In 2 Kings Chapter 2, the Lord is ready to sweep Elijah up to Heaven via a whirlwind. Elijah and Elisha are coming back from Gilgal and Elijah commands Elisha to stay because God is sending him to Bethel. But Elisha refuses to leave him and the two of them go to Bethel.
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Arriving in Bethel
When they reach the town, a group of prophets come out to Elisha and ask him if he knows that the Lord is going to take Elijah that day. Elisha says he does but he does not want to hear of it. Elijah then tells Elisha to stay in Bethel because the Lord is sending him, Elijah, to Jericho. But once again, Elisha will not leave him. As they go, about 50 prophets watch them.
Crossing the Jordan
When Elijah and Elisha arrive at the river Jordan, Elijah hits the water with his cloak. This causes the river to part and the two of them cross over the dry ground. When they reach the other bank, Elijah asks Elisha what he can offer him before he is taken. Elisha asks to inherit some of Elijah’s spirit. Elijah tells him that is a difficult thing to do, but if he sees him when he is taken, Elisha will receive some of his spirit.
Elijah Swept Up to Heaven
The two men continue to walk and suddenly they see a chariot and horses made of fire. They come between Elijah and Elisha and Elijah is swept up to heaven. Elisha cries out but does not see Elijah again. He picks up Elijah’s cloak and goes back to the river Jordan and strikes the water with the cloak. The river divides again, and Elisha walks over the dry land.
The prophets from Jericho have been watching all this and claim that Elijah’s spirit must be on Elisha. When Elisha reaches them, they prostrate themselves and ask him to let them send 50 men to look for Elijah, but Elisha demurs. But the prophets insist and 50 men search and search for Elijah, but never find him.
Cleaning the Polluted Waters
Later, the men of Jericho say that their land is infertile and the water is polluted. Elisha tells them to bring him a bowl with salt in it. When they do, Elisha throws the salt into the spring and says that the Lord has healed the water. And the water becomes pure and wholesome.
Later, Elisha leaves for Bethel, and he is jeered by some youths along the way. Elisha curses them by having two bears emerge from the woods and attack 42 of them. Then, Elisha goes to Mount Carmel, and then back to Samaria.
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2 Kings 2 (King James Version)
1 And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
2 And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.
3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
4 And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
5 And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
6 And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.
7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.
8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.
9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
16 And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send.
17 And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not.
18 And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?
19 And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren.
20 And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him.
21 And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.
22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.
23 And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
25 And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.