The Lord Takes Elijah Away
1 Not long before the Lord took Elijah up into heaven in a strong wind, Elijah and Elisha were leaving Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “The Lord wants me to go to Bethel, but you must stay here.”
Elisha replied, “I swear by the living Lord and by your own life that I will stay with you no matter what!” And he went with Elijah to Bethel.
3 A group of prophets who lived there asked Elisha, “Do you know that today the Lord is going to take away your master?”
“Yes, I do,” Elisha answered. “But don't remind me of it.”
4 Elijah then said, “Elisha, now the Lord wants me to go to Jericho, but you must stay here.”
Elisha replied, “I swear by the living Lord and by your own life, that I will stay with you no matter what!” And he went with Elijah to Jericho.
5 A group of prophets who lived there asked Elisha, “Do you know that today the Lord is going to take away your master?”
“Yes, I do,” Elisha answered. “But don't remind me of it.”
6 Elijah then said to Elisha, “Now the Lord wants me to go to the Jordan River, but you must stay here.”
Elisha replied, “I swear by the living Lord and by your own life that I will never leave you!” So the two of them walked on together.
7 Fifty prophets followed Elijah and Elisha from Jericho, then stood at a distance and watched as the two men walked toward the river. 8 When they got there, Elijah took off his coat, then he rolled it up and struck the water with it. At once a path opened up through the river, and the two of them walked across on dry ground.
9 After they had reached the other side, Elijah said, “Elisha, the Lord will soon take me away. What can I do for you before that happens?”
Elisha answered, “Please give me twice as much of your power as you give the other prophets, so I can be the one who takes your place as their leader.”
10 “It won't be easy,” Elijah answered. “It can happen only if you see me as I am being taken away.”
11 Elijah and Elisha were walking along and talking, when suddenly there appeared between them a flaming chariot pulled by fiery horses. At once, a strong wind took Elijah up into heaven. 12 Elisha saw this and shouted, “Israel's cavalry and chariots have taken my master away!” After Elijah had gone, Elisha tore his clothes in sorrow.
13 Elijah's coat had fallen off, so Elisha picked it up and walked back to the Jordan River. 14 He struck the water with the coat and wondered, “Will the Lord perform miracles for me as he did for Elijah?” As soon as Elisha did this, a dry path opened up through the water, and he walked across.
15 When the prophets from Jericho saw what happened, they said to each other, “Elisha now has Elijah's power.”
They walked over to him, bowed down, 16 and said, “There are 50 strong men here with us. Please let them go look for your master. Maybe the Spirit of the Lord carried him off to some mountain or valley.”
“No,” Elisha replied, “they won't find him.”
17 They kept begging until he was embarrassed to say no. He finally agreed, and the prophets sent the men out. They looked three days for Elijah but never found him. 18 They returned to Jericho, and Elisha said, “I told you that you wouldn't find him.”
Elisha Makes the Water Pure at Jericho
19 One day the people of Jericho said, “Elisha, you can see that our city is in a good spot. But the water from our spring is so bad that it even keeps our crops from growing.”
20 He replied, “Put some salt in a new bowl and bring it to me.”
They brought him the bowl of salt, 21 and he carried it to the spring. He threw the salt into the water and said, “The Lord has made this water pure again. From now on you'll be able to grow crops, and no one will starve.”
22 The water has been fine ever since, just as Elisha said.
Some Boys Make Fun of Elisha
23 Elisha left and headed toward Bethel. Along the way some boys started making fun of him by shouting, “Go away, baldy! Get out of here!”
24 Elisha turned around and stared at the boys. Then he cursed them in the name of the Lord. At once two bears ran out of the woods and ripped to pieces 42 of the boys.
25 Elisha went up to Mount Carmel, then returned to Samaria.
Elija uzbrauc debesīs
1 Kungs vētrā aizrāva Eliju debesīs. Tas notika tā – Elija un Elīša nāca no Gilgālas. 2 Elija sacīja Elīšam: “Jel paliec šeit, jo Kungs mani sūta uz Bēteli!” Elīša sacīja: “Dzīvs Kungs! Dzīva tava dvēsele! Es tevi nepametīšu!” Un viņi gāja lejā uz Bēteli. 3 Praviešu dēli, kas bija Bētelē, iznāca pie Elīšas un sacīja viņam: “Vai tu zini, ka Kungs šodien aizraus tavu kungu projām?” Un viņš sacīja: “Es jau to zinu, esiet klusi!” 4 Elija sacīja: “Elīša, jel paliec šeit, jo Kungs mani sūta uz Jēriku!” Bet viņš sacīja: “Dzīvs Kungs! Dzīva tava dvēsele! Es tevi nepametīšu!” Un viņi gāja uz Jēriku. 5 Praviešu dēli, kas bija Jērikā, pienāca pie Elīšas un sacīja: “Vai tu zini, ka šodien Kungs aizraus projām tavu kungu?” Un viņš sacīja: “Es jau to zinu, esiet klusi!” 6 Elija viņam sacīja: “Jel paliec šeit, jo Kungs mani sūta uz Jardānu!” Bet viņš sacīja: “Dzīvs Kungs! Dzīva tava dvēsele! Es tevi nepametīšu!” Tā viņi abi gāja. 7 Tad piecdesmit vīri no praviešu dēliem nāca un iztālēm nostājās tiem pretī, bet viņi abi stāvēja pie Jardānas. 8 Elija ņēma savu apmetni, satina to un sita ūdeņus, un tie pašķīrās uz abām pusēm, un viņi izgāja cauri pa sausu zemi. 9 Kad viņi bija izgājuši cauri, Elija sacīja Elīšam: “Saki, ko lai tev daru, pirms mani aizrauj projām no tevis?” Elīša sacīja: “Kaut jel tavs gars divtik būtu pār mani!” 10 Elija sacīja: “Tavs lūgums ir grūts. Ja tu mani redzēsi, kad tikšu aizrauts projām, tev tas būs, ja ne, tad ne.” 11 Un, viņiem tā staigājot un runājot, redzi, uguns rati un uguns zirgi viņus izšķīra, un Elija vētrā uzgāja debesīs.
12 Elīša to redzēja un kliedza: “Mans tēvs, mans tēvs! Israēla rati un braucēji!” Un viņš to vairs neredzēja. Tad viņš sagrāba drānas un pārplēsa tās uz pusēm. 13 Viņš pacēla Elijas apmetni, kas tam bija nokritis, griezās atpakaļ un nostājās Jardānas krastā. 14 Viņš ņēma apmetni, kas bija nokritis Elijam, sita ūdeņus un sacīja: “Kur ir Kungs, Elijas Dievs?” Kad viņš sita ūdeņus, tie pašķīrās uz abām pusēm, un Elīša izgāja cauri.
Elīša – Elijas pēctecis
15 Praviešu dēli, kas bija Jērikā, ieraudzīja viņu iztālēm un sacīja: “Elijas gars ir pār Elīšu!” Tie nāca viņam pretī un nometās viņa priekšā zemē. 16 Tie sacīja viņam: “Redzi, starp taviem kalpiem ir piecdesmit vīri stiprinieki, lai taču viņi iet un meklē tavu kungu. Vai tikai Kunga Gars viņu nav pacēlis un nometis uz kāda kalna vai ielejā!” Viņš sacīja: “Nesūtiet.” 17 Bet tie viņu mudināja, līdz viņam palika kauns, un viņš sacīja: “Sūtiet arī!” Un tie sūtīja piecdesmit vīrus, trīs dienas viņi meklēja, bet nekā neatrada. 18 Tad tie atgriezās pie viņa Jērikā, kur viņš bija apmeties. Viņš tiem sacīja: “Vai es jums nesacīju, lai neejat?”
Elīša dara pilsētas ūdeni labu
19 Pilsētas vīri sacīja Elīšam: “Mūsu kungs taču redz, ka pilsēta ir labā vietā, bet ūdens ir slikts un zeme neauglīga.” 20 Tad viņš sacīja: “Atnesiet man jaunu krūku un ieberiet tajā sāli.” Un tie atnesa. 21 Viņš izgāja ārā pie avota, iebēra tajā sāli un sacīja: “Tā saka Kungs: es esmu šo ūdeni dziedinājis, no šejienes vairs nenāks nāve un neauglība!” 22 Un ūdens ir dziedināts līdz šai dienai, kā Elīša bija teicis.
Elīša tiek izsmiets
23 No turienes viņš devās uz Bēteli. Viņš devās augšup pa ceļu, un no pilsētas iznāca puišeļi un viņu ķircināja: “Kāp augšā, plikpauri, kāp augšā, plikpauri!” 24 Viņš pagriezās, ieraudzīja tos un nolādēja Kunga vārdā. Tad no meža iznāca divas lācenes un saplēsa četrdesmit divus puikas. 25 Bet viņš no turienes gāja uz Karmela kalnu un tad atgriezās Samarijā.
