9. While they were crossing, Elijah asked Elisha, “What should I do for you before I’m taken from you?”Elisha answered, “Let me inherit a double share of your spirit.”
10. Elijah said, “You have asked for something difficult. If you see me taken from you, it will be yours. Otherwise, it will not.”
11. As they continued walking and talking, a fiery chariot with fiery horses separated the two of them, and Elijah went to heaven in a windstorm.
12. When Elisha saw this, he cried out, “Master! Master! Israel’s chariot and horses!” When he couldn’t see Elijah anymore, he grabbed his own garment and tore it in two ⌊to show his grief⌋.
13. Then he picked up Elijah’s coat (which had fallen off Elijah), went back, and stood on the bank of the Jordan River.
14. He took the coat and struck the water with it. He asked, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” As he struck the water, it divided to his left and his right, and Elisha crossed ⌊the river⌋.
15. The disciples of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him from a distance. They said, “Elijah’s spirit rests on Elisha!” Then they went to meet him and bowed in front of him with their faces touching the ground.
16. They said to him, “There are 50 strong men here with us. Please let them go and search for your master. Maybe the Lord’s Spirit lifted him up and dropped him on one of the hills or in one of the valleys.”Elisha answered, “Don’t send them ⌊to look⌋.”
17. But the disciples kept urging him ⌊to send the men⌋ until he was embarrassed. So he said, “Send them.” They sent 50 men who searched for three days without finding him.
18. They returned to Elisha in Jericho, where he was waiting. He said, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”
19. The people of the city ⌊of Jericho⌋ told Elisha, “This city’s location is as good as you will ever find. But the water is bad, and the land cannot grow crops.”
20. Elisha said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it.” They brought it to him.
21. He went to the spring and threw the salt into it. Then he said, “This is what the Lord says: I have purified this water. No more deaths or crop failures will come from this water.”
22. To this day the water is still pure, as Elisha had said.