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Chapter 2 records the "translation" of Elijah, the Lord taking him up into heaven without having known death. In the first 7 verses, we see the Lord apparently sending Elijah back and forth between the Jordan River and Bethel. These journeys appear to have been made to test Elisha or to have separated Elisha from Elijah. Matthew Henry, in his commentary, suggests that it was Elijah's idea to do this, he points out that ever sense Elisha was called, he became like a "shadow" to Elijah. He suggests that it might have been out of humility that Elijah tried to get Elisha to remain at these various places, knowing what glorious thing that the Lord had planned for him and not wanting to "glorify" in it.
Notice Elijah left Gilgal where he wanted Elisha to stay, and went to Bethel, 15 miles west where they visited a school for prophets. There Elijah again tried to get Elisha to stay but he would not. From Bethel they went east 15 miles to Jericho where he again tried to get Elisha to stay but he would not. They left Jericho, followed by 50 "sons of the prophets" and went to the Jordan River. When they reached the banks of the Jordan, Elijah took his cloak and struck the water and the waters divided and the two of them walked across on dry land. When they reached the other side, Elijah told Elisha that he would grant him one wish. Elisha asked for twice as much "prophetic power" as Elijah had. Elijah said to Elisha, "This is a hard thing you have asked for." "If you see me when I am taken up, your wish will be granted."
Then, as they walked along, suddenly a chariot of fire drawn by horses of fire appeared, separating the two, and Elisha saw Elijah being carried up into heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha picked up Elijah's cloak or mantel and returned to the Jordan where he struck the waters with the cloak and the waters parted. When the sons of the prophets saw this they cried out, "The Spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.
Now the sons of the prophets had not seen Elijah being taken up into heaven and assuming that he was lost, wanted to go back across the River, into the wilderness and search for him but Elisha said no. They insisted and they went and searched 3 days, but they could not find him. Then they returned to Jericho where Elisha had gone and told him that they had failed.
Perhaps this would be a good time to learn something about Elisha and about the "sons of the prophets". "El" means God. Elijah means "Jehovah is my God." Elisha means, "My God is salvation." Elisha, as we learned back in First Kings, was ordained by Elijah by the Lord's command. He was born and raised near Jabesh-gilead, the son of rich parents. He became, after his anointing, like a son to Elijah. Elijah cast his mantel upon Elisha shortly before he was caught up into heaven. Elisha knew that the mantel was a symbol of the prophet's succession.
Elisha was quite different from Elijah. He was bald, Elijah was hairy. He wore conventional garments, Elijah worn mountain clothing. He carried a staff, Elijah did not. He stayed in towns, in peoples homes, Elijah stayed in caves. He owned his own home in Samaria, Elijah never owned a home. He had highly cultivated tastes, Elijah appeared uncouth. His ministry lasted about 50 years, Elijah's only 15 years. So wonderful were the legends of his miraculous powers that long after his death, miracles were attributed to him by simply being close to the place of his burial. Another term we should perhaps describe is the term "sons of the prophets". The sons of prophets were like monks; they separated themselves from the world and lived in monastery like dwellings. Many were graduates of the Prophet Schools established by Prophets like Elijah. They were not always like their masters. Many were evil and were involved in witchcraft. Some had identifying marks branded on the foreheads. Each group had its own characteristic clothing or headdress. They often settled in remote desert areas where they cried out in prophesy and song. John-the-Baptist was the last of these prophets crying in the wilderness.
It was at Jericho that Elisha was used by the Lord to perform his first miracle. It would seem that the drinking water at Jericho was causing miscarriages. The Leaders of the city called upon Elisha to purify the water. Remember that back in the book of Joshua Chapter 6, Joshua put a curse upon the rebuilding of the city of Jericho. In Chapter 16 of First Kings, a man by the name of Hiel rebuilt the walls of Jericho at the cost of his two sons, as prophesied, but perhaps the curse was still on Jericho. Elisha in response to the request of the Leaders of Jericho took salt and poured it into the well and cried out, "The Lord had healed these waters", and the water was purified. Perhaps at this time, the Lord healed Jericho also.
From Jericho Elisha went to Bethel and on the way, some boys came out and heckled him about his baldhead. He cursed them and caused two female bears to come out of the woods and kill 42 of the boys. Then Elisha went on to Mt. Carmel and then back to Samaria.
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