The Prophets: Elisha

Elisha, from the Hebrew name pronounced ale-ee-shaw, meaning the LORD is his salvation, was a prophet of the LORD (see also YHVH, Adonai, Jehovah, LORD) who continued the work that had been assigned to Elijah. After being called to the LORD's service by Elijah, Elisha was Elijah's assistant, and apprentice, for about 7 or 8 years, during which time he was taught by the older prophet.

"^19:19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

^19:20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee.

And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?

^19:21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him." (1 Kings 19:19-21 KJV)

"Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters"

After Elijah was taken away into retirement (see Where Did Elijah Go?), Elisha became a unique prophet in his own right, who delivered the same Word of God that Elijah did (see Elijah's Mantle and The Spirit and Power of Elijah) because both were prophets of the LORD, not of themselves.

"^2:14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.

^2:15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him." (2 Kings 2:14-15 KJV)

As with the parting of the Jordan River in the verse quote above, the LORD (i.e. Jesus Christ - see 'Before Abraham Was, I AM') thereafter empowered many miracles through Elisha. Here are just a few of the recorded miracles by Elisha (including a miraculous multiplication of bread loaves, a miracle of Elisha quoted by, and repeated by, Jesus Christ centuries later - see the Fact Finder question below):

"^2:21 And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. ^2:22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake." (2 Kings 2:21-22 KJV)

"^4:32 And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. ^4:33 He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD. ^4:34 And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. ^4:35 Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. ^4:36 And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son." (2 Kings 4:32-36 KJV)

"^4:42 And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat. ^4:43 And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the LORD, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof. ^4:44 So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the word of the LORD." (2 Kings 4:42-44 KJV)

The miracles, as made possible by the Holy Spirit in Elisha, continued even after he died.

"1^3:20 And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.

^13:21 And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet." (2 Kings 13:20-21 KJV)

Fact Finder: What was the common factor between Jesus Christ and Elisha when they miraculously multiplied the loaves of bread?
See The Lord's Barley Loaves

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