2 Kings 2 – NIrV & NEN

New International Reader’s Version

2 Kings 2:1-25

Elijah Is Taken Up to Heaven

1Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. The Lord was going to use a strong wind to take Elijah up to heaven. 2Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here. The Lord has sent me to Bethel.”

But Elisha said, “I won’t leave you. And that’s just as sure as the Lord and you are alive.” So they went down to Bethel.

3There was a group of prophets at Bethel. They came out to where Elisha was. They asked him, “Do you know what the Lord is going to do? He’s going to take your master away from you today.”

“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied. “So be quiet.”

4Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha. The Lord has sent me to Jericho.”

Elisha replied, “I won’t leave you. And that’s just as sure as the Lord and you are alive.” So they went to Jericho.

5There was a group of prophets at Jericho. They went up to where Elisha was. They asked him, “Do you know what the Lord is going to do? He’s going to take your master away from you today.”

“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied. “So be quiet.”

6Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here. The Lord has sent me to the Jordan River.”

Elisha replied, “I won’t leave you. And that’s just as sure as the Lord and you are alive.” So the two of them walked on.

7Fifty men from the group of prophets followed them. The men stopped and stood not far away from them. They faced the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan River. 8Elijah rolled up his coat. Then he struck the water with it. The water parted to the right and to the left. The two of them went across the river on dry ground.

9After they had gone across, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me. What can I do for you before I’m taken away from you?”

“Please give me a double share of your spirit,” Elisha replied.

10“You have asked me for something that’s very hard to do,” Elijah said. “But suppose you see me when I’m taken away from you. Then you will receive what you have asked for. If you don’t see me, you won’t receive it.”

11They kept walking along and talking together. Suddenly there appeared a chariot and horses made of fire. The chariot and horses came between the two men. Then Elijah went up to heaven in a strong wind. 12Elisha saw it and cried out to Elijah, “My father! You are like a father to me! You, Elijah, are the true chariots and horsemen of Israel!” Elisha didn’t see Elijah anymore. Then Elisha took hold of his own garment and tore it in two.

13He picked up the coat that had fallen from Elijah. He went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan River. 14Then he struck the water with Elijah’s coat. “Where is the power of the Lord?” he asked. “Where is the power of the God of Elijah?” When Elisha struck the water, it parted to the right and to the left. He went across the river.

15The group of prophets from Jericho were watching. They said, “The spirit of Elijah has been given to Elisha.” They went over to Elisha. They bowed down to him with their faces toward the ground. 16“Look,” they said. “We have 50 capable men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has lifted him up. Maybe he has put him down on a mountain or in a valley.”

“No,” Elisha replied. “Don’t send them.”

17But they kept asking until he felt he couldn’t say no. So he said, “Send them.” And they sent 50 men. They looked for Elijah for three days. But they didn’t find him. 18So they returned to Elisha. He was staying in Jericho. Elisha said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”

Elisha Makes Jericho’s Water Pure

19The people of Jericho said to Elisha, “Look. This town has a good location. You can see that for yourself. But the spring of water here is bad. So the land doesn’t produce anything.”

20“Bring me a new bowl,” Elisha said. “Put some salt in it.” So they brought it to him.

21Then he went out to the spring. He threw the salt into it. He told the people, “The Lord says, ‘I have made this water pure. It will never cause death again. It will never keep the land from producing crops again.’ ” 22The water has stayed pure to this day. That’s what Elisha had said would happen.

Some Boys Make Fun of Elisha

23Elisha left Jericho and went up to Bethel. He was walking along the road. Some boys came out of the town. They made fun of him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here! You don’t even have any hair on your head!” 24He turned around and looked at them. And he asked for bad things to happen to them. He did it in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods. They attacked 42 of the boys. 25Elisha went on to Mount Carmel. From there he returned to Samaria.

Kiswahili Contemporary Version

2 Wafalme 2:1-25

Eliya Achukuliwa Mbinguni

12:1 Mwa 5:24; 1Fal 19:16Wakati Bwana alipokuwa karibu kumchukua Eliya mbinguni kwa upepo wa kisulisuli, Eliya na Elisha walikuwa njiani wakitoka Gilgali. 22:2 Rut 1:16Eliya akamwambia Elisha, “Kaa hapa. Bwana amenituma Betheli.”

Lakini Elisha akasema, “Kwa hakika, kama Bwana aishivyo na wewe uishivyo, sitakuacha.” Kwa hiyo wakaenda Betheli pamoja.

32:3 1Sam 10:5Wana wa manabii waliokuwako huko Betheli wakamjia Elisha na kumuuliza, “Je, unajua ya kwamba Bwana atakuondolea bwana wako leo?”

Elisha akawajibu, “Ndiyo, najua, lakini msizungumze juu ya jambo hilo.”

42:4 Yos 3:16Kisha Eliya akamwambia, “Baki hapa, Elisha. Bwana amenituma Yeriko.”

Naye akajibu, “Kwa hakika kama Bwana aishivyo na wewe uishivyo, sitakuacha.” Hivyo wakaenda Yeriko.

52:5 2Fal 2:3Wana wa manabii waliokuwako huko Yeriko wakamwendea Elisha na kumuuliza, “Je, unajua ya kwamba Bwana atakuondolea bwana wako leo?”

Akawajibu, “Ndiyo, najua, lakini msizungumze juu ya jambo hilo.”

62:6 Yos 3:15Kisha Eliya akamwambia, “Kaa hapa. Bwana amenituma kwenda Yordani.”

Naye akamjibu, “Kwa hakika kama Bwana aishivyo na wewe uishivyo, sitakuacha.” Hivyo wote wawili wakaendelea pamoja.

7Wana hamsini wa manabii wakaenda na kusimama kwa mbali, kuelekea mahali ambapo Eliya na Elisha walikuwa wamesimama kando ya Mto Yordani. 82:8 Kut 14:21Eliya akachukua vazi lake, akalisokota na kupiga nalo maji. Maji yakagawanyika upande wa kuume na upande wa kushoto, nao wawili wakavuka pakavu.

92:9 Kum 21:17; Hes 11:17Walipokwisha kuvuka, Eliya akamwambia Elisha, “Niambie, nikufanyie nini kabla sijaondolewa kutoka kwako?”

Elisha akajibu, “Naomba nirithi sehemu maradufu ya roho yako.”

10Eliya akasema, “Umeomba jambo gumu. Lakini kama utaniona wakati ninapoondolewa kutoka kwako litakuwa lako. La sivyo, hautalipata.”

112:11 2Fal 6:17; Za 104:3, 4Walipokuwa wakitembea pamoja na kuzungumza, ghafula gari la moto na farasi wa moto vilitokea na kuwatenganisha wao wawili, naye Eliya akapanda mbinguni katika upepo wa kisulisuli. 122:12 2Fal 13:14; Mwa 37:29Elisha aliona hili, naye akapaza sauti, “Baba yangu! Baba yangu! Magari ya Israeli na wapanda farasi wake!” Naye Elisha hakumwona tena. Kisha akazishika nguo zake mwenyewe na kuzirarua.

13Akaliokota lile vazi lililoanguka kutoka kwa Eliya, kisha akarudi na kusimama ukingoni mwa Yordani. 142:14 1Fal 19:19Ndipo akalichukua lile vazi ambalo lilikuwa limeanguka kutoka kwa Eliya, naye akayapiga yale maji nalo. Akauliza, “Yuko wapi sasa Bwana, Mungu wa Eliya?” Elisha alipoyapiga maji, yakagawanyika kulia na kushoto, naye akavuka.

152:15 1Sam 10:5; Hes 11:17Wale wana wa manabii kutoka Yeriko waliokuwa wakitazama wakasema, “Roho wa Eliya inamkalia Elisha.” Nao wakaenda kumlaki na kusujudu hadi nchi mbele yake. 162:16 1Fal 18:12; Mdo 8:39Wakasema, “Tazama, sisi watumishi wako tunao watu hamsini wenye uwezo. Waruhusu waende kumtafuta bwana wako. Labda Roho wa Bwana amemtwaa na kumweka katika mlima fulani au bonde fulani.”

Elisha akajibu, “Hapana, msiwatume.”

172:17 Amu 3:25Lakini wakasisitiza, mpaka akaona aibu kuwakatalia. Hivyo akasema, “Watumeni.” Nao wakawatuma watu hamsini, wakamtafuta kwa siku tatu, lakini hawakumpata. 18Walipomrudia Elisha, ambaye alikuwa akingojea huko Yeriko, akawaambia, “Je, sikuwaambia msiende?”

Kuponywa Kwa Maji

19Watu wa mji wakamwambia Elisha, “Tazama, bwana wetu, mahali mji huu ulipojengwa ni pazuri, kama bwana wangu aonavyo, lakini maji yake ni mabaya, na nchi haizai.”

20Akasema, “Nileteeni bakuli mpya, mweke chumvi ndani yake.” Kwa hiyo wakamletea.

212:21 Kut 15:25; 2Fal 4:41; 6:6Kisha akaenda kwenye chemchemi na kuitupa ile chumvi ndani yake, akisema, “Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: ‘Nimeyaponya maji haya. Kamwe hayatasababisha mauti tena wala kutozaa.’ ” 222:22 Kut 15:22Nayo yale maji yakaponywa mpaka leo, sawasawa na neno la Elisha alilokuwa amesema.

Elisha Anafanyiwa Mzaha

232:23 2Nya 30:10; Za 31:18Kutoka huko Elisha akakwea kwenda Betheli. Ikawa alipokuwa akitembea barabarani, baadhi ya vijana wakatoka mjini na kumfanyia mzaha. Wakasema, “Paa, wewe mwenye upaa! Paa, wewe mwenye upaa!” 242:24 Mwa 4:11; Kum 18:19Akageuka, akawatazama na kuwalaani kwa Jina la Bwana. Kisha dubu wawili wa kike wakatokea mwituni na kuwararua vijana arobaini na wawili miongoni mwao. 25Naye akaondoka huko, akaenda Mlima Karmeli, na kutoka huko akarudi Samaria.