Elisha was the son of Shaphat
from Abel-meholah
and the prophet who succeeded Elijah.
His name means
“My God is salvation” or “God saves.”
Called while plowing in the field,
he left everything to follow Elijah
and later received a double portion of his spirit.
Elisha’s ministry was marked by
numerous miracles of compassion, provision, and power
during a dark time in Israel’s history.
Elisha carried forward the prophetic work begun by Elijah, yet with a different emphasis. While Elijah’s ministry was largely one of dramatic confrontation, Elisha’s was characterized by a steady stream of miracles that met practical human needs — healing, provision, and restoration of life. He served as a visible reminder that the God of Israel was still present and powerful even when the nation was deep in idolatry. Elisha’s life shows that God’s power continues from one generation of servants to the next and that faith can be both bold and compassionate.
- Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit — the request of a firstborn heir — and God granted it.
- His ministry contains more recorded miracles than that of any other Old Testament prophet.
- Many of his miracles involved ordinary people: a widow, a barren woman, a group of prophets, a foreign military commander.
- He was deeply involved in the political life of Israel, advising kings and even influencing the rise and fall of rulers.
- Unlike Elijah, who was taken up in a whirlwind, Elisha died of illness, yet even after his death his bones brought a man back to life.
- His life demonstrates that the Spirit’s power is not limited to one dramatic personality but continues through those who faithfully follow.
- Elisha’s miracles of provision and healing quietly point forward to the greater works of Jesus.
- The Call (1 Kings 19) – Elijah throws his cloak over Elisha while he is plowing; Elisha sacrifices his oxen, burns the yokes, and follows.
- Succession & Double Portion (2 Kings 2) – Refuses to leave Elijah; witnesses his departure; receives the double portion and parts the Jordan.
- Healing of the Water (2 Kings 2) – Purifies the bitter spring at Jericho with salt.
- The Widow’s Oil (2 Kings 4) – Multiplies a poor widow’s oil so she can pay her debts and live.
- The Shunammite Woman (2 Kings 4) – Promises a son to a barren woman; later raises that son from the dead.
- Feeding a Hundred Men (2 Kings 4) – Multiplies twenty loaves to feed a hundred with some left over.
- Healing of Naaman (2 Kings 5) – Instructs the Syrian commander to wash in the Jordan; Naaman is cleansed of leprosy.
- Floating Ax Head (2 Kings 6) – Causes an iron ax head to float so a prophet’s son is not indebted.
- Blinding the Syrian Army (2 Kings 6) – Strikes the surrounding Syrian forces with blindness and leads them into Samaria.
- Death & Final Miracle (2 Kings 13) – Dies of illness; later a dead man is revived when his body touches Elisha’s bones.
- 1 Kings 19:19-21 – The call of Elisha while plowing with twelve yoke of oxen.
- 2 Kings 2:9-12 – Elisha asks for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit and receives it.
- 2 Kings 2:14 – “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” — then the Jordan parts.
- 2 Kings 4:32-37 – Elisha raises the Shunammite’s son from the dead.
- 2 Kings 5:14 – Naaman dips seven times in the Jordan and is cleansed.
- 2 Kings 6:16-17 – “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
- 2 Kings 13:20-21 – A dead man is raised when he touches Elisha’s bones.
- Luke 4:27 – Jesus refers to the cleansing of Naaman the Syrian as an example of God’s grace to outsiders.
- Elijah (mentor and predecessor)
- The Shunammite Woman and her son
- Naaman the Syrian
- Gehazi (his servant)
- The sons of the prophets
- Kings of Israel (especially Jehoram and Jehoash)
- Jesus (whose miracles of provision, healing, and raising the dead far surpass those of Elisha)
Elisha’s life is a quiet but powerful testimony that God’s work continues from one generation to the next. Where Elijah confronted and called down fire, Elisha healed, provided, and restored. His many miracles show a God who cares about both the great crises of nations and the daily needs of ordinary people. Even in death his ministry bore fruit, reminding us that the power belongs to God and not to the servant. In Elisha we catch a glimpse of the greater Prophet, Jesus, whose compassion and power bring true and lasting salvation.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.