Elijah Is Taken Up and Elisha Receives the Mantle

The day came when Yahweh was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elijah went from Gilgal with Elisha and told him to stay behind, because Yahweh had sent him on to Bethel. But Elisha would not leave him. At Bethel, the sons of the prophets told Elisha that his master would be taken away that day. Elisha said he knew and told them to be quiet.

Elijah next said that Yahweh had sent him to Jericho, but again Elisha refused to leave. The sons of the prophets at Jericho said the same thing, and Elisha gave the same answer. Then Elijah said Yahweh had sent him to the Jordan, and once more Elisha stayed beside him. Fifty men from the sons of the prophets stood at a distance as the two men stopped by the Jordan.

Elijah rolled up his mantle and struck the water. The Jordan divided on both sides, and Elijah and Elisha crossed over on dry ground. On the far side, Elijah asked what he could do for Elisha before he was taken from him. Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. Elijah said it was a hard thing, and that it would happen if Elisha saw him being taken.

As they kept walking and talking, a chariot of fire with horses of fire came between them, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha saw it and cried out, calling Elijah his father and the chariots and horsemen of Israel. Then he tore his own clothes in grief. Elijah’s mantle had fallen, and Elisha picked it up and returned to the bank of the Jordan.

Elisha struck the water with Elijah’s mantle and called on Yahweh, the God of Elijah. The river divided, and Elisha crossed over. When the sons of the prophets from Jericho saw this, they recognised that Elijah’s spirit rested on Elisha, and they bowed before him. They wanted to search for Elijah, but Elisha told them not to go. After three days they returned without finding him, and Elisha reminded them that he had told them so.