G — Biblically Based Apocryphal Works

An Elisha Apocryphon (4Q481a)

1Three minute fragments reproduce the Hebrew text of 2 Kings ii, 14— 16 with paraphrastic supplements. Only fr. 2 can be partly reconstructed and translated. The opening words '[And] Elisha went up' are without biblical parallel. For the editio princeps, see J. Trebolle, DJD, XXII, 305—9. Fr. 2 ... [And] Elisha went up. [When the sons of the prophets who were over at Jericho] saw [him over against them, they said, The spirit of Elijah rests over Elish]a. And they came to meet Elisha, [and bowed to the ground before him. And they said to him, Behold now, there are with your servants] fifty [strong] men; [pray, let them go, and seek your master; it may be that the spirit of the Lord has caught him up and cast him upon some mou]nta[in or into some valley].