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. Straight away, 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 River Jordan.
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 fifty strong men here with us. Please let them go and look for your master. Perhaps 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.”