וַיְהִ֗י בְּהַעֲל֤וֹת יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ בַּֽסְעָרָ֖ה הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ אֵלִיָּ֛הוּ וֶאֱלִישָׁ֖ע מִן־הַגִּלְגָּֽל׃ When GOD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha had set out from Gilgal.
וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ אֵלִיָּ֨הוּ אֶל־אֱלִישָׁ֜ע שֵֽׁב־נָ֣א פֹ֗ה כִּ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ שְׁלָחַ֣נִי עַד־בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֔ע חַי־יְהֹוָ֥ה וְחֵֽי־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ אִם־אֶעֶזְבֶ֑ךָּ וַיֵּרְד֖וּ בֵּֽית־אֵֽל׃ Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for GOD has sent me on to Bethel.” “As GOD lives and as you live,” said Elisha, “I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
וַיֵּצְא֨וּ בְנֵי־הַנְּבִיאִ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־בֵּֽית־אֵל֮ אֶל־אֱלִישָׁע֒ וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֔יו הֲיָדַ֕עְתָּ כִּ֣י הַיּ֗וֹם יְהֹוָ֛ה לֹקֵ֥חַ אֶת־אֲדֹנֶ֖יךָ מֵעַ֣ל רֹאשֶׁ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֛אמֶר גַּם־אֲנִ֥י יָדַ֖עְתִּי הֶחֱשֽׁוּ׃ Disciples of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that GOD will take your master away from youaaway from you Lit. “from upon your head.” today?” He replied, “I know it, too; be silent.”
וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ ל֨וֹ אֵלִיָּ֜הוּ אֱלִישָׁ֣ע ׀ שֵֽׁב־נָ֣א פֹ֗ה כִּ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ שְׁלָחַ֣נִי יְרִיח֔וֹ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר חַי־יְהֹוָ֥ה וְחֵֽי־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ אִם־אֶעֶזְבֶ֑ךָּ וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ יְרִיחֽוֹ׃ Then Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here, for GOD has sent me on to Jericho.” “As GOD lives and as you live,” said Elisha, “I will not leave you.” So they went on to Jericho.
וַיִּגְּשׁ֨וּ בְנֵי־הַנְּבִיאִ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־בִּֽירִיחוֹ֮ אֶל־אֱלִישָׁע֒ וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֔יו הֲיָדַ֕עְתָּ כִּ֣י הַיּ֗וֹם יְהֹוָ֛ה לֹקֵ֥חַ אֶת־אֲדֹנֶ֖יךָ מֵעַ֣ל רֹאשֶׁ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֛אמֶר גַּם־אֲנִ֥י יָדַ֖עְתִּי הֶחֱשֽׁוּ׃ The disciples of the prophets who were at Jericho came over to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that GOD will take your master away from youbaway from you See note at v. 3. today?” He replied, “I know it, too; be silent.”
וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ ל֨וֹ אֵלִיָּ֜הוּ שֵֽׁב־נָ֣א פֹ֗ה כִּ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ שְׁלָחַ֣נִי הַיַּרְדֵּ֔נָה וַיֹּ֕אמֶר חַי־יְהֹוָ֥ה וְחֵֽי־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ אִם־אֶעֶזְבֶ֑ךָּ וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃ Elijah said to him, “Stay here, for GOD has sent me on to the Jordan.” “As GOD lives and as you live, I will not leave you,” he said, and the two of them went on.
וַחֲמִשִּׁ֨ים אִ֜ישׁ מִבְּנֵ֤י הַנְּבִיאִים֙ הָֽלְכ֔וּ וַיַּֽעַמְד֥וּ מִנֶּ֖גֶד מֵרָח֑וֹק וּשְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם עָמְד֥וּ עַל־הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃ Fifty of the disciples of the prophets followed and stood by at a distance as the two of them stopped at the Jordan.
וַיִּקַּח֩ אֵלִיָּ֨הוּ אֶת־אַדַּרְתּ֤וֹ וַיִּגְלֹם֙ וַיַּכֶּ֣ה אֶת־הַמַּ֔יִם וַיֵּחָצ֖וּ הֵ֣נָּה וָהֵ֑נָּה וַיַּעַבְר֥וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם בֶּחָרָבָֽה׃ Thereupon Elijah took his mantle and, rolling it up, he struck the water; it divided to the right and left, so that the two of them crossed over on dry land.
וַיְהִ֣י כְעׇבְרָ֗ם וְאֵ֨לִיָּ֜הוּ אָמַ֤ר אֶל־אֱלִישָׁע֙ שְׁאַל֙ מָ֣ה אֶעֱשֶׂה־לָּ֔ךְ בְּטֶ֖רֶם אֶלָּקַ֣ח מֵעִמָּ֑ךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֔ע וִ֥יהִי נָ֛א פִּֽי־שְׁנַ֥יִם בְּרוּחֲךָ֖ אֵלָֽי׃ As they were crossing, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” Elisha answered, “Let a double portioncdouble portion Lit. “two-thirds”; cf. Zech. 13.8. of your spirit pass on to me.”
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִקְשִׁ֣יתָ לִשְׁא֑וֹל אִם־תִּרְאֶ֨ה אֹתִ֜י לֻקָּ֤ח מֵֽאִתָּךְ֙ יְהִי־לְךָ֣ כֵ֔ן וְאִם־אַ֖יִן לֹ֥א יִהְיֶֽה׃ “You have asked a difficult thing,” he said. “If you see me as I am being taken from you, this will be granted to you; if not, it will not.”
וַיְהִ֗י הֵ֣מָּה הֹלְכִ֤ים הָלוֹךְ֙ וְדַבֵּ֔ר וְהִנֵּ֤ה רֶֽכֶב־אֵשׁ֙ וְס֣וּסֵי אֵ֔שׁ וַיַּפְרִ֖דוּ בֵּ֣ין שְׁנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיַּ֙עַל֙ אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ בַּֽסְעָרָ֖ה הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ As they kept on walking and talking, a fiery chariot with fiery horses suddenly appeared and separated one from the other; and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
וֶאֱלִישָׁ֣ע רֹאֶ֗ה וְה֤וּא מְצַעֵק֙ אָבִ֣י ׀ אָבִ֗י רֶ֤כֶב יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וּפָ֣רָשָׁ֔יו וְלֹ֥א רָאָ֖הוּ ע֑וֹד וַֽיַּחֲזֵק֙ בִּבְגָדָ֔יו וַיִּקְרָעֵ֖ם לִשְׁנַ֥יִם קְרָעִֽים׃ Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “Oh, father, father! Israel’s chariots and riders!” When he could no longer see him, he grasped his garments and rent them in two.
וַיָּ֙רֶם֙ אֶת־אַדֶּ֣רֶת אֵלִיָּ֔הוּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָפְלָ֖ה מֵעָלָ֑יו וַיָּ֥שׇׁב וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֖ד עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃ He picked up Elijah’s mantle, which had dropped from him; and he went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.
וַיִּקַּח֩ אֶת־אַדֶּ֨רֶת אֵלִיָּ֜הוּ אֲשֶׁר־נָפְלָ֤ה מֵֽעָלָיו֙ וַיַּכֶּ֣ה אֶת־הַמַּ֔יִם וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אַיֵּ֕ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֵלִיָּ֑הוּ אַף־ה֣וּא ׀ וַיַּכֶּ֣ה אֶת־הַמַּ֗יִם וַיֵּֽחָצוּ֙ הֵ֣נָּה וָהֵ֔נָּה וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ר אֱלִישָֽׁע׃ Taking the mantle that had dropped from Elijah, he struck the water and said, “Where is the ETERNAL, the God of Elijah?” As he too struck the water, it parted to the right and to the left, and Elisha crossed over.
וַיִּרְאֻ֨הוּ בְנֵי־הַנְּבִיאִ֤ים אֲשֶׁר־בִּֽירִיחוֹ֙ מִנֶּ֔גֶד וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ נָ֛חָה ר֥וּחַ אֵלִיָּ֖הוּ עַל־אֱלִישָׁ֑ע וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ לִקְרָאת֔וֹ וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ־ל֖וֹ אָֽרְצָה׃ When the disciples of the prophets at Jericho saw him from a distance, they exclaimed, “The spirit of Elijah has settled on Elisha!” And they went to meet him and bowed low before him to the ground.
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֡יו הִנֵּה־נָ֣א יֵֽשׁ־אֶת־עֲבָדֶ֩יךָ֩ חֲמִשִּׁ֨ים אֲנָשִׁ֜ים בְּנֵי־חַ֗יִל יֵ֣לְכוּ נָא֮ וִיבַקְשׁ֣וּ אֶת־אֲדֹנֶ֒יךָ֒ פֶּן־נְשָׂאוֹ֙ ר֣וּחַ יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיַּשְׁלִכֵ֙הוּ֙ בְּאַחַ֣ד הֶהָרִ֔ים א֖וֹ בְּאַחַ֣ת (הגיאות) [הַגֵּיאָי֑וֹת] וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לֹ֥א תִשְׁלָֽחוּ׃ They said to him, “Your servants have fifty able men with them. Let them go and look for your master; perhaps the spirit of GOD has carried him off and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.” “Do not send them,” he replied.
וַיִּפְצְרוּ־ב֥וֹ עַד־בֹּ֖שׁ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁלָ֑חוּ וַֽיִּשְׁלְחוּ֙ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים אִ֔ישׁ וַיְבַקְשׁ֥וּ שְׁלֹשָֽׁה־יָמִ֖ים וְלֹ֥א מְצָאֻֽהוּ׃ But they kept pressing him for a long time, until he said, “Send them.” So they sent out fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find him.
וַיָּשֻׁ֣בוּ אֵלָ֔יו וְה֖וּא יֹשֵׁ֣ב בִּירִיח֑וֹ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם הֲלֹֽא־אָמַ֥רְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם אַל־תֵּלֵֽכוּ׃ {ס} They came back to him while he was still in Jericho; and he said to them, “I told you not to go.”
וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ אַנְשֵׁ֤י הָעִיר֙ אֶל־אֱלִישָׁ֔ע הִנֵּה־נָ֞א מוֹשַׁ֤ב הָעִיר֙ ט֔וֹב כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲדֹנִ֖י רֹאֶ֑ה וְהַמַּ֥יִם רָעִ֖ים וְהָאָ֥רֶץ מְשַׁכָּֽלֶת׃ The leadersdleaders Or “inhabitants.” of the town said to Elisha, “Look, the town is a pleasant place to live in, as my lord can see; but the water is bad and the land causes bereavement.”
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר קְחוּ־לִי֙ צְלֹחִ֣ית חֲדָשָׁ֔ה וְשִׂ֥ימוּ שָׁ֖ם מֶ֑לַח וַיִּקְח֖וּ אֵלָֽיו׃ He responded, “Bring me a new dish and put salt in it.” They brought it to him;
וַיֵּצֵא֙ אֶל־מוֹצָ֣א הַמַּ֔יִם וַיַּשְׁלֶךְ־שָׁ֖ם מֶ֑לַח וַיֹּ֜אמֶר כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה רִפִּ֙אתִי֙ לַמַּ֣יִם הָאֵ֔לֶּה לֹא־יִהְיֶ֥ה מִשָּׁ֛ם ע֖וֹד מָ֥וֶת וּמְשַׁכָּֽלֶת׃ he went to the spring and threw salt into it. And he said, “Thus said GOD: I heal this water; no longer shall death and bereavement come from it!”
וַיֵּרָפ֣וּ הַמַּ֔יִם עַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּדְבַ֥ר אֱלִישָׁ֖ע אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֵּֽר׃ {פ}
The water has remained wholesome to this day, in accordance with the word spoken by Elisha.
וַיַּ֥עַל מִשָּׁ֖ם בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל וְה֣וּא ׀ עֹלֶ֣ה בַדֶּ֗רֶךְ וּנְעָרִ֤ים קְטַנִּים֙ יָצְא֣וּ מִן־הָעִ֔יר וַיִּתְקַלְּסוּ־בוֹ֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ ל֔וֹ עֲלֵ֥ה קֵרֵ֖חַ עֲלֵ֥ה קֵרֵֽחַ׃ From there he went up to Bethel. As he was going up the road, some little boys came out of the town and jeered at him, saying, “Go away, baldhead! Go away, baldhead!”
וַיִּ֤פֶן אַֽחֲרָיו֙ וַיִּרְאֵ֔ם וַֽיְקַלְלֵ֖ם בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָ֑ה וַתֵּצֶ֜אנָה שְׁתַּ֤יִם דֻּבִּים֙ מִן־הַיַּ֔עַר וַתְּבַקַּ֣עְנָה מֵהֶ֔ם אַרְבָּעִ֥ים וּשְׁנֵ֖י יְלָדִֽים׃ He turned around and looked at them and cursed them in the name of GOD. Thereupon, two she-bears came out of the woods and mangled forty-two of the children.
וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ מִשָּׁ֖ם אֶל־הַ֣ר הַכַּרְמֶ֑ל וּמִשָּׁ֖ם שָׁ֥ב שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃ {פ}
He went on from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.