2 Kings 2:1–12
Elijah goes up in a chariot of fire
Ages 8 to 11
The account
The Lord was going to take Elijah up into heaven by a whirlwind. Elijah and Elisha traveled from Gilgal. Elijah told Elisha to stay behind because the Lord had sent him to Bethel, but Elisha would not leave him.
At Bethel, the sons of the prophets told Elisha that the Lord would take Elijah away that day. Elisha said he already knew. Elijah then went to Jericho, and Elisha went with him. The same thing happened there. After that, Elijah said the Lord had sent him to the Jordan, and Elisha again stayed with him.
Fifty sons of the prophets watched from far away as Elijah and Elisha stood by the Jordan. Elijah rolled up his mantle and struck the water. The water divided, and the two men crossed on dry ground.
After they crossed, Elijah asked what he could do for Elisha before he was taken away. Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah's spirit. Elijah said that if Elisha saw him when he was taken, the request would be granted.
As they walked and talked, a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated them. Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha saw him no more and tore his own clothes in two.
Memory verse
And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
2 Kings 2:1
Talk about it
- Which places did Elijah and Elisha travel through before reaching the Jordan?
- What happened when Elijah struck the Jordan with his mantle?
- What appeared before Elijah went up by a whirlwind?
Try this
Draw a simple path from Gilgal to Bethel, Jericho and the Jordan. Add a small symbol at each stop to show what happened there, such as people speaking, divided water or the fiery chariot.
What can we learn?
A lesson we can draw from this account is that faithful companionship can continue even when a major change is coming. It also reminds us to read carefully: the chariot of fire separated the two men, while Elijah went up by a whirlwind.
Ages 12 to 15
The account
Second Kings says that the Lord was about to take Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind. Elijah and Elisha began at Gilgal. Elijah told Elisha to remain there because the Lord had sent him to Bethel, but Elisha answered that he would not leave him. At Bethel, the sons of the prophets told Elisha that the Lord would take his master from him that day. Elisha said he knew.
The pattern repeated when Elijah was sent to Jericho. Elisha stayed with him, and the sons of the prophets there also knew Elijah would be taken away. Elijah then said the Lord had sent him to the Jordan. Once again Elisha refused to leave. Fifty of the sons of the prophets followed and watched from a distance.
At the Jordan, Elijah wrapped his mantle together and struck the water. The river divided, and Elijah and Elisha crossed on dry ground. Afterward Elijah asked Elisha what he should do for him before being taken away. Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah's spirit. Elijah called it a hard request, but said that if Elisha saw him when he was taken, it would be so.
As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire suddenly appeared and separated the two men. The text does not say Elijah rode in the chariot. It says Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
Elisha saw what happened and cried out, calling Elijah his father and speaking of the chariot and horsemen of Israel. Then Elijah disappeared from his sight. Elisha took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two.
The repeated journey gives the departure a clear progression. Elisha is given several opportunities to remain behind, yet he continues with Elijah each time. The sons of the prophets at two cities know that Elijah will be taken, and fifty of them finally watch from a distance at the Jordan. Elisha alone crosses the divided river with Elijah and witnesses the final departure.
This moment mattered because Elijah's ministry was ending while Elisha's was about to continue. The passage places Elisha beside Elijah through every stage of the final journey, from Gilgal to the other side of the Jordan.
Memory verse
And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
2 Kings 2:1
Think about it
- Why might the repeated trips from Gilgal to Bethel, Jericho and the Jordan matter to the way the account is told?
- What does Elisha's repeated refusal to leave Elijah show about their relationship?
- Why is it important to notice that the chariot of fire separated them, while the whirlwind took Elijah up?
- What does Elisha's request for a double portion show about what he wanted as Elijah's ministry ended?
Going deeper
The next verses continue the account. Elisha takes up Elijah's mantle, returns to the Jordan and strikes the water. The river divides again, and the sons of the prophets recognize that the spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha (2 Kings 2:13–15). The wider passage shows continuity: Elijah is taken away, but the prophetic work in Israel does not end.
What can we learn?
One lesson drawn from the account is that endings can also mark the beginning of a new responsibility. Elisha stayed with Elijah to the end, and the wider passage shows him continuing after Elijah was gone.