We leave the kings for this chapter and concentrate on the prophets Elijah and Elisha (v1-3). The time had come for Elijah to be taken up to heaven. The two men went from Gilgal and Elijah then asked Elisha to stay while he went to Bethel. Elisha refused and said, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So, they went together to Bethel. It seemed that there must have been a prophecy that Elijah would be taken up to heaven in a whirlwind that very day. The sons of the prophets knew about it and reminded Elisha, who told them not to speak about it. He wanted to stay close to his beloved Elijah.
Once again Elijah asked Elisha to stay there because the LORD wanted him to go to Jericho, (v4-7) and once more, Elisha refused with the same response. When they arrived in Jericho, the sons of the prophets came to Elisha with the message that Elijah was going to be taken up into heaven in a whirlwind that day. Once again, he told them that he knew but told them not to speak about it. Elijah then told Elisha that the LORD wanted him to go on Jordan and that he should remain in Jericho. Elisha refused to leave Elijah. It seemed that Elijah was testing Elisha’s loyalty and devotion. He would not leave Elijah until he had been taken up to heaven. The two of them went on together and fifty sons of the prophets went on and stood before them as the two of them stood by the Jordan.
They stood before the river and Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up and struck the waters, which parted so that they crossed over on dry land (v8-10). Moses and Joshua had previously been used by God to part the waters for the people to cross on day land.
When they crossed over Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” Elijah said that Elisha had asked a hard thing, but he assured him that if he saw Elijah leave, he would have his double portion as he requested.
He could have asked for anything, wealth, position, possessions, but he was more interested in Elijah’s ministry and the spiritual power which he had.
A double portion was not twice as much. It was the portion that fell to the firstborn son (see Deuteronomy 21:17). Elisha was already assigned as Elijah’s successor; therefore, he was requesting the power to carry out his calling. Elisha was going to continue Elijah’s ministry. God gives us a ministry which is unique to us, but sometimes He appoints a successor to continue a specific ministry. Elisha was required to stay close to Elijah in his devotion to inherit his double portion, he had to stay with him through thick and thin.
As they continued, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and Elijah was carried up into heaven by a whirlwind, and the important aspect was that Elisha saw Elijah go, Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” Elisha saw him no more. He tore his own clothes and took up the mantle of Elijah. He returned to the river Jordan (v11-13). The chariot and horses of fire simply came between them and hid Elijah from Elisha’s view. He did not go to heaven in the chariot but in the whirlwind. Elijah’s ministry was similar to that of Moses, and amongst other things, he stood alone for righteousness and were both praying men.
It was necessary for Elisha to see Elijah go to inherit his ministry. He was in mourning as his act of tearing his own clothes showed.
Elisha took the Elijah’s mantle and struck the river Jordan saying, “Where is the LORD God of Elijah?” The waters divided and Elisha crossed over (v14). When the sons of the prophets from Jericho saw him, they came to meet him and bowed to the ground and said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” The power which Elisha needed was not in Elijah’s mantle or fiery chariots but in his LORD God (v15). One commentator said that Elijah had gone but God hadn’t. He had started immediately in faith by striking the water in the power of God. That’s why he needed the LORD God of Elijah and it was apparent to others.
The sons of the prophets thought that maybe God had taken Elijah to another place, so they said to Elisha, here are fifty strong men, let them go and search for him (v16-18). Maybe he is on a mountain or in some valley somewhere. Elisha said “No”. Elisha knew that Elijah had been taken to heaven, so their search would be a waste of time, however, they urged him until he was ashamed and told them to go. They searched for three days and did not find him and returned to Elisha in Jericho, where he had stayed. His reply was, in effect, “I told you that you were wasting your time, Elijah has gone to heaven.”
The men of Jericho told Elisha that their land was good, but the waters were bad and the ground barren. Elisha told them to bring a new bowl and put salt in it. Elisha took it and put it into the source of the water and said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘I have healed this water; from it there shall be no more death or barrenness.’” So the water remains healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.” (19-22) It was the word of the LORD which healed the water.
We come to an unusual incident (v23-25) showing another side to Elisha. He went to Bethel and as he went along the road some youths mocked him, saying, “Go up, you bald head! Go up, you bald head!” Bethel was now a centre for pagan worship where once it had been the house of God. The men were not necessarily young men, but they were mocking a true prophet of God. It is thought that they were mocking his baldness but also his connection with Elijah and God, perhaps suggesting that he should ‘go up’ like Elijah had. Elisha wasn’t an old man, he is thought to have lived fifty years after this. His baldness must have been in striking contrast to Elijah, who was a hairy man. Elisha called a curse on them in the name of the LORD.
Two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths. Sounds somewhat drastic in the circumstances. It does not say they were killed. The word ‘mauled’ in Hebrew could indicate injury less serious, merely scaring them off. Commentators attest that there were bears in those times in the land.
