Elisha

Life and work

Elisha was called while plowing with oxen when Elijah passed by and threw his cloak over him, a symbolic act of prophetic succession. Elisha responded by slaughtering his oxen for a farewell feast and following Elijah as his attendant (1 Kings 19:19-21). He remained with Elijah through the final stage of his ministry, and when Elijah was taken up in the whirlwind, Elisha asked for and received a 'double portion' of his spirit, symbolized by catching Elijah's falling cloak and using it to part the Jordan River, just as Elijah had (2 Kings 2:9-14).

Elisha's ministry, which spanned roughly the reigns of several kings of Israel, is distinguished by an unusually dense concentration of miracle stories — more individual miracles are attributed to him than to any other Old Testament prophet. These include purifying a poisoned spring at Jericho, multiplying a widow's oil to pay off her debts, restoring a Shunammite woman's dead son to life, neutralizing poison in a pot of stew, and feeding a hundred men from a small amount of bread with leftovers remaining (2 Kings 2:19-22; 4:1-44).

His most famous miracle involved Naaman, commander of the Aramean army, who came to Elisha seeking a cure for leprosy. Elisha, without even coming out to meet him, sent word instructing Naaman to wash seven times in the Jordan River. Naaman, initially insulted by the unglamorous instruction, was persuaded by his servants to try it and was healed, leading him to declare his faith in Israel's God (2 Kings 5:1-19).

Elisha also played a significant political role, advising Israelite kings during conflicts with Aram, at one point striking an invading Aramean force with blindness and leading them into Samaria before having them released unharmed, and he was the prophet who instructed the anointing of Jehu as king of Israel, setting in motion the violent overthrow of Ahab's dynasty, including Jezebel's death (2 Kings 6:8-23; 9:1-10).

Even Elisha's death carried a miraculous postscript: some time after he was buried, another body thrown hastily into his tomb touched his bones and the man came back to life (2 Kings 13:20-21), a final testament to the extraordinary power the text associates with him throughout his ministry.

Extra-biblical evidence

No archaeological inscription or extra-biblical text names Elisha individually; his life is known only through 2 Kings.

Scripture references

• 1 Kings 19:19-21 — Called by Elijah to succeed him
• 2 Kings 2:1-13:21 — Full narrative of Elisha's ministry and miracles
• Luke 4:27 — Jesus cites Elisha's healing of Naaman the Syrian as an example of God's grace extending beyond Israel

Further reading

• Encyclopaedia Britannica: Elisha

Reflect

Elisha asked for a double portion of his mentor's spirit — who are you learning from that closely, and who is learning from you?