After Elisha had been with Elijah for some time, Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here; the Lord has told me to go to Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the Lord lives, I will not leave you." So they both went to Bethel.

At Bethel a group of prophets who lived there came to Elisha and said, "Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?" "Yes, I Know," he said, "Be quiet." Then Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here; the Lord has told me to go to Jericho." But Elisha said, "As the Lord lives, I will not leave you." So they both went to Jericho.

At Jericho a group of prophets who lived there came to Elisha and said, "Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?" "Yes, I know," he said, "Be quiet." Then Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here; the Lord has told me to go to the Jordan River," but Elisha said, "As the Lord lives, I will not leave you." So they both went to the Jordan River, and fifty of the prophets followed them.

At the Jordan River Elijah took off his cloak, rolled it up, and struck the water with it. Then the water divided and Elijah and Elisha crossed to the other side on dry ground. There Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me what you want me to do for you before I am taken away." Elisha answered; let me have a double portion of your spirit of power. Elijah said, "You have asked for a hard thing. But if you see me when I am taken away from you, you will receive it. If you don't see me, you won't receive it."

They talked as they walked along, and suddenly a chariot of fire pulled by horses of fire came between them and Elijah was taken up to heaven by a whirlwind. Elijah saw it and cried out, "My father, my father; the chariot of Israel and its horsemen." And he never again saw Elijah. Then he tore his clothes in sorrow. He saw Elijah's cloak on the ground, so he picked it up and carried it back to the Jordan River. There he struck the water with it just as Elijah had done and said, "Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?" Then the water divided as before and he walked alone to the other side on dry ground. And the fifty prophets said, "The power of Elijah is on Elisha." And so Elisha also became a great prophet.