וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֡יו הִנֵּה־נָ֣א יֵֽשׁ־אֶת־עֲבָדֶיךָ֩ חֲמִשִּׁ֨ים אֲנָשִׁ֜ים בְּנֵֽי־חַ֗יִל יֵ֣לְכוּ נָא֮ וִיבַקְשׁ֣וּ אֶת־אֲדֹנֶיךָ֒ פֶּן־נְשָׂאוֹ֙ ר֣וּחַ יְהוָ֔ה וַיַּשְׁלִכֵ֙הוּ֙ בְּאַחַ֣ד הֶהָרִ֔ים א֖וֹ בְּאַחַ֣ת הגיאות [הַגֵּאָי֑וֹת] וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לֹ֥א תִשְׁלָֽחוּ׃
E gli dissero: 'Ecco ora, con i tuoi servi ci sono cinquanta uomini forti; lasciali andare, ti preghiamo e cerchiamo il tuo padrone; per non lasciarsi sfuggire allo spirito dell'Eterno e lo ha gettato su una montagna o in una valle.' E lui ha detto: 'Non spedirete.'
Tosefta Sotah
Before Elijah was taken away, the Holy Spirit was abundant among Israel, as it is said (2 Kings 2:2, JPS Tr.), "Elijah said to Elisha, 'Stay here, for the Lord has sent me on to Bethel.'" What does it say (2 Kings 2:3), "The sons of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha, etc." [Then] what does it say (2 Kings 2:5-6), "And the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho approached [Elisha], etc." [and Elijah said to Elisha], "Because the Lord has sent me to the Jordan." [Then] what does it say (2 Kings 2:7), "And fifty men from the sons of the prophets went and stood across from him from afar and the two of them (Elijah and Elisha) stood by the Jordan." One might think that this was because they were few, and thus it comes to teach, "And fifty men, etc." One might think that they were small (i.e., insignificant), and thus it comes to teach (2 Kings 2:5), "And they said to him, 'Did you know that today Hashem is taking your master [from you]?'" It does not say "our master"; rather, it says "your master." It teaches that they were all friends of Elijah, and all of them had the same worth as Elijah. And from where is it derived that the Holy Spirit was removed from them? As it is said (2 Kings 2:16), "And they said to him, 'Now, if you please, your servant has fifty valiant men. [They will go and search for your master, lest the Spirit of God has taken him away, and cast him onto one of the mountains, or into one of the valleys.]'" Is it possible for a human being, the night before, to say "Did you know that today Hashem is taking your master," and now they say, "They will go and search for your master"? Rather, it teaches that the Holy Spirit was hidden from them. "And they pressed him until he was ashamed" (2 Kings 2:17) -- what does "until he was ashamed" come to teach? It is as if to say that he was ashamed on account of them, lest they say that he did not wish to go and meet his master. As long as Elisha lived, the bands of Aramean raiders did not [cross] the border of Israel, as it says (2 Kings 6:23, JPS Tr.), "And the Aramean bands stopped invading the land of Israel." Once Elisha died and they had buried him, the bands of Moabite [and Aramean] raiders invaded the land of Israel (see 2 Kings 24:2).