Elisha

Elisha served as a prophet in the northern kingdom of Israel during the ninth century BC, succeeding Elijah after the older prophet was taken to heaven in a whirlwind. He performed numerous miracles recorded in 2 Kings, such as parting the Jordan River, healing Naaman the Syrian of leprosy, multiplying a widow’s oil, and raising the Shunammite woman’s son from death, while also confronting idolatry and advising Israelite kings. These events demonstrated God’s continuing power and covenant faithfulness, extending Elijah’s ministry and reinforcing the call to repentance amid widespread Baal worship.

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Biography

Died: c. 800 BC
Occupation: Prophet
Father: Shaphat
Era: Divided Kingdom (c. 850-800 BC)
Nationality: Israelite

Family

Parents

Shaphat

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Elisha

Old Testament Divided Kingdom Prophet 2 Kings

Did You Know?

Elisha requested a double portion of Elijah's prophetic spirit before his ascension, a request granted only after he witnessed the chariot of fire, leading to roughly twice as many recorded miracles as his predecessor in the biblical accounts.

Even after burial, Elisha's bones restored life to a dead man whose body touched them during a hasty Moabite raid, underscoring the enduring power attributed to the prophet in 2 Kings 13.

Elisha directed the leprous Aramean commander Naaman to bathe seven times in the Jordan, an act that not only healed him but also led Naaman to declare exclusive worship of Israel's God while exposing friction with Israel's own king.

When an iron axe head slipped into the Jordan during prophetic group construction, Elisha caused it to float by throwing a stick into the water, preserving the borrower's financial responsibility under ancient Israelite law.

Elisha once led a blinded Aramean army into the heart of Samaria after praying for their eyes to be shut, then restored their sight and ordered them fed before release, turning potential massacre into an unexpected peace gesture.

Key Passages

Receives Elijah's Mantle

2 Kings 2:9-15

Elisha's request for a double portion of Elijah's spirit shows holy ambition - not for personal glory but for greater capacity to serve God's purposes in a dark time.

A⁹nd it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

¹⁰ And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. ¹¹ And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. ¹² And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. ¹³ He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; 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. 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.

Read full chapter: 2 Kings 2 →

Healing of Naaman

2 Kings 5:1-14

A proud foreign general must humble himself to wash in a muddy river - teaching that God's grace requires setting aside pride and obeying simple instructions, regardless of status.

N¹ow Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.

² And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. ³ And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy. ⁴ And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel. ⁵ And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment. ⁶ And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy. ⁷ And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me. ⁸ And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. ⁹ So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. ¹⁰ And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. ¹¹ But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. ¹² Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. ¹³ And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? ¹⁴ Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

Read full chapter: 2 Kings 5 →

Elisha

Biography

Family

Did You Know?

Key Passages

Receives Elijah's Mantle

Healing of Naaman

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