Home > Elisha

Elisha (אלישע "My God is salvation", Standard Hebrew Elišaʿ, Tiberian Hebrew ʾElîšaʿ) was the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah; he became the attendant and disciple of Elijah ( 1 Kings 19:16-19). His name first occurs in the command given to Elijah to anoint him as his successor (1 Kings 19:16).

On his way from Sinai to Damascus, Elijah found Elisha ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen. He went over to him, threw his mantle over Elisha's shoulders, and at once adopted him as a son, investing him with the prophetic office (comp. Luke 9:61,62). Elisha accepted this call about four years before the death of Israel's King Ahab. For the next seven or eight years Elisha became Elijah's close attendant until Elijah he was taken up into heaven. During all these years we hear nothing of Elisha except in connection with the closing scenes of Elijah's life.

After Elijah, Elisha was accepted as the leader of the sons of the prophets, and became noted in Israel. He possessed, according to his own request, "a double portion" of Elijah's spirit ( 2 Kings 2:9); and for sixty years (892-832 BC) held the office of "prophet in Israel" (2 Kings 5:8).

After Elijah's departure, Elisha returned to Jericho, and there healed the spring of water by casting salt into it (2 Kings 2:21). We next find him at Bethel (2:23), where, with the sternness of his master, he cursed the youths (in the context of that society, young adults) who came out and scoffed at him as a prophet of God: "Go up, thou bald head." The judgment at once took effect, and God terribly visited the dishonour done to his prophet as dishonour done to himself.

Elisha is next encountered in Scripture when he predicts a fall of rain when the army of Jehoram was faint from thirst (2 Kings 3:9-20). Other miracles Elisha accomplishes include multiplying the poor widow's cruse of oil (4:1-7), restoring to life the son of the woman of Shunem (4:18-37), and multiplying the twenty loaves of new barley into a sufficient supply for an hundred men (4:42-44). During the military incursions of Syria into Israel, Elisha cures Naaman the Syrian of his leprosy (5:1-27), punishes his servant Gehazi for his falsehood and his covetousness, and recovers an axe lost in the waters of the JordanThis article is about the Jordan River is western Asia. For other meanings, see Jordan River (disambiguation The Jordan River seen from spaceNASA photo''Northern Part of the Great Rift Valley The Jordan River is a river in western Asia flowing through the (6:1-7). He administered the miracle at Dothan, half-way on the road between SamariaModern usage Samaria or Sumaria ( Hebrew: Shomron ) is a term used for the mountainous northern part of the West Bank. In modern times, the name "Samaria" is most often used by Zionists when speaking a language other than Hebrew. Others prefer to use the and JezreelThe Jezreel Valley is a large plain and inland valley in the north of Israel. It takes its name from the city of Jezreel, located on a low hill on the southern edge and overlooking the valley. The Jezreel Valley is the location of a number of important se, and at the siege of Samaria by the king of Syria, Elisha prophesied about the terrible sufferings of the people of Samaria and their eventual relief (2 Kings 6:24-7:2).

Elisha then journeyed to DamascusThis is about Damascus, the capital of Syria. There is also a Damascus, Maryland, a Damascus, Oregon, a Damascus, Pennsylvania, and a Damascus, Virginia. Damascus ( Arabic: Dimashq Dimashq al-Sham al-Sham Tiberian Hebrew Dammeseq Dammseq Sephardi Hebrew D and anointed Hazael king over Syria (2 Kings 8:7-15); thereafter he directs one of the sons of the prophets to anoint JehuJehu " The LORD is he", Standard Hebrew Yhu Tiberian Hebrew Yh was king of Israel, and the son of Jehoshaphat (2 Kings 9:2), and grandson of Nimshi. Albright has dated his reign to 842 815 BC, while Thiele offers the dates 841 814 BC. Our principal source, the son of JehoshaphatIn the Bible, Jehoshaphat or Josaphat or Yehoshafat " The LORD is judge", Standard Hebrew Yhošafat Tiberian Hebrew Yhošp was the son and successor of Asa, king of Judah. Albright has dated his reign to 873 849 BC, while Thiele offers the dates, king of Israel, instead of Ahab.

Years later, Elisha is found on his death-bed in his own house (2 Kings 13:14-19). Joash , the grandson of Jehu, comes to mourn over his approaching departure, and utters the same words as those of Elisha when Elijah was taken away, indicating his value to him: "My father, my father! the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof."

After his death, a dead body was laid in Elisha's grave a year after his burial. No sooner does it touch Elisha's remains than the man "revived, and stood up on his feet" (2 Kings 13:20-21).

In the Quran he is known as Al-YasaAl-Yasa is a prophet in the Quran. In the Bible he is known as Elisha. Al-Yasa was the sucessor to Ilyas. Al-Yasa' was the son of Safet. Ilyas apointed him before vanishing into the protection of God. Al-Yasa was thus the next prophet to the Israelites..

This entry incorporates text from Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897, with some modernisation.