So they went down to Beth-el. And the sons of the prophets who were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, "Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thee to-day?"
And he said, "Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace." And Elijah said to him, "Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Jericho."
And he said, "As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee."
So they came to Jericho. And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came near to Elisha, and said to him, "Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thee to-day?"
And he answered, "Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace." And Elijah said unto him, "Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Jordan."
And he said, "As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee."
And they two went on. And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood over against them afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.
And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground. And it came to pa.s.s, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken from thee."
And Elisha said, "I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me."
And he said, "Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee: but if not, it shall not be so."
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And it came to pa.s.s, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and the hors.e.m.e.n thereof!"
And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan. And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, "Where is the Lord, the G.o.d of Elijah?" and when he also had smitten the waters, they were divided hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
And when the sons of the prophets which were at Jericho over against him saw him, they said, "The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha."
And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him. And they said to him, "Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest perhaps the spirit of the Lord hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley."
And he said, "Ye shall not send."
And when they urged him till he was wearied, he said, "Send." They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not.
And they came back to him, while he tarried at Jericho; and he said unto them, "Did I not say unto you, "Go not"?"
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[Ill.u.s.tration]
THE VILLAGE OF SHUNEM
The little village of Shunem nestled on the slopes of one of the hills which surround the plain of Esdraelon, the scene of so much stirring life and so many battles. Looking across the plain one sees Mount Gilboa, where the great disaster befell the army of Israel when King Saul and sons went down in the tide of defeat which rolled over the host. It is supposed that the Philistine army was encamped at Shunem before the battle. The town was very familiar to Elijah, who often visited it on his travels [End ill.u.s.tration]
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_How Elisha Healed the Waters_.
And the men of the city said to Elisha, "Behold, we pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful."
And he said, "Bring me a new jar, and put salt therein." And they brought it to him. And he went forth to the spring of the waters, and cast salt therein, and said, "Thus saith the Lord, "I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or unfruitfulness.""
So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.
_How Elisha Helped a Poor Woman to Pay a Debt_.
Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets to Elisha, saying, "Thy servant my husband is dead: and thou knowest that thy servant feared the Lord: and the creditor is come to take my two children to be bondmen."
And Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for thee? tell me; what hast thou in the house?"
And she said, "Thine handmaid hath nothing in the house, save a jar of oil."
Then he said, "Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbors, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. And thou shalt go in, and shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and pour out into all those vessels; and thou shalt set aside that which is full."
So she went from him, and shut the door upon her {138} and upon her sons; they brought the vessels to her and she poured out. And it came to pa.s.s, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, "Bring me yet a vessel."
And he said to her, "There is not a vessel more." And the oil stayed.
Then she came and told the man of G.o.d. And he said, "Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy sons upon the rest."
_How Elisha Brought to Life a Boy Who Had Died_.
And it happened one day, that Elisha pa.s.sed to Shunem, where was a woman of wealth; and she persuaded him to eat bread. And so, as often as he pa.s.sed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. And she said to her husband, "Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of G.o.d, who pa.s.seth by us continually. Let us make, I pray thee, a little chamber on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a seat, and a candlestick: and, when he cometh to us, then will he turn in thither."
And it happened one day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber and lay there. And he said to Gehazi his servant, "Call this Shunammite."
And when he had called her, she stood before him.
And he said to him, "Say now to her, "Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host?""
And she answered, "I dwell among mine own people."
And he said, "What then is to be done for her?"
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[Ill.u.s.tration]
ELISHA RAISES THE SHUNAMMITE"S SON.
One of the most touching stories of the Old Testament is that of the rich woman of Shunem, who made a little chamber for the stern prophet Elisha, with a "bed and a table and a seat and a candlestick." Richly did the good man repay this hospitality, when he gave the dear little lad, the mother"s only child, who was sunstruck in the hot sunshine of the harvest days, alive and well again back to her arms.
[End ill.u.s.tration]
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And Gehazi answered, "Verily she hath no son."
And he said, "Call her."
And when he had called her, she stood in the door. And he said, "At this season, when the time cometh round, thou shalt embrace a son."
And she said, "Nay, my lord, thou man of G.o.d, do not lie to thine handmaid." But, as Elisha had said to her, a son was born.