⁵And from thence he went into the mount of Carmel, and from thence he turned into Samaria.