וַיֵּצְא֨וּ בְנֵֽי־הַנְּבִיאִ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־בֵּֽית־אֵל֮ אֶל־אֱלִישָׁע֒ וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֔יו הֲיָדַ֕עְתָּ כִּ֣י הַיּ֗וֹם יְהוָ֛ה לֹקֵ֥חַ אֶת־אֲדֹנֶ֖יךָ מֵעַ֣ל רֹאשֶׁ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֛אמֶר גַּם־אֲנִ֥י יָדַ֖עְתִּי הֶחֱשֽׁוּ׃
벧엘에 있는 선지자의 생도들이 엘리사에게로 나아와 이르되 여호와께서 오늘날 당신의 선생을 당신의 머리 위로 취하실 줄을 아나이까 가로되 나도 아노니 너희는 잠잠하라
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).