Lives of Scripture
Elisha (M)
First named in 1 Kings 19:16-19
Elisha, a farmer plowing with oxen, was called by Elijah, who threw his cloak over him; Elisha said goodbye to his family and became Elijah's attendant, later asking for and receiving "a double portion" of his spirit as Elijah was taken up to heaven (1 Kings 19:19-21; 2 Kings 2:1-15). His ministry shows an unusual concentration of miracles: he healed Jericho's poisoned water, multiplied a widow's oil to pay her debts, raised a Shunammite woman's son from death, fed a hundred men from twenty loaves, and made an axe head float (2 Kings 2:19-22; 4:1-44; 6:1-7). When some youths mocked him, Elisha's curse brought two bears out of the woods to maul forty-two of them — a stark judgment on contempt for God's prophet (2 Kings 2:23-25). Elisha healed Naaman, a Syrian military commander, of leprosy after Naaman washed seven times in the Jordan, but when Elisha's servant Gehazi secretly took payment Naaman had offered and Elisha had refused, Gehazi was struck with the same leprosy (2 Kings 5). Elisha wept when he foresaw the atrocities Hazael would commit as king of Aram, anointed Jehu to purge Ahab's house, and once had God blind an Aramean raiding party, then showed them mercy instead of harm (2 Kings 6:8-23; 8:7-15; 9:1-3). Remarkably, a dead man thrown into Elisha's grave was revived simply by touching his bones (2 Kings 13:20-21).
Thought for Today
When the Shunammite woman's son died, Elisha stretched himself over the boy's body and God raised him back to life. That miracle is a preview of the far greater resurrection Jesus accomplished for Himself and promises to everyone who trusts Him.
References: 1 Kings 19:16-19; 2 Kings 2:1-22; 2 Kings 3:11-14; 2 Kings 4:1-42; 2 Kings 5:8-25; 2 Kings 6:1-32; 2 Kings 7:1-19; 2 Kings 8:1-14; 2 Kings 9:1; 2 Kings 13:14-21; Luke 4:27
Genealogy
Connections
- Shaphat (M) — begot → Elisha (M)
- Elisha (M) — consulted → Joram (M)
Elisha guided Joram of Israel's campaign against Moab out of respect for Jehoshaphat, and later provided water, victory, and famine relief during his reign.
2 Kings 3:11-19; 2 Kings 6:24-7:20
- Elisha (M) — directed the anointing of → Jehu (M)
Elisha sent a young prophet to anoint Jehu king over Israel and commission him to strike down the house of Ahab.
2 Kings 9:1-10
- Elisha (M) — gave a final prophecy to → Joash (M)
Joash wept over the dying Elisha, who had him shoot and strike arrows symbolizing victory over Aram, rebuking him for his half-hearted response.
2 Kings 13:14-19
- Elijah (M) — mentored → Elisha (M)
Elijah called Elisha to follow him by throwing his mantle over him while Elisha was plowing, and Elisha served as his attendant until Elijah was taken up in a whirlwind, leaving Elisha his mantle and a double portion of his spirit.
1 Kings 19:19-21; 2 Kings 2:1-15
- Elisha (M) — cursed him with Naaman's leprosy for deceit → Gehazi (M)
Gehazi served as Elisha's attendant throughout his ministry, but after Elisha refused any payment for healing Naaman of leprosy, Gehazi secretly pursued Naaman with a fabricated story to extract silver and clothing for himself; when Gehazi lied about it, Elisha revealed he had seen it all and pronounced that Naaman's leprosy would cling to Gehazi and his descendants forever.
2 Kings 5:20-27
- Elisha (M) — wept while foretelling his future atrocities → Hazael (M)
When Ben-hadad sent Hazael to ask Elisha whether he would recover from illness, Elisha stared at him until he was ashamed, then wept, foreseeing the violence Hazael would inflict on Israel as king; Hazael returned and smothered Ben-hadad to take the throne himself.
2 Kings 8:7-15
- Elisha (M) — healed his leprosy through the Jordan → Naaman (M)
Elisha refused to even meet Naaman in person, sending a messenger with simple instructions to wash seven times in the Jordan; after Naaman's initial fury gave way to humility, he was healed, declared there was no God in all the earth but in Israel, and asked to take Israelite soil home to worship the LORD.
2 Kings 5:1-19
Places
- Gilgal — at the prophets' community here, purified the poisoned stew
2 Kings 4:38-41
- Jordan River — took up Elijah's fallen mantle and parted this river to cross back
2 Kings 2:13-14
- Kingdom of Israel — its prophet after Elijah, through the reigns of several kings
2 Kings 2:15; 2 Kings 3:11
- Samaria — lived in this city and guided its kings
2 Kings 5:3; 2 Kings 6:32