And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?”

Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”

10 So he said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so. 11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly (A)a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah (B)went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, (C)“My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces. 13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, (D)it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.

15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were (E)from[a] Jericho saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him, and bowed to the ground before him.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 2:15 Or at Jericho opposite him saw

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”

“Let me inherit a double(A) portion of your spirit,”(B) Elisha replied.

10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire(C) and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven(D) in a whirlwind.(E) 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots(F) and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore(G) it in two.

13 Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the cloak(H) that had fallen from Elijah and struck(I) the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.

15 The company(J) of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit(K) of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.

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