Exploring the value of remembering through the story of the prophets Elijah and Elisha.
JONAH: Hello, I'm going to tell you a story all about a man named Elijah, and how when he went away, it upset his great friend Elisha.
Elisha lived in a land long ago where kings could be cruel, life was tough, and there wasn't enough food to go around. But, there was one man who made everything seem better and his name was Elijah.
Elijah could do all sorts of amazing things. Not only was he kind and faithful, he also knew when it would start raining again.
Now, Elisha knew he would need to go away, so he needed somebody to take over his important work and he chose… Elisha.
Elisha wanted to learn and remember as much as he could, so he followed Elijah everywhere.
Eventually, they arrived at a river, but there was no way across, no bridge, no nothing. And then, Elijah did something strange. He took off his coat, folded it up and then beat it on the ground.
And at that moment, the water stopped. And they were able to cross the river. Elijah had parted the waters. This guy was really something special.
And then it was time for Elijah to go, but he didn't just vanish. At first, there was a great whirlwind… and then there was a chariot. But not a normal chariot made of, well, wood and metal. This chariot was made of fire and it was as if it swept Elijah up into heaven. And all of a sudden, he was gone.
Elisha was on his own now, and he had to continue Elijah's good work. But how would he do that? Here he was on the wrong side of the river with no way to get back.
But then he saw something on the ground. Elijah's coat! Elisha picked it up. This would help him remember Elijah and everything he had taught him.
And the coat suddenly reminded him how to get back across the river.
And at that moment, Elisha knew that even though Elijah had gone, he would always remember him and he would be able to carry on Elijah's good work.
Thanks for helping me tell this treasure story. It's from the Bible and the Torah. And we'll see you again next time. Bye!
This story is in the Jewish Tanakh (in the Nevi’im, which contains the stories of the prophets) and in the Old Testament of the Bible. It's about two prophets called Elijah and Elisha. A prophet is someone who tells people or teaches people about God and what God wants.
Elisha is a disciple and an assistant of Elijah. He follows Elijah and learns from him. In this story, at the end of Elijah’s work/ministry, we hear about Elijah performing a miracle with his coat, which parts the waters of the river (Jordan) so that Elijah and Elisha can cross. Elijah is then taken up to heaven on a chariot of fire and his coat is left on the ground. Elisha picks the coat up and, remembering what Elijah did, is able to cross back over the river. The coat helps Elisha remember Elijah and continue his own work as a prophet.
Duration: 3' 35''
Final words: 'And we'll see you again next time. Bye!'
Video questions
- At the beginning of the story we find out that Elijah and Elisha need to do something. What is it? (They needed to cross the river)
- What does Elijah do? (He puts his coat on the water and it makes a path for them to cross the river)
- What happens when they reach the other side of the river? (Elijah is taken away on a chariot of fire but his coat drops to the ground)
- What does the coat remind Elisha? (That he can cross back over the river in the same way Elijah did)
Teacher Notes
This video could be used to identify common features of religions and world-views. Look at some different ways of remembering in religious traditions and practices - eg remembering Jesus’ death and resurrection through the Eucharist (Christianity), the festival of Pesach remembering the story of the Exodus (Judaism), prayer beads which are used in several religions (eg Misbaha in Islam).
The children might reflect on their own and others’ ideas, feelings and experiences by considering how people remember important stories and people - eg you could look at images of the Sir Nicholas Winton memorial screen in Princes Park, London or the Kindertransport statue ‘The Arrival’ at Liverpool Street Station, London. You could look at some particular memorials near your school and look at what people remember by seeing the statue/memorial.
Think about people we want to remember: people who have been important in our lives, perhaps caring people in our family, or teachers who have helped us. Draw a picture of this person and write why you are grateful for them and what you remember about that person - eg 'I am grateful for…'; 'I remember when they helped me to…'
Curriculum Notes
This short film will be relevant for teaching KS1 Religious Education in England and Northern Ireland, the Curriculum for Wales (particularly RVE as part of Humanities), and Early and 1st Level Religious and Moral Education in Scotland.
Further resources
