Reference: Elisha
American
1. The pupil and successor of Elijah, a prophet of Israel during the reign of Jehoram, Jehu, Jehoahaz, and Joash, B. C. 903-838. He was a native of Abel-meholah, where he was at work ploughing when Elijah called him to become a prophet, 1Ki 19:16. Some years afterwards he witnessed the miraculous ascension of Elijah, divided the Jordan with his mantle, and took his place at the head of the schools of the prophets. During his long ministry he acted an important part in the public affairs of Israel. Many miracles also were wrought at his word; some of these were, healing the waters of Jericho; supplying the widow's cruse with oil, and the allied armies of Judah, Israel, and Edom with water; gaining a son for the woman of Shunem, and restoring him to life; healing the leprosy of Naaman; detecting and punishing Ghazi. His history is recorded in 2Ki 2-9; 13:14-21. He died lamented by king Joash and the people; and a year afterwards, a corpse deposited in the same sepulchre was at one restored to life.
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And, Jehu son of Minshi, shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel, - and, Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy stead:
Easton
God his salvation, the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, who became the attendant and disciple of Elijah (1Ki 19:16-19). His name first occurs in the command given to Elijah to anoint him as his successor (1Ki 19:16). This was the only one of the three commands then given to Elijah which he accomplished. On his way from Sinai to Damascus he found Elisha at his native place engaged in the labours of the field, ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen. He went over to him, threw over his shoulders his rough mantle, and at once adopted him as a son, and invested him with the prophetical office (comp. Lu 9:61-62). Elisha accepted the call thus given (about four years before the death of Ahab), and for some seven or eight years became the close attendant on Elijah till he was parted from him and taken up into heaven. During all these years we hear nothing of Elisha except in connection with the closing scenes of Elijah's life. After Elijah, Elisha was accepted as the leader of the sons of the prophets, and became noted in Israel. He possessed, according to his own request, "a double portion" of Elijah's spirit (2Ki 2:9); and for the long period of about sixty years (B.C. 892-832) held the office of "prophet in Israel" (2Ki 5:8).
After Elijah's departure, Elisha returned to Jericho, and there healed the spring of water by casting salt into it (2Ki 2:21). We next find him at Bethel (2Ki 2:23), where, with the sternness of his master, he cursed the youths who came out and scoffed at him as a prophet of God: "Go up, thou bald head." The judgment at once took effect, and God terribly visited the dishonour done to his prophet as dishonour done to himself. We next read of his predicting a fall of rain when the army of Jehoram was faint from thirst (2Ki 3:9-20); of the multiplying of the poor widow's cruse of oil (2Ki 4:1-7); the miracle of restoring to life the son of the woman of Shunem (2Ki 4:18-37); the multiplication of the twenty loaves of new barley into a sufficient supply for an hundred men (2Ki 4:42-44); of the cure of Naaman the Syrian of his leprosy (2Ki 5); of the punishment of Gehazi for his falsehood and his covetousness; of the recovery of the axe lost in the waters of the Jordan (2Ki 6:1-7); of the miracle at Dothan, half-way on the road between Samaria and Jezreel; of the siege of Samaria by the king of Syria, and of the terrible sufferings of the people in connection with it, and Elisha's prophecy as to the relief that would come (2Ki 6:24-7:2).
We then find Elisha at Damascus, to carry out the command given to his master to anoint Hazael king over Syria (2Ki 8:7-15); thereafter he directs one of the sons of the prophets to anoint Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Israel, instead of Ahab. Thus the three commands given to Elijah (2Ki 9:1-10) were at length carried out.
We do not again read of him till we find him on his death-bed in his own house (2Ki 13:14-19). Joash, the grandson of Jehu, comes to mourn over his approaching departure, and utters the same words as those of Elisha when Elijah was taken away: "My father, my father! the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof."
Afterwards when a dead body is laid in Elisha's grave a year after his burial, no sooner does it touch the hallowed remains than the man "revived, and stood up on his feet" (2Ki 13:20-21).
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And, Jehu son of Minshi, shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel, - and, Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy stead:
And, Jehu son of Minshi, shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel, - and, Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy stead: Then shall it come to pass, that - him that escapeth the sword of Hazael, shall, Jehu, slay, - and, him that escapeth the sword of Jehu, shall, Elisha, slay; read more. Yet will I leave remaining in Israel, seven thousand, - all knees which have not bowed to Baal, and all mouths which have not kissed to him. So he departed from thence, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, as he was plowing, with twelve yoke of oxen before him, he being with the twelfth, - so Elijah crossed over unto him, and cast his mantle towards him;
And it came to pass, as they went over, that, Elijah, said unto Elisha - Ask, what I shall do for thee, ere yet I be taken from thee. And Elisha said, Let there be, I pray thee, a double portion of thy spirit upon me.
and he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast therein, saith, - and said - Thus, saith Yahweh, I have healed these waters; there shall come from thence, no longer, death or aptness to miscarry.
And he went up from thence, to Bethel, - and, as he was going up on the way, some lads, came forth, out of the city, and made mockery of him, and said to him, Go up, bald head! Go up, bald head!
Then departed the king of Israel, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom, and went round, a journey of seven days, - and there was no water for the host, nor for the cattle that went with them. Then said the king of Israel - Alas! for Yahweh hath called these three kings, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. read more. So Jehoshaphat said - Is there not, here, a prophet of Yahweh, that we may enquire of Yahweh, from him? Then answered one of the servants of the king of Israel, and said, Here, is Elisha son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah. Then said Jehoshaphat, The word of Yahweh, is with him. So the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom, went down unto him. And Elisha said unto the king of Israel - What have I and thou in common? get thee unto the prophets of thy father, and unto the prophets of thy mother. But the king of Israel said to him - Nay! for Yahweh hath called together these three kings, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. Then said Elisha - By the life of Yahweh of hosts, before whom I stand, were it not that, the countenance of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would lift up, I would neither look at thee, nor see thee. But, now, bring me one that can touch the strings. For it used to be, when the player touched the strings, then would, the hand of Yahweh, be upon him. Then said he, Thus, saith Yahweh, Make, in this torrent-bed, pits, pits! For, thus, saith Yahweh - Ye shall not see wind, and ye shall not see rain, yet, that torrent-bed, shall be filled with water, - And ye shall drink, ye, and your cattle, and your beasts; And, this being a small thing in the eyes of Yahweh, he will deliver Moab into your hand; And ye shall smite every strong city, and every choice city, and, every goodly tree, shall ye fell, and, all fountains water, shall ye close up, - and, every goodly heritage, shall ye mar with stones. And it came to pass, in the morning, when the offering ascended, that lo! waters, were coming in from the way of Edom, - and the land was filled with the water.
Now, a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets, made outcry unto Elisha, saying - Thy servant, my husband, is dead, and, thou, knowest that, thy servant, was one who revered Yahweh, - now, the creditor, hath come to take my two boys to himself as bondmen. And Elisha said unto her - What shall I do for thee? tell me what thou, hast, in the house. And she said - Thy maid-servant hath, nothing at all, in the house, save a flask of oil. read more. And he said - Go, ask thee vessels, from without, of all thy neighbours, - empty vessels, let them not be few. And, when thou hast come in, then shalt thou shut the door behind thee and behind thy sons, and shalt pour out into all these vessels, - and, that which is full, shalt thou set aside. So she went out from his presence, and shut the door behind her, and behind her sons, - they bringing near to her, and she pouring out. And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son - Bring me a vessel more. And he said unto her - There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. Then came she in, and told the man of God, and he said - Go, sell the oil, and pay thy creditor, - and, thou and thy sons, shall live of the rest.
And, when the child was grown, it came to pass, on a certain day, that he went out unto his father, unto the reapers; and he said unto his father - My head! my head! So he said unto the young man, Carry him to his mother. read more. And, when he had carried him, and brought him in unto his mother, he sat on her knees until noon, and then died. And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, - and shut him in, and then went out. And she called unto her husband, and said - Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, - that I may run unto the man of God, and return! And he said - Wherefore art thou going unto him, to-day, neither new moon nor sabbath? And she said - Peace! Then saddled she the ass, and said unto her young man - Lead on, and go forward, - do not slacken, for my sake, the riding, except I have bidden thee. So she went her way, and came unto the man of God, unto Mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her, opposite, that he said unto Gehazi young man, Lo! this Shunammitess! Now, run, I pray thee, to meet her, and say to her - Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she said, Well! But, when she came unto the man of God, on the mount, she caught hold of his feet, - and Gehazi drew near to thrust her away, when the man of God said - Let her alone! for, her life, is embittered to her, howbeit, Yahweh, hath hidden it from me, and hath not told me. Then said she, Did I ask a son, of my lord? Said I not, Thou must not mislead me? And he said to Gehazi - Gird thy loins, and take my staff in thy hand, and go thy way, if thou meet with any man, thou must not bless him, and, if any man bless thee, thou must not respond to him, - then shalt thou lay my staff upon the face of the boy. But the mother of the boy said, By the life of Yahweh and by the life of thine own soul, I will not leave thee. So he arose and followed her. Now, Gehazi, had passed on before them, and laid the staff on the face of the boy, but there was neither voice, nor attention, - so he returned to meet him, and told him, saying - The boy hath not awaked. And, when Elisha had come into the house, lo! the boy, was dead, laid upon his bed. So he went in, and shut the door upon them two, - and prayed unto Yahweh. Then gat he up, and lay upon the child, and put his own mouth upon his mouth, and his own eyes upon his eyes, and his own hands upon his hands, and bowed himself upon him, - and the flesh of the child, waxed warm. Then retraced he, and walked in the house - once to and fro, and then went up and bowed himself upon him, - and the boy sneezed as many as seven times, and the boy opened his eyes. Then called he Gehazi, and said - Call this Shunammitess. So he called her, and, when she was come in unto him, he said - Take up thy son. So she came in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, - and took up her son, and went forth.
And, a man, came in from Baal-Shalisha, and brought for the man of God firstfruit bread, twenty barley loaves, and garden grain in the husk thereof. And he said - Give to the people, that they may eat. But his attendant said - How can I set this before a hundred men? And he said - Give to the people, that they may eat, for, Thus, saith Yahweh, They are about to eat and to leave remaining. read more. So he set before them, and they did eat and left remaining, according to the word of Yahweh.
And it was so, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent unto the king, saying - Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come, I pray thee, unto me, that he may get to know that there is a prophet in Israel.
And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, - See, we pray thee, the place wherein we sit before thee, is too strait for us. Let us go, we pray thee, as far as the Jordan, and fetch from thence every man a single beam, and let us make us a place wherein we may sit. And he said - Go ye. read more. Then said one - Be content, we pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he said - I myself, will go. So he went with them, - and, when they came to the Jordan, they cut down wood. And it came to pass, as one was felling a branch, that, the axe-head, fell into the water, so he made outcry and said - Alas! my lord, for, it, was borrowed! And the man of God said - Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a piece of wood and cast it in thither, and the iron did swim. And he said - Take it up to thee. So he put forth his hand, and took it.
And Elisha came into Damascus, when Ben-hadad king of Syria, was sick, - and it was told him, saying, The man of God hath come as far as this place. So the king said unto Hazael - Take in thy hand a present, and go to meet the man of God, - so shalt thou enquire of Yahweh, from him, saying, Shall I recover from this sickness? read more. So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present in his hand, even every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, - and came, and stood before him, and said - Thy son, Ben-hadad king of Syria, hath sent me unto thee, saying, Shall I recover from this sickness? And Elisha said unto him, Go, say to him, Thou shalt, recover; And yet Yahweh hath shown me, that he will, die. And he settled his countenance, and fixed it until he turned pale, - and the man of God, wept. Then said Hazael, Why, is my lord, weeping? And he said - Because I know what thou wilt do to the sons of Israel, by way of harm - Their fortresses, thou wilt set on fire, and, their choice young men, with the sword, thou wilt slay, and, their children, thou wilt dash in pieces, and, their women with child, thou wilt rip up. And Hazael said, But what is thy servant - the dog - that he should do this great thing? And Elisha said, Yahweh hath shown thee unto me, as king over Syria. So he departed from Elisha, and came in unto his lord, who said to him, What said, Elisha, unto thee? And he said. He told me thou wouldst, recover. But it came to pass on the morrow, that he took the coverlet, and dipped it in water, and spread it over his face, that he died, - and, Hazael, reigned, in his stead.
Now, Elisha the prophet, called one of the sons of the prophets, - and said to him - Gird up thy loins, and take this flask of oil in thy hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead; and, when thou art come in thither, then look thee out, there, Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi; and thou shalt enter and get him to rise up out of the midst of his brethren, and take him into an inner chamber; read more. then shalt thou take the flask of oil, and pour out upon his head, and say - Thus, saith Yahweh, I have anointed thee to be king unto Israel! Then shalt thou open the door and flee, and not tarry. So the young man went his way - the young man the prophet - unto Ramoth-gilead. And, when he came up, lo! the captains of the force, sitting, and he said - A word, have I, for thee, O captain! And Jehu said - For which, of us all? And he said, - For thee, O captain! Then rose he up and went inside, and poured out the oil upon his head, and said unto him - Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, I have anointed thee to be king unto the people of Yahweh, unto Israel; and thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy lord, - so will I avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of Yahweh, at the hand of Jezebel; so shall perish all the house of Ahab, - and I will cut off to Ahab the meanest, both him that is shut up and him that is left at large, in Israel. Yea I will deliver up the house of Ahab, like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, - and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah: And, as for Jezebel, the dogs shall eat her , in the town-land of Jezreel, there being none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.
Now, Elisha, had fallen sick of his sickness whereof he was about to die, - so then Joash king of Israel came down unto him, and wept upon his face, and said, My father! my father! The chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof! And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. So he took unto him bow and arrows. read more. Then said he unto the king of Israel, Let thy hand rest upon the bow. So he let his hand rest thereon. Then Elisha put his own hands upon the hands of the king; and said - Open the lattice eastward. And he opened it. Then said Elisha - Shoot! And he shot. Then he said, - The arrow of victory by Yahweh, yea the arrow of victory over Syria, therefore shalt thou smite Syria in Aphek, till it be consumed. And he said - Take the arrows. So he took them. Then said he unto the king of Israel - Smite unto the ground. So he smote three times, and then stayed. Then was the man of God wroth against him, and said - Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times, then, hadst thou smitten Syria, until it had been consumed; But, now, three times, shalt thou smite Syria. And Elisha died, and they buried him, - now, troops of Moabites, used to enter the land, at the coming in of the year; and it came to pass, as, they, were burying a man, that, lo! they saw a troop, so they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha, - and, as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he came to life again, and rose up on his feet.
And, yet another, said - I will follow thee, Lord; But, first, suffer me to bid adieu to them that are in my house. But Jesus said unto him - No one, laying the hand on a plough and looking unto the things behind, is, fit, for the kingdom of God.
Fausets
("God for salvation".) ELISEUS in New Testament. Shaphat's son, of Abel Meholah ("meadow of the dance"), in the Jordan valley. See his call: ELIJAH. He was engaged at field work, 12 yoke before him, i.e. himself with the 12th while the other 11 were in other parts of the field; or, as land was measured by "yokes of oxen," he had plowed land to the extent of nearly 12 yokes, and was finishing the 12th: either view marks his being a man of substance. Hengstenberg regards the twelve as marking him the prophet of the whole covenant nation, not merely of the ten tribes. Whether formally "anointed" with oil or not, he was really anointed with the Spirit, and duly called by his predecessor to the prophetic office by Elijah's crossing over, and hastily throwing upon him the rough mantle, the token of investiture, and then going as quickly as he came. Elisha was one to act at once on God's first call, at all costs.
So bidding farewell to father and mother (contrast Mt 8:21-22; "suffer me first to go and (tend my father until his death, and then) bury my father"; and Lu 9:61-62, where the "bidding farewell" involved in that particular case a division of heart between home relations and Christ, Lu 14:26; Mt 10:37; Php 3:13), and slaying a yoke of oxen and boiling the flesh with the wooden instruments (compare 2Sa 24:22), a token of giving up all for the Lord's sake, he ministered to Elijah henceforth as Joshua did to Moses. His ministry is once described, "Elisha who poured water on the hands of Elijah." He was subordinate; so the sons of the prophets represent it: "Jehovah will take away thy master (Elijah) from thy head" (2Ki 2:3). Yet his ministry made an advance upon that of his master.
The mission of Elijah, as his name implied, was to bring Israel to confess that Jehovah alone is God ('Eel); Elisha further taught them, as his name implies, that Jehovah if so confessed would prove the salvation of His people. Hence, Elisha's work is that of quiet beneficence; Elijah's that of judicial sternness upon all rebels against Jehovah. Contrast 1Ki 18:40 with 2Ki 5:18-19. Elisha, the healer, fitly comes after Elijah, the destroyer. The latter presents himself with the announcement, "as Jehovah God of Israel liveth ... there shall not be dew nor rain these years": the first miracle of the former is, "thus saith Jehovah, I have healed these waters (by casting in salt, the symbol of grace and incorruption), there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land." The large spring N.W. of the present town of Jericho is the traditional object of the cure (Ain-es-Sultan).
Elijah, like a Bedouin, delighted in the desert, the heights of Carmel, and the caves of Horeb, and avoided cities. Elisha on the contrary frequented the haunts of civilization, Jericho (2Ki 2:18), Samaria (2Ki 2:25), and Dothan (2Ki 6:13), where he had a house with "doors" and "windows" 2Ki 4:3,9,24; 6:32; 13:17). He wore the ordinary Israelite garment, and instead of being shunned by kings for sternness, he possessed considerable influence with the king and the "captain of the host" (2Ki 4:13).
At times he could be as fiery in indignation against the apostate kings of Israel as was his predecessor (2Ki 3:13-14), but even then he yields himself to the soothing strains of a minstrel for the godly Jehoshaphat's sake, and foretells that the ditches which he directs to be made should be filled with water (the want of which was then being sorely felt), coming by the way of Edom; this took place at the S.E. end of the Dead Sea; the route of the confederates Judah. Israel, and Edom, in order to invade the rebelling Moabite king Mesha from the eastern side, since he was (according to the Moabite stone) carrying all before him in the N.W.
Like Elijah, he conquered the idols on their own ground, performing without fee the cures for which Beelzebub of Ekron was sought in vain. At Bethel, on his way from Jericho to Carmel (2Ki 2:23), where he had been with Elijah (2Ki 2:2), he was met by "young men" (narim, not "little children"), idolaters or infidels, who, probably at the prompting of Baal's prophets in that stronghold of his worship sneered at the report of Elijah's ascension: "Go up" like thy master, said they, "thou bald head" (qereach, i.e., with hair short at the back of the head, in contrast with Elijah's shaggy locks flowing over his shoulders; gibeach is the term for bald in front). Keil understands, however, "small boys" to have mocked his natural baldness at the back of his head (not with old age, for he lived until 50 years later, 2Ki 13:14).
The God-hating spirit which prevailed at calf-worshipping Bethel betrayed itself in these boys, who insulted the prophet of Jehovah knowingly. The profanity of the parents, whose guilt the profane children filled the measure of, was punished in the latter, that the death of the sons might constrain the fathers to fear the Lord since they would not love Him, and to feel the fatal effects recoiling on themselves of instigating their children to blaspheme (Ex 20:5). Elisha, not in personal revenge but as Jehovah's minister, by God's inspiration, pronounced their doom. Two Syrian she-bears (corresponding to the Arctic bear of northern Europe) "tare forty-two of them" (compare and contrast Lu 9:54-55). A widow (Obadiah's widow, according to Josephus), when the creditor threatened to take her sons as bondmen, cried to Elisha for help on the ground of her deceased husband's piety.
Elisha directed her to borrow empty vessels, and from her one remaining pot of oil to fill them all, shutting the door upon herself and her sons who brought her the vessels. Only when there was no vessel left to fill was the miraculous supply of oil stayed. A type of prayer, with "shut doors" (Mt 6:6), which brings down supplies of grace so long as we and ours have hearts open to receive it (Ps 81:10; Eph 3:20). Only when Abraham ceased to ask did God cease to grant (Genesis 18). On his way from Gilgal (not the one which was near Jericho, but N. of Lydda, now Jiljilieh) to Carmel, Elisha stayed at Shunem in Issachar, now Solam, three miles N. of Jezreel, on the southern slopes of Jebel ed Duhy, the little Hermon. "A great woman" (in every sense: means, largeness of heart, humility, contentment) was his hostess, and with her husband's consent provided for him a little chamber with bed, table, stool, and candlestick, so that he might in passing always "turn in there."
In reward he offered to use his interest for her with the king or the captain of the host; with true magnanimity which seeks not great things for self (Jer 45:5), she replied, "I dwell among mine own people." At Gehazi's suggestion without her solicitation, Elisha promises from God that she should have what was the greatest joy to an Israelite wife, a son. When he was old enough to go out with his father, a sunstroke in the harvest field caused his death. The mother, inferring from God's extraordinary and unsought gift of the child to her, that it could not be God's design to snatch him from her for ever, and remembering that Elijah had restored the widow's son at Zarephath, mounted her she-ass (hathon, esteemed swifter than the he-ass), and having left her son on the bed of the man of God, without telling her husband of the death, rode 15 miles, four hours ride, to Carmel.
There Elisha was wont to see her regularly at his services on the "new moon and sabbath." Seeing her now approaching from a distance, Elisha sent Gehazi to meet her and ask, "Is it well with thee? ... with thy husband? ... with the child?" Her faith, hope, and resignation prompted the reply, "It is well." Gehazi, like Jesus' disciples (Mt 15:23; 19:13), would have thrust her away when she clasped Elisha's feet (compare Mt 28:9; Lu 7:38), but Elisha with sympathetic insight said, "Let her alone, for her soul is vexed within her, and Jehovah hath hid it from me." A word from her was enough to reveal the child's death, which with natural absence of mind amidst her grief she did not explicitly men. lion, "Did I desire a son from my lord?" Elisha sends on Gehazi with his staff; Gehazi is to salute none on the way, 'like Jesus' 70 sent before His face, but lays Elisha
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Save only what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, they may rake their share.
the men also who were at the entrance of the house, smote they with blindness, from small even unto great, so that they wearied themselves to find the entrance.
But abideth, as an enduring one, his bow, And supple are the arms of his hands, - From the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, From thence, is the Shepherd the Stone of Israel:
thou shalt not bow thyself down to them nor be led to serve them - For, I, Yahweh, thy God, am a jealous GOD, visiting the iniquity of fathers upon sons, unto three generations and, unto four, of them that hate me;
But, if thou wouldst bring near a meal-offering of first-ripe corn, unto Yahweh, of green ears roasted in fire crushed grain of garden-land, shalt thou bring near thy meal-offering of first-ripe corn.
And neither bread, nor roasted corn, nor garden-land grain, shall ye eat, until this selfsame day, until ye have brought in the oblation of your God, - an age-abiding statute unto your generations, in all your dwellings.
And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, - Yea, even the flesh of your daughters, shall ye eat.
And Yahweh spake unto Aaron, I, therefore, lo! I have given unto thee the charge of my heave-offerings, - as to all the hallowed things of the sons of Israel - unto thee, have I given them. as pertaining to the anointing, and unto thy sons. for a statute age-abiding,
All the best of oil, and all the best of new-wine and corn, - the firstfruits thereof which they shall give unto Yahweh, unto thee, have I given them.
This, therefore shall be the due of the priests from the people from them who offer the sacrifice whether ox or lamb, - there shall be given unto the priest, the shoulder and the two cheeks and the maw: the firstfruit of thy corn thy new wine and thine oil and the first of the fleece of thy flock, shalt thou give unto him.
And thou wilt eat the fruit of thy body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, whom Yahweh thy God hath given unto thee - in the siege and in the straitness wherewith thine enemy will straiten thee. The man that is tender among you, and exceedingly delicate, his eye will be jealous of his brother and of the wife of his bosom, and of the remnant of his sons, whom be might leave behind; read more. so that he will not give to any one of them, of the flesh of his sons which he will eat, because he hath nothing at all left him, - in the siege and in the straitness wherewith thine enemy will straiten thee within all thy gates. The tender and delicate woman among you who hath never adventured the sole of her foot to set it upon the ground, through delicateness and through tenderness, her eye shall be jealous of the husband of her bosom, and of her own son, and of her own daughter; both as to her afterbirth that cometh forth from between her feet and as to her children which she shall bear, for she will eat them for want of all things secretly, - in the siege and in the straitness wherewith thine enemy will straiten thee within thine own gates.
See, now, that, I, I, am, he that is, And there are no gods with me, - I, kill - and make alive, I wound and, I, heal, And there is none who, from my hand, can deliver,
And, these twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, did Joshua set up, in Gilgal. Then spake he unto the sons of Israel, saying, - When your sons shall ask, in time to come, of their fathers, saying, - What mean these stones?
Then said Araunah unto David, Let my lord the king accept it and cause to ascend what is good in his own eyes, - see! the oxen for the ascending-sacrifice, and the threshing-sledges and ox-yokes for wood.
And so it came to pass, when Jezebel was cutting off the prophets of Yahweh, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifties in caves, and sustained them, with bread and water.
And Elijah drew near unto all the people, and said - How long are ye limping on the two divided opinions? If, Yahweh, be GOD, follow, him, but, if, Baal, follow, him. But the people answered him, not a word.
And Elijah said unto them - Seize ye the prophets of Baal - let not, a man, of them escape. So they seized them. And Elijah took them down unto the ravine of Kishon, and slaughtered them there.
Then sent Jezebel a messenger unto Elijah, saying, - So, let the gods do, and, so, let them add, if, by this time to-morrow, I make not thy life as the life of one of them.
And Yahweh said unto him, Go, return to thy way, towards the wilderness of Damascus, - and, when thou enterest, then shalt thou anoint Hazael to be king over Syria; And, Jehu son of Minshi, shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel, - and, Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy stead:
Then said Elijah unto Elisha - Tarry here, I pray thee, for, Yahweh, hath sent me as far as Bethel. And Elisha said, By the life of Yahweh and by the life of thine own soul, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel. And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came forth unto Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that, to-day, Yahweh is taking away thy lord, from thy head? And he said - I also, know, be silent.
And it came to pass, as they were going on and on and talking, that lo! there was a chariot of fire, with horses of fire, which parted, those two, asunder, - and Elijah went up in a storm, into the heavens.
And, when they came back unto him, he, having tarried at Jericho, he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Do not go?
And he went up from thence, to Bethel, - and, as he was going up on the way, some lads, came forth, out of the city, and made mockery of him, and said to him, Go up, bald head! Go up, bald head!
And he went from thence, unto Mount Carmel, - and, from thence, he returned, to Samaria.
And Elisha said unto the king of Israel - What have I and thou in common? get thee unto the prophets of thy father, and unto the prophets of thy mother. But the king of Israel said to him - Nay! for Yahweh hath called together these three kings, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. Then said Elisha - By the life of Yahweh of hosts, before whom I stand, were it not that, the countenance of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would lift up, I would neither look at thee, nor see thee.
And he said - Go, ask thee vessels, from without, of all thy neighbours, - empty vessels, let them not be few.
Then said she unto her husband, Lo! I pray thee - I perceive that, a holy man of God, he is, - passing our way continually.
And he said to him - I pray thee, say unto her - Lo! thou hast cared for us with all this anxious care, what can be done for thee? Is it, that we should speak for thee, unto the king, or unto the general of the army? But she said, In the midst of mine own people, do, I, dwell.
Then saddled she the ass, and said unto her young man - Lead on, and go forward, - do not slacken, for my sake, the riding, except I have bidden thee.
Now, Elisha, returned to Gilgal, and there was, a famine, in the land, and, the sons of the prophets, being seated before him, he said to his young man - Put on the large pot, and boil a mess of food, for the sons of the prophets.
Now, Elisha, returned to Gilgal, and there was, a famine, in the land, and, the sons of the prophets, being seated before him, he said to his young man - Put on the large pot, and boil a mess of food, for the sons of the prophets.
Now, Naaman, general of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man in presence of his lord, and held in honour, because, by him, had Yahweh given deliverance to Syria, - and, the man, was a hero of valour - but , a leper.
And the king of Syria said - Go, get in, that I may send a letter unto the king of Israel. So he went, and took in his hand ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
So Naaman came, with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the entrance of the house of Elisha;
But Naaman was wroth, and went away, - and said - Lo! I thought, Unto me, will he, come right out, and take his stand, and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand towards the spot, and so set free the leper.
In this thing, Yahweh grant forgiveness to thy servant, - When my lord entereth the house of Rimmon, to bow down therein, he leaning upon my hand, and so I bow down in the house of Rimmon, when he boweth down in the house of Rimmon, Yahweh, I pray, grant forgiveness to thy servant, in this thing. And he said unto him - Go and prosper! But, when he had gone from him some distance,
The leprosy of Naaman, therefore, shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed, to times age-abiding. And he went forth from before him - a leper - like snow.
Then said one of his servants, None, my lord O king, - but, Elisha, the prophet, who is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words which thou speakest in thy bed-chamber. And he said - Go, and see where he is, that I may send and take him. And it was told him, saying - Lo! in Dothan.
Now, Elisha, being seated in his house, and, the elders, seated with him, - when he had sent a man from before him, ere yet the messenger could come in unto him, he himself, said unto the elders - Do ye see how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away my head? See! when the messenger is coming in, close ye the door, and press him back with the door, is not the sound of his lord's feet behind him?
Now, Elisha, had spoken unto the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying - Arise, and take thy journey, thou and thy household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn, for Yahweh hath called for a famine, moreover also, it is coming upon the land seven years.
Now, Elisha, had spoken unto the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying - Arise, and take thy journey, thou and thy household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn, for Yahweh hath called for a famine, moreover also, it is coming upon the land seven years. So the woman arose, and did according to the word of the man of God, - and took her journey, she and her household, and she sojourned in the land of the Philistines, seven years.
So the woman arose, and did according to the word of the man of God, - and took her journey, she and her household, and she sojourned in the land of the Philistines, seven years. And it came to pass, at the end of seven years, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines, - and she went forth to make outcry unto the king, concerning her house and concerning her field. read more. Now, the king, was speaking unto Gehazi, servant of the man of God, saying, Do recount unto me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done.
But it came to pass on the morrow, that he took the coverlet, and dipped it in water, and spread it over his face, that he died, - and, Hazael, reigned, in his stead.
And he went with Joram son of Ahab, to make war against Hazael king of Syria, in Ramoth-gilead, - and the Syrians wounded Joram.
Surely, the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons, have I lately seen, declareth Yahweh, therefore will I requite thee in this portion, declareth Yahweh. Now, therefore, take him up, and cast him forth into the portion, according to the word of Yahweh.
Now, Elisha, had fallen sick of his sickness whereof he was about to die, - so then Joash king of Israel came down unto him, and wept upon his face, and said, My father! my father! The chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof!
and said - Open the lattice eastward. And he opened it. Then said Elisha - Shoot! And he shot. Then he said, - The arrow of victory by Yahweh, yea the arrow of victory over Syria, therefore shalt thou smite Syria in Aphek, till it be consumed.
Be strong and bold, do not fear neither be dismayed, because of the king of Assyria, nor because of all the multitude that is with him, - for, with us, is One greater than with him:
His flesh hath been made fresher than a child's, he hath returned to the days of his youth;
O Yahweh! in the morning, shalt thou hear my voice, In the morning, will I set in order unto thee, and keep watch;
Wait thou for Yahweh, - Be strong, and let thy heart be bold, Wait, then, for Yahweh!
The messenger of Yahweh encampeth around them who revere him, Thus hath he delivered them.
He hath completely redeemed my soul, out of the attack upon me, For, in multitudes, were they in conflict with me.
I, Yahweh, am thy God, Who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, - Open wide thy mouth, that I may fill it.
There is who scattereth, and increaseth yet more, and who withholdeth of what is due, only to come to want.
The folly of a man, subverteth his way, and, against Yahweh, his heart is angry.
Thy dead, shall come to life again, My dead body, they shall arise, - Awake and shout for joy, ye that dwell in the dust For, a dew of light, is thy dew, And, earth, to the shades shall give birth.
Wilderness and parched land, shall be glad for them, - And the waste plain, shall exult, and blossom as the lily:
Then, shall leap as a hart the lame, Then shall shout the tongue of the dumb, For, there have broken forth - In the desert - waters, And streams, in the waste plain:
Yet not upon me, hast thou called, O Jacob, - For thou hast been wearied of me O Israel:
But, I - Yahweh, am thy God, Who threw into commotion the sea And the waves thereof roared, - Yahweh of hosts, is his name.
How beautiful, upon the mountains are the feet - Of him That bringeth good tidings, That publisheth peace, That bringeth good tidings of blessing, That publisheth salvation, - That saith unto Zion, Thy God, hath become king.
Ho! every one that thirsteth! Come ye to the waters, Yea he that hath no money, - Come ye - buy corn, and eat, Yea come - buy corn without money, And without price, wine and milk,
The spirit of My Lord Yahweh, is upon me, - Because Yahweh Hath anointed me to tell good tidings to the oppressed, lath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, To proclaim To captives, liberty, To them who are bound, the opening of the prison;
To appoint unto the mourners of Zion - To give unto them A chaplet instead of ashes, The oil of joy instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of the spirit of dejection, - So shall they be called The oaks of righteousness, The plantation of Yahweh: That he may get himself glory
Upon thy walls O Jerusalem, have I appointed watchmen, All the day and all the night through, let them not hold their peace, - O ye that put Yahweh in mind, Do not take rest to yourselves, Neither give rest, unto him, Until he establish and until he set forth Jerusalem as a praise in the earth!
Wouldst, thou, then seek to secure for thyself great things? Do not seek! For behold me! bringing in calamity upon all flesh, Declareth Yahweh, Nevertheless I will give thee thine own life as a spoil, in all places whithersoever thou goest.
Then will I encamp about my house - against an army, against him that passeth by, and against him that returneth, neither shall an exactor, tread them down any more, - for, now, have I seen with mine own eyes.
In that day, there shall be an opened fountain, for the house of David, and for the Inhabitants of Jerusalem, - for sin and for uncleanness.
Ye have said, Vain is it to serve God, - and, What profit when we have kept his charge, or when we have walked gloomily before Yahweh of hosts?
But, thou, when thou wouldest pray, enter into thy closet, and, fastening thy door, pray unto thy Father who is in secret, - and, thy Father who seeth in secret, will reward thee.
But, thou, when thou wouldest pray, enter into thy closet, and, fastening thy door, pray unto thy Father who is in secret, - and, thy Father who seeth in secret, will reward thee.
For, I also, am a man setunder authority, having under myself, soldiers, - and I say to this one, Go! and he goeth, and to another, Come! and he cometh, and, to my servant, Do this! and he doeth it.
And, another of the disciples, saith unto him, - Lord! suffer me, first, to depart, and bury my father. But, Jesus, saith unto him, - Be following me, and leave, the dead, to bury, their own dead.
He that loveth father or mother above me, is not, worthy, of me, - and, he that loveth son or daughter above me, is not, worthy, of me;
The kingdom of the heavens is like unto, a treasure hid in the field, which a man, finding, hid, - and, by reason of his joy, withdraweth and selleth whatsoever he hath, and buyeth that field.
But, he, answered her no a word. And his disciples, coming forward began requesting him, saying - Dismiss her, because she is crying out after us.
Then, wore brought unto him children, - that he might lay his hands upon them, and pray. And, the disciples, rebuked them.
But he also who, the one talent, had received, coming forward, said - Lord I knew thee, that thou art a, hard, man, reaping, where thou hast not sown, - and gathering, whence thou hast not winnowed; And, overcome with fear, I went away, and hid thy talent in the ground: See! thou hast what is thine!
And, overcome with fear, I went away, and hid thy talent in the ground: See! thou hast what is thine! And his lord, answering, said unto him - O wicked servant, and cowardly, knewest thou that I reap, where I have not sown, and gather, whence I have not winnowed? read more. It was binding on thee, therefore, to cast my silver into the money-changers, - and, I, when I, came, might have obtained what was mine, with interest. Therefore take away, from him, the talent, and give unto him that hath the ten talents; For, to every one that hath, shall be given, and he shall be made to abound; but, from him that hath not, even what he hath, shall be taken away from him: And, the unprofitable servant, cast ye forth into the darkness, outside: There, shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
And lo! Jesus, met them, saying - Joy to you! And, they, going forward, held his feet, and worshipped him.
Go ye, therefore, and disciple all the nations, Immersing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, -
And, with many such parables as these, was he speaking unto them the word, - according as they were able to hear;
And, laying hold of the hand of the blind man, he brought him forth outside the village, and, spitting into his eyes, laying his hands upon him, he was asking him - Anything, seest thou? and, looking up, he was saying - I see men, because, like trees, I behold them walking read more. Then again, put he his hands upon his eyes, and he saw clearly, and was restored, and was seeing distinctly, in broad splendour, all things together.
and standing behind, near his feet, weeping, with the tears, began she to be wetting his feet, and, with the hair of her head, was wiping off the tears , and was tenderly kissing his feet, and anointing them with the perfume.
and they did all eat and were filled. And that which remained over to them, was taken up, - of broken pieces, twelve baskets. And, it came to pass, when he was praying in solitude, the disciples, were with him. And he questioned them, saying - Who do the multitudes say that I am?
And the disciples James and John, seeing it, said - Lord! wilt thou, that we bid fire come down from heaven, and destroy them? But, turning, he rebuked them.
And, yet another, said - I will follow thee, Lord; But, first, suffer me to bid adieu to them that are in my house. But Jesus said unto him - No one, laying the hand on a plough and looking unto the things behind, is, fit, for the kingdom of God.
Because, as many things as, in the darkness, ye have said, in the light, shall be heard; and, what to the ear ye spake, in the chambers, shall be proclaimed on the housetops.
If anyone cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, further also, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.
And, in hades, lifting up his eyes, being in torments, he seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And, he, calling out, said - Father Abraham! have mercy upon me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue, - because I am in anguish in this flame. read more. But Abraham said - Child! remember - That thou didst duly received thy good things in thy life, and, Lazarus, in like manner, the evil things; but, now, here, he is comforted, and, thou, art in anguish. And, besides all these things, betwixt us and you, a great chasm, hath been fixed, - so that, they who might wish to cross over from hence unto you, should not be able, nor any, from thence unto us, be crossing over.
Jesus answered - Verily, verily, I say unto thee: Except one be born of water and spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Verily, verily, I say unto you: There cometh an hour, and now is, when, the dead, shall hearken unto the voice of the Son of God, and, they who have hearkened, shall live. For, just as, the Father, hath life, in himself, in like manner, unto the Son also, hath he given, life, to have, in himself; read more. And, authority, hath he given him, to be executing, judgment, - because, Son of Man, is he! Do not be marvelling at this: because there come an hour, in which, all they in the tombs, shall hearken unto his voice, and shall come forth, - they who, the good things, have done, unto a resurrection, of life; but, they who the corrupt things, have practised, unto a resurrection, of judgment.
There is a little lad here, that hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes, - but, these, - what are they, for such numbers? Jesus said - Make the people recline. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men reclined, to the number of about five thousand. read more. Jesus therefore took the loaves, and, giving thanks, went on distributing unto them that reclined; in like manner, of the small fishes also: as much as they were wishing. And, when they were well-filled, he saith unto his disciples - Gather up the broken pieces left over, that nothing be lost. So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets, with broken pieces out of the five barley loaves, - which were left over by them who had eaten.
And Jesus said - For judgment, I, unto this world, came: that, they who were not seeing, might see, and, they who were seeing, might become, blind. They of the Pharisees who were with him, heard, these things, and said unto him - Are, we also, blind? read more. Jesus said unto them - If, blind, ye had been, ye had not had sin; but, now, ye say, We see, your sin, abideth.
Yet many things, have I, unto you, to be saying, - but ye cannot bear them, just now;
And Peter said unto him - Thy silver, with thee, go to destruction! Because, the free-gift of God, thou didst suppose could, with money, be obtained!
See, ye despisers, and marvel, and disappear: in that, a work, am, I, working in your days, - a work, which in nowise will ye believe, though one relate it in full unto you.
Going down, however, Paul fell upon him, and, embracing him, said - Be not making confusion; for, his soul, is, in him.
For, what was impossible by the law in that it was weak through the flesh, God, by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, condemned sin in the flesh,
What, then, shall we say to a these things? If God is for us, who shall be against us?
And be not configuring yourselves unto this age, but be transforming yourselves by the renewing of your mind, to the end ye may be proving what is the thing willed by God - the good and acceptable and perfect.
The night, is far spent and, the day, hath drawn near; let us, then, cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light, -
But, unto God, be thanks, who, ever, leadeth us in triumph in the Christ, and, the fragrance of the knowledge of him, maketh manifest, through us, in every place,
Is, the law, then, against the promises of God? Far be it! For, if a law had been given, which had been able to give life, verily, in law, would have been our righteousness;
Now, unto him who is able to do, above all things, exceeding abundantly above the things which we ask or conceive, - according to the power which doth energise itself within us, -
Brethren! I, as to myself, reckon that I have, not yet, laid hold; one thing, however, - the things behind, forgetting, and, unto the things before, eagerly reaching out,
Not given to wine, not ready to wound, but considerate, averse to contention, not fond of money,
For, sufficient, is the bygone time - to have wrought out, the will of the nations, having gone on in wanton ways, covetings, wine-drinkings, revellings, drinking-bouts, and impious idolatries: -
Hastings
Elisha was a native of Abel-meholah, which was situated in the Jordan valley 10 Roman miles from Scythopolis, probably on the site of the modern 'Ain Helweh. His father was a well-to-do farmer, and so Elisha is a representative of the newer form of Hebrew society. On his return from Horeb, Elijah cast his mantle upon the youth, as he was directing his father's servants at their ploughing. The young man at once recognized the call from God, and, after a hastily-devised farewell feast, he left the parental abode (1Ki 19:16,19), and ever after he was known as the man 'who poured water on the hands of Elijah' (2Ki 3:11). His devotion to, and his admiration for, his great master are apparent in the closing scenes of the latter's life. A double portion of Elijah's spirit (cf. the right of the firstborn to a double portion of the patrimony) is the summum bonum which he craved. In order to receive this boon he must be a witness of the translation of the mighty hero of Jehovah; and as Elijah is whirled away in the chariot of fire, his mantle falls upon his disciple, who immediately makes use of it in parting the waters of the Jordan. After Elisha has recrossed the river, he is greeted by the sons of the prophets as their leader (2Ki 2:15).
After this event it is impossible to reduce the incidents of Elisha's life to any chronological sequence. His ministry covered half a century (b.c. 855
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And, Jehu son of Minshi, shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel, - and, Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy stead:
And, Jehu son of Minshi, shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel, - and, Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy stead: Then shall it come to pass, that - him that escapeth the sword of Hazael, shall, Jehu, slay, - and, him that escapeth the sword of Jehu, shall, Elisha, slay;
So he departed from thence, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, as he was plowing, with twelve yoke of oxen before him, he being with the twelfth, - so Elijah crossed over unto him, and cast his mantle towards him;
And, when the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho, over against him, saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah, resteth, on Elisha. So they came to meet him, and bowed themselves down to him, to the ground.
And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Lo! we pray thee, the situation of the city, is good, as, my lord, seeth, - but, the waters, are bad, and, the land, apt to miscarry.
And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Lo! we pray thee, the situation of the city, is good, as, my lord, seeth, - but, the waters, are bad, and, the land, apt to miscarry.
And he went up from thence, to Bethel, - and, as he was going up on the way, some lads, came forth, out of the city, and made mockery of him, and said to him, Go up, bald head! Go up, bald head!
Now, Jehoram son of Ahab, began to reign over Israel, in Samaria, in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, - and he reigned twelve years.
Now, Jehoram son of Ahab, began to reign over Israel, in Samaria, in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, - and he reigned twelve years. And he did the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, only, not like his father, nor like his mother, - but he put away the pillars of Baal which, his father, had made;
So Jehoshaphat said - Is there not, here, a prophet of Yahweh, that we may enquire of Yahweh, from him? Then answered one of the servants of the king of Israel, and said, Here, is Elisha son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.
And Elisha said unto the king of Israel - What have I and thou in common? get thee unto the prophets of thy father, and unto the prophets of thy mother. But the king of Israel said to him - Nay! for Yahweh hath called together these three kings, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
But, now, bring me one that can touch the strings. For it used to be, when the player touched the strings, then would, the hand of Yahweh, be upon him.
Now, a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets, made outcry unto Elisha, saying - Thy servant, my husband, is dead, and, thou, knowest that, thy servant, was one who revered Yahweh, - now, the creditor, hath come to take my two boys to himself as bondmen.
And so it was, on a day, that Elisha passed over unto Shunem, where was a woman of position, and she constrained him to eat bread, - and so it came about, whensoever he passed that way, that he turned aside thither, to eat bread.
Then said he - At this season, about the time of spring, thou, shalt be embracing a son. And she said - Nay! my lord, thou man of God, do not delude thy maid-servant.
Now, Elisha, returned to Gilgal, and there was, a famine, in the land, and, the sons of the prophets, being seated before him, he said to his young man - Put on the large pot, and boil a mess of food, for the sons of the prophets.
Now, Elisha, returned to Gilgal, and there was, a famine, in the land, and, the sons of the prophets, being seated before him, he said to his young man - Put on the large pot, and boil a mess of food, for the sons of the prophets.
And, a man, came in from Baal-Shalisha, and brought for the man of God firstfruit bread, twenty barley loaves, and garden grain in the husk thereof. And he said - Give to the people, that they may eat.
And he brought in the letter unto the king of Israel, saying, Now, therefore, when this letter cometh in unto thee, lo! I have sent unto thee, Naaman my servant, and thou shalt set him free from his leprosy. 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 is sending unto me, to set one free from his leprosy, - but, of a truth, just mark, I pray you, and see, that he, is seeking an occasion, against me. read more. And it was so, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent unto the king, saying - Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come, I pray thee, unto me, that he may get to know that there is a prophet in Israel. So Naaman came, with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the entrance of the house of Elisha; and Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, - Go and bathe seven times in the Jordan, so shall thy flesh come back to thee, and be thou clean. But Naaman was wroth, and went away, - and said - Lo! I thought, Unto me, will he, come right out, and take his stand, and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand towards the spot, and so set free the leper. Are not, Abanah and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not bathe, in them, and be clean? So he turned, and went away in a rage. Then drew near his servants, and spake unto him, and said - My father! if, some great thing, the prophet had commanded thee, wouldst thou not have done it? then, how much rather, when he hath said unto thee, Bathe and be clean? Then went he down, and dipped himself in the Jordan, seven times, according to the word of the man of God: and his flesh came back, as the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. And he returned unto the man of God, he and all his company; and came, and took his stand before him, and said - Lo! I pray thee - I know that there is no God in all the earth, save in Israel, - now, therefore, I pray thee, accept a blessing from thy servant. But he said - By the life of Yahweh, before whom I stand, I will not accept one. And, though he urged him to accept it, yet did he refuse. Then said Naaman, Shall there not, then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant, two mules' burden of earth? For thy servant will henceforth offer neither ascending-offering nor sacrifice to other gods, save only to Yahweh.
Then he said unto him - My heart, had not gone with thee, when someone turned again from off his chariot, to meet thee! Is it a time to accept silver, or to accept raiment, or oliveyards, or vineyards, or flocks or herds, or men-servants, or maid-servants? The leprosy of Naaman, therefore, shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed, to times age-abiding. And he went forth from before him - a leper - like snow.
And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, - See, we pray thee, the place wherein we sit before thee, is too strait for us.
And the man of God said - Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a piece of wood and cast it in thither, and the iron did swim.
Now, the king of Syria, was making war against Israel, - so he took counsel with his servants, saying - In such and such a place, shall be my encampment.
Now, the king of Syria, was making war against Israel, - so he took counsel with his servants, saying - In such and such a place, shall be my encampment.
Therefore sent he thither - horses and chariots, and a strong force, - and they came in by night, and encompassed the city.
But it came to pass, after this, that Ben-hadad king of Syria gathered together all his host, - and came up and laid siege against Samaria.
Then said Elisha - Hear ye the word of Yahweh, - Thus, saith Yahweh - About this time to-morrow, a measure of fine meal for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.
Yea it fell out to him, thus, - and the people trode upon him in the gate, that he died.
Now, Elisha, had spoken unto the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying - Arise, and take thy journey, thou and thy household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn, for Yahweh hath called for a famine, moreover also, it is coming upon the land seven years.
And Elisha came into Damascus, when Ben-hadad king of Syria, was sick, - and it was told him, saying, The man of God hath come as far as this place.
And Elisha said unto him, Go, say to him, Thou shalt, recover; And yet Yahweh hath shown me, that he will, die.
Then said Hazael, Why, is my lord, weeping? And he said - Because I know what thou wilt do to the sons of Israel, by way of harm - Their fortresses, thou wilt set on fire, and, their choice young men, with the sword, thou wilt slay, and, their children, thou wilt dash in pieces, and, their women with child, thou wilt rip up.
Now, Elisha the prophet, called one of the sons of the prophets, - and said to him - Gird up thy loins, and take this flask of oil in thy hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead;
Then rose he up and went inside, and poured out the oil upon his head, and said unto him - Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, I have anointed thee to be king unto the people of Yahweh, unto Israel;
For he had not left remaining unto Jehoahaz a people, save only fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen, - for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like dust in threshing.
Now, Elisha, had fallen sick of his sickness whereof he was about to die, - so then Joash king of Israel came down unto him, and wept upon his face, and said, My father! my father! The chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof! And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. So he took unto him bow and arrows.
And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. So he took unto him bow and arrows.
And Elisha died, and they buried him, - now, troops of Moabites, used to enter the land, at the coming in of the year; and it came to pass, as, they, were burying a man, that, lo! they saw a troop, so they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha, - and, as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he came to life again, and rose up on his feet.
Morish
Eli'sha
Son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah. Elijah was instructed by God to anoint Elisha to be prophet in his stead. Elijah cast his mantle over him, but we do not read of the anointing: doubtless it was realised in receiving a double portion of Elijah's spirit. Elisha was not prepared then to take up Elijah's mantle, but first he made a feast for his people, and then he followed Elijah and ministered unto him. When God was about to take Elijah to Himself, it became known to the sons of the prophets, and they told Elisha, but he knew it already; and when Elijah suggested to him to remain behind he refused and followed him from place to place, until he had traversed Jordan (figuratively death) with Elijah. Being thus proved to be knit together in spirit, Elijah asked Elisha what he should do for him before he was taken. Elisha said, "Let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me." Elijah replied that, though he had asked a hard thing, it should be so if he saw him when he was taken up. A chariot and horses of fire separated them, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven; and Elisha saw it. Elisha took up the mantle that fell from Elijah, which before he had failed to do, and went to the Jordan and smote it with the mantle, and the waters divided, and he passed over into the land, with the spirit of the ascended Elijah resting on him.
Elisha's first miracle was healing the waters at Jericho, the cursed city, by means of salt in a new cruse: type of the purifying power of grace. His mission was grace as from an ascended one; the waters were permanently healed, and the ground was no longer barren. But as he went to Bethel some boys out of the city mocked him, saying, "Go up, thou bald head." He cursed them in the name of the Lord, and two she bears tore forty-two of them. God vindicated the authority of His servant. Elisha had come as it were from heaven, into which Elijah had entered, and he came in grace, and if this was despised, judgement must follow, as it will be with Israel by-and-by. Elisha went to Carmel, where the priests of Baal had been destroyed, and thence to Samaria, the seat of the apostasy, and where his testimony was most needed. Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined with Jehoram king of Israel, and the king of Edom, to attack Moab; but they had no water. Elisha was sought for, and he boldly told Jehoram to go to the gods of his father and mother: if Jehoshaphat had not been there he would not have helped them, nevertheless there was grace for them. Ditches, or pits were made, and in the morning the valley was full of water; victory over Moab followed. 2Ki 2:1; 3:1.
A widow of one of the prophets appealed to Elisha to save her two sons from the grasp of a creditor. She had nothing but a pot of oil. She was told to borrow vessels 'not a few,' and fill them with oil. On her doing this the oil was increased until there was not a vessel more to fill. Thus according to her faith in borrowing was her supply from God. The creditor was paid, and she and her sons lived on the remainder, showing how God far exceeded her request.
A great woman at Shunem bestowed hospitality on Elisha, and provided a chamber for his use whenever he passed that way. For this she was rewarded with a son; but when grown old enough to go into the fields he died. The woman laid him on Elisha's bed, and hastened to inform him of what had happened, but piously added 'It is well.' Elisha returned with the woman, and the child was raised to life and restored to his mother. Thus was manifested the power of God over death and a broken heart was bound up.
Two more miracles followed. In gathering herbs for a meal because of the dearth, a poisonous weed was included and there was 'death in the pot.' Elisha cast in some meal, and the pottage was cured. The other miracle was the increase of the bread so that a hundred men were supplied from twenty loaves, or cakes, and there was some left: similar to the Lord feeding the multitudes when He was on earth. 2 Kings 4.
The next miracle was healing Naaman the Syrian of leprosy. This was grace extending beyond the land, even to their enemies. Naaman had to be humbled as well as blessed, and to learn that there was "no God in all the earth but in Israel," as he himself confessed. Gehazi, Elisha's servant, was, alas, tempted with a lie in his mouth to take of the Syrian some of the presents which he had brought for Elisha, but which had been refused. This was revealed to Elisha, and the leprosy of Naaman cleaved to Gehazi and to his seed. The one nearest to the means of blessing, if he turns from it, suffers most. Elisha next made the iron head of the axe to swim, thus reversing the laws of nature: the axe was borrowed, and the trust must not be violated. 2 Kings 5, 2Ki 6:1-7.
The Syrians had now to learn a lesson of the power of the God of Israel, but still in grace. They laid traps for the king of Israel, but Elisha warned him again and again of the danger, and he escaped. On this being made known to the king of Syria he sent an army to seize Elisha. He was at Dothan, and they compassed the city. Elisha prayed that his servant's eyes might be opened to see that they were surrounded with horses and chariots of fire which were otherwise invisible: cf. Heb 1:13-14. The army was then smitten with blindness, led to Samaria, fed with bread and water, and dismissed to their master with the wonderful tale. It was no use laying plots against people whose God protected them like this. "The bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel;" that is, the marauding bands that laid plots to seize the king; for immediately we read that Ben-hadad king of Syria came with a great army and besieged Samaria. The famine became so severe that a woman's child was boiled and eaten. The king was greatly moved at this and threatened to take the life of Elisha, apparently linking the famine with God's servant. This was revealed to Elisha as he sat in the house. The king followed the messenger and he said, "This evil is of the Lord; what should I wait for the Lord any longer?" Elisha had a message of deliverance: by the next day a measure of fine flour should be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for the same. An unbelieving lord scoffed at this; but he saw it, though he did not eat of it, for he was trampled to death in the crowd. Thus judgement followed unbelief in the gracious provision of God. 2Ki 6:8 - 2 Kings 7.
Elisha prophesied that there would be a seven years' famine, and he told the Shunammite woman to sojourn where she could during the time. She dwelt among the Philistines seven years, and on her return she cried to the king for the restoration of her house and land. God so ordered it that just at that time Gehazi was relating to the king the great things that Elisha had done. He recognised the woman as the one whose son Elisha had raised, and the king ordered the restoration of her property.
The prophet went to Damascus, and Ben-hadad, being sick, sent Hazael to inquire if he should recover. The answer was that he might certainly recover, yet he should die: an apparent enigma; but it was fully explained by Hazael causing his death when he would otherwise have recovered. Elisha prophesied that Hazael would be king over Syria, and he wept as he told the dreadful things he would do to Israel. Elisha sent one of the sons of the prophets to anoint Jehu to be king over Israel: he was to execute God's judgement on the house of Ahab and on Jezebel, which had been prophesied by Elijah. 1Ki 21:23-24. What had been foretold Jehu fulfilled. 2-Kings/8/type/emb'>2 Kings 8, 2 Kings 9.
The time now approached for Elisha's death. He was sick and Joash king of Israel went to visit him. Elisha prophesied that Joash should smite the Syrians till they were consumed, but he was angry with the king's want of energy and said he should smite them but three times. Elisha's work was now done and he died and was buried. When a corpse was let down into the same tomb, as soon as it touched the bones of Elisha life was restored. Type that though Israel is now dead towards God (cf. Da 12:2), when they are brought into connection with God's true Prophet they will be restored to life as unexpectedly
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Moreover also, concerning Jezebel, hath Yahweh spoken, saying, - The dogs, shall eat Jezebel, in the town-land of Jezreel: Him that dieth, of Ahab, in the city, shall, the dogs, eat, - and, him that dieth in the field, shall, the birds of heaven, eat.
And it came to pass, when Yahweh was about to take up Elijah in a storm into the heavens, that Elijah departed, with Elisha, from Gilgal.
Now, Jehoram son of Ahab, began to reign over Israel, in Samaria, in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, - and he reigned twelve years.
And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, - See, we pray thee, the place wherein we sit before thee, is too strait for us. Let us go, we pray thee, as far as the Jordan, and fetch from thence every man a single beam, and let us make us a place wherein we may sit. And he said - Go ye. read more. Then said one - Be content, we pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he said - I myself, will go. So he went with them, - and, when they came to the Jordan, they cut down wood. And it came to pass, as one was felling a branch, that, the axe-head, fell into the water, so he made outcry and said - Alas! my lord, for, it, was borrowed! And the man of God said - Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a piece of wood and cast it in thither, and the iron did swim. And he said - Take it up to thee. So he put forth his hand, and took it.
Now, Elisha, had fallen sick of his sickness whereof he was about to die, - so then Joash king of Israel came down unto him, and wept upon his face, and said, My father! my father! The chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof! And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. So he took unto him bow and arrows. read more. Then said he unto the king of Israel, Let thy hand rest upon the bow. So he let his hand rest thereon. Then Elisha put his own hands upon the hands of the king; and said - Open the lattice eastward. And he opened it. Then said Elisha - Shoot! And he shot. Then he said, - The arrow of victory by Yahweh, yea the arrow of victory over Syria, therefore shalt thou smite Syria in Aphek, till it be consumed. And he said - Take the arrows. So he took them. Then said he unto the king of Israel - Smite unto the ground. So he smote three times, and then stayed. Then was the man of God wroth against him, and said - Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times, then, hadst thou smitten Syria, until it had been consumed; But, now, three times, shalt thou smite Syria. And Elisha died, and they buried him, - now, troops of Moabites, used to enter the land, at the coming in of the year; and it came to pass, as, they, were burying a man, that, lo! they saw a troop, so they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha, - and, as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he came to life again, and rose up on his feet.
and, many of the sleepers in the dusty ground, shall awake, - these, shall be to age-abiding life, but, those, to reproach, and age-abiding abhorrence;
And, many lepers, were in Israel, in the time of Elisha the prophet, and, not one of them, was cleansed, save Naaman the Syrian.
But, to which of the messengers, hath he said, at any time - Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool? Are they not, all, spirits, doing public service, - for ministry, sent forth, for the sake of them who are about to inherit salvation?
Smith
Eli'sha
(God his salvation), son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah; the attendant and disciple of Elijan, and subsequently his successor as prophet of the kingdom of Israel. The earliest mention of his name is in the command to Elijah in the cave at Horeb.
(B.C. about 900.) Elijah sets forth to obey the command, and comes upon his successor engaged in ploughing. He crosses to him and throws over his shoulders the rough mantle --a token at once of investiture with the prophet's office and of adoption as a son. Elisha delayed merely to give the farewell kiss to his father and mother and preside at a parting feast with his people, and then followed the great prophet on his northward road. We hear nothing more of Elisha for eight years, until the translation of his master, when he reappears, to become the most prominent figure in the history of his country during the rest of his long life. In almost every respect Elisha presents the most complete contrast to Elijah. Elijah was a true Bedouin child of the desert. If he enters a city it is only to deliver his message of fire and be gone. Elisha, on the other hand, is a civilized man, an inhabitant of cities. His dress was the ordinary garment of an Israelite, the beged, probably similar in form to the long abbeyeh of the modern Syrians.
His hair was worn trimmed behind, in contrast to the disordered locks of Elijah, and he used a walking-staff,
of the kind ordinarily carried by grave or aged citizens.
After the departure of his master, Elisha returned to dwell at Jericho,
where he miraculously purified the springs. We next meet with Elisha at Bethel, in the heart of the country, on his way from Jericho to Mount Carmel.
The mocking children, Elisha's curse and the catastrophe which followed are familiar to all. Later he extricates Jehoram king of Israel, and the kings of Judah and Edom, from their difficulty in the campaign against Moab arising from want of water.
Then he multiplies the widow's oil.
The next occurrence is at Shunem, where he is hospitably entertained by a woman of substance, whose son dies, and is brought to life again by Elisha.
Then at Gilgal he purifies the deadly pottage,
and multiplies the loaves.
The simple records of these domestic incidents amongst the sons of the prophets are now interrupted by an occurrence of a more important character.
The chief captain of the army of Syria, Naaman, is attacked with leprosy, and is sent by an Israelite maid to the prophet Elisha, who directs him to dip seven times in the Jordan, which he does and is healed,
while Naaman's servant, Gehazi, he strikes with leprosy for his unfaithfulness. ch.
Again the scene changes. It is probably at Jericho that Elisha causes the iron axe to swim.
A band of Syrian marauders are sent to seize him, but are struck blind, and he misleads them to Samaria, where they find themselves int he presence of the Israelite king and his troops.
During the famine in Samaria,
he prophesied incredible plenty, ch.
which was soon fulfilled. ch.
We next find the prophet at Damascus. Benhadad the king is sick, and sends to Elisha by Hazael to know the result. Elisha prophesies the king's death, and announces to Hazael that he is to succeed to the throne.
Finally this prophet of God, after having filled the position for sixty years, is found on his death-bed in his own house.
The power of the prophet, however, does not terminate with his death. Even in the tomb he restores the dead to life. ch.
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And, Jehu son of Minshi, shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel, - and, Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy stead: Then shall it come to pass, that - him that escapeth the sword of Hazael, shall, Jehu, slay, - and, him that escapeth the sword of Jehu, shall, Elisha, slay;
And, as soon as Elisha saw it, he, began crying out - My father! my father! The chariots of Israel, and the horsemen thereof! But, when he could see him no longer, he took hold of his clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
And, when they came back unto him, he, having tarried at Jericho, he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Do not go?
And he went up from thence, to Bethel, - and, as he was going up on the way, some lads, came forth, out of the city, and made mockery of him, and said to him, Go up, bald head! Go up, bald head!
Now, Mesha king of Moab, was a sheep-master, - and used to render to the king of Israel, the wool of hundred thousand fat sheep, and of a hundred thousand rams. And it came to pass, when Ahab died, that the king of Moab revolted against the king of Israel. read more. So King Jehoram went forth, on that day, out of Samaria, and numbered all Israel. And he departed, and sent unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying - The king of Moab, hath revolted against me, wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said - I will go up, I am as thou art, my people are as thy people, my horses as thy horses. And he said - Which way, then, shall we go up? And he said - The way of the wilderness of Edom. Then departed the king of Israel, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom, and went round, a journey of seven days, - and there was no water for the host, nor for the cattle that went with them. Then said the king of Israel - Alas! for Yahweh hath called these three kings, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. So Jehoshaphat said - Is there not, here, a prophet of Yahweh, that we may enquire of Yahweh, from him? Then answered one of the servants of the king of Israel, and said, Here, is Elisha son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah. Then said Jehoshaphat, The word of Yahweh, is with him. So the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom, went down unto him. And Elisha said unto the king of Israel - What have I and thou in common? get thee unto the prophets of thy father, and unto the prophets of thy mother. But the king of Israel said to him - Nay! for Yahweh hath called together these three kings, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. Then said Elisha - By the life of Yahweh of hosts, before whom I stand, were it not that, the countenance of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would lift up, I would neither look at thee, nor see thee. But, now, bring me one that can touch the strings. For it used to be, when the player touched the strings, then would, the hand of Yahweh, be upon him. Then said he, Thus, saith Yahweh, Make, in this torrent-bed, pits, pits! For, thus, saith Yahweh - Ye shall not see wind, and ye shall not see rain, yet, that torrent-bed, shall be filled with water, - And ye shall drink, ye, and your cattle, and your beasts; And, this being a small thing in the eyes of Yahweh, he will deliver Moab into your hand; And ye shall smite every strong city, and every choice city, and, every goodly tree, shall ye fell, and, all fountains water, shall ye close up, - and, every goodly heritage, shall ye mar with stones. And it came to pass, in the morning, when the offering ascended, that lo! waters, were coming in from the way of Edom, - and the land was filled with the water. Now, all Moab, had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, - so they came together, from all who could gird on a girdle and upwards, and took their stand at the border. And, when they rose early in the morning, the sun, shone forth upon the waters, - and so the Moabites beheld over against them, the waters, red as blood. They said therefore - Blood, - this! Destroyed! The kings have destroyed each other! Yea they have smitten every man his neighbour, - Now, then, to the spoil, O Moab! And, when they came into the camp of Israel, Israel arose and smote Moab, and they fled from before them, - so they entered thereinto, yea still farther entered Moab; And, the cities, they pulled down, and, on every goodly heritage, they cast every man his stone, and filled it, and, all fountains of waters, they closed up, and, every goodly tree, they felled, and, though they left the stones thereof in Kir-haraseth, yet the slingers surrounded and smote it. And, when the king of Moab saw that, the battle, prevailed against him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through against the king of Edom, but they could not. So he took his firstborn son who was to have reigned in his stead, and offered him up as an ascending-sacrifice upon the wall. And so it came to pass that there was great indignation against Israel. And they brake up from against him, and returned to their own land.
So she went out from his presence, and shut the door behind her, and behind her sons, - they bringing near to her, and she pouring out.
And so it was, on a day, that Elisha passed over unto Shunem, where was a woman of position, and she constrained him to eat bread, - and so it came about, whensoever he passed that way, that he turned aside thither, to eat bread. Then said she unto her husband, Lo! I pray thee - I perceive that, a holy man of God, he is, - passing our way continually. read more. I pray thee, let us make a little upper chamber on the wall and set for him there - a bed, and a table, and a seat, and a lampstand, - so shall it be, when he cometh to us, that he can turn in thither. And it came to pass, on a day, that he came thither, - so he turned aside into the upper chamber, and slept there. Then said he unto Gehazi, his young man, Call this Shunammitess. And he called her, and she stood before him. And he said to him - I pray thee, say unto her - Lo! thou hast cared for us with all this anxious care, what can be done for thee? Is it, that we should speak for thee, unto the king, or unto the general of the army? But she said, In the midst of mine own people, do, I, dwell. So he said, What then can be done for thee? And Gehazi said, Verily, she hath no, son, and, her husband, is, old. And he said - Call her. So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. Then said he - At this season, about the time of spring, thou, shalt be embracing a son. And she said - Nay! my lord, thou man of God, do not delude thy maid-servant. And the woman conceived, and bare a son, at this season, about the time of spring, when Elisha, had spoken unto her. And, when the child was grown, it came to pass, on a certain day, that he went out unto his father, unto the reapers; and he said unto his father - My head! my head! So he said unto the young man, Carry him to his mother. And, when he had carried him, and brought him in unto his mother, he sat on her knees until noon, and then died. And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, - and shut him in, and then went out. And she called unto her husband, and said - Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, - that I may run unto the man of God, and return! And he said - Wherefore art thou going unto him, to-day, neither new moon nor sabbath? And she said - Peace! Then saddled she the ass, and said unto her young man - Lead on, and go forward, - do not slacken, for my sake, the riding, except I have bidden thee. So she went her way, and came unto the man of God, unto Mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her, opposite, that he said unto Gehazi young man, Lo! this Shunammitess! Now, run, I pray thee, to meet her, and say to her - Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she said, Well! But, when she came unto the man of God, on the mount, she caught hold of his feet, - and Gehazi drew near to thrust her away, when the man of God said - Let her alone! for, her life, is embittered to her, howbeit, Yahweh, hath hidden it from me, and hath not told me. Then said she, Did I ask a son, of my lord? Said I not, Thou must not mislead me? And he said to Gehazi - Gird thy loins, and take my staff in thy hand, and go thy way, if thou meet with any man, thou must not bless him, and, if any man bless thee, thou must not respond to him, - then shalt thou lay my staff upon the face of the boy.
And he said to Gehazi - Gird thy loins, and take my staff in thy hand, and go thy way, if thou meet with any man, thou must not bless him, and, if any man bless thee, thou must not respond to him, - then shalt thou lay my staff upon the face of the boy. But the mother of the boy said, By the life of Yahweh and by the life of thine own soul, I will not leave thee. So he arose and followed her. read more. Now, Gehazi, had passed on before them, and laid the staff on the face of the boy, but there was neither voice, nor attention, - so he returned to meet him, and told him, saying - The boy hath not awaked. And, when Elisha had come into the house, lo! the boy, was dead, laid upon his bed. So he went in, and shut the door upon them two, - and prayed unto Yahweh. Then gat he up, and lay upon the child, and put his own mouth upon his mouth, and his own eyes upon his eyes, and his own hands upon his hands, and bowed himself upon him, - and the flesh of the child, waxed warm. Then retraced he, and walked in the house - once to and fro, and then went up and bowed himself upon him, - and the boy sneezed as many as seven times, and the boy opened his eyes. Then called he Gehazi, and said - Call this Shunammitess. So he called her, and, when she was come in unto him, he said - Take up thy son. So she came in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, - and took up her son, and went forth. Now, Elisha, returned to Gilgal, and there was, a famine, in the land, and, the sons of the prophets, being seated before him, he said to his young man - Put on the large pot, and boil a mess of food, for the sons of the prophets. And one went out into the field, to gather herbs, and found a vine in the field, and gathered thereof wild gourds, his lap full, and came in, and sliced them into the pot; for they knew them not. So they poured out for the men to eat, - and it came so pass, as they were eating of the mess, that, they, made outcry and said - Death in the pot, O man of God! And they could not eat. And he said - Then fetch meal. And he cast it into the pot, - and then said - Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot. And, a man, came in from Baal-Shalisha, and brought for the man of God firstfruit bread, twenty barley loaves, and garden grain in the husk thereof. And he said - Give to the people, that they may eat. But his attendant said - How can I set this before a hundred men? And he said - Give to the people, that they may eat, for, Thus, saith Yahweh, They are about to eat and to leave remaining. So he set before them, and they did eat and left remaining, according to the word of Yahweh.
Now, Naaman, general of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man in presence of his lord, and held in honour, because, by him, had Yahweh given deliverance to Syria, - and, the man, was a hero of valour - but , a leper. Now, the Syrians, had gone out in companies, and had brought back out of the land of Israel, a little maiden, - who became an attendant on the wife of Naaman. read more. And she said unto her mistress, Ah! would that my lord were before the prophet, who is in Samaria! then, would he set him free from his leprosy. And he went in and told his lord, saying, - Thus and thus, hath spoken the maiden who is of the land of Israel! And the king of Syria said - Go, get in, that I may send a letter unto the king of Israel. So he went, and took in his hand ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment. And he brought in the letter unto the king of Israel, saying, Now, therefore, when this letter cometh in unto thee, lo! I have sent unto thee, Naaman my servant, and thou shalt set him free from his leprosy. 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 is sending unto me, to set one free from his leprosy, - but, of a truth, just mark, I pray you, and see, that he, is seeking an occasion, against me. And it was so, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent unto the king, saying - Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come, I pray thee, unto me, that he may get to know that there is a prophet in Israel. So Naaman came, with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the entrance of the house of Elisha; and Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, - Go and bathe seven times in the Jordan, so shall thy flesh come back to thee, and be thou clean. But Naaman was wroth, and went away, - and said - Lo! I thought, Unto me, will he, come right out, and take his stand, and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand towards the spot, and so set free the leper. Are not, Abanah and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not bathe, in them, and be clean? So he turned, and went away in a rage. Then drew near his servants, and spake unto him, and said - My father! if, some great thing, the prophet had commanded thee, wouldst thou not have done it? then, how much rather, when he hath said unto thee, Bathe and be clean? Then went he down, and dipped himself in the Jordan, seven times, according to the word of the man of God: and his flesh came back, as the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said - Lo! my lord, hath restrained, this Naaman the Syrian, by not taking at his hand that which he brought! By the life of Yahweh, verily, I will runs after him, and accept of him, something. So Gehazi hastened after Naaman. And, when Naaman saw one running after him, he alighted from his chariot to meet him, and said, - Is all well? read more. And he said, All is well. My lord, hath sent me to say, Lo! just now, have come unto me, two young men out of the hill country of Ephraim, of the sons of the prophets, - give for them, I pray thee, a talent, of silver, and two changes of raiment. And Naaman said, Be content, accept two talents. So he urged him, and bound up two talents of silver in two bags, and two changes of raiment, and laid them upon two of his young men, and they bare them before him. And, when he came to the hill-tower, he took them from their hand, and put them in charge within, - and let the men go, and they departed. Now, when, he, came in and stood before his lord, Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, - Thy servant hath been neither hither nor thither. Then he said unto him - My heart, had not gone with thee, when someone turned again from off his chariot, to meet thee! Is it a time to accept silver, or to accept raiment, or oliveyards, or vineyards, or flocks or herds, or men-servants, or maid-servants? The leprosy of Naaman, therefore, shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed, to times age-abiding. And he went forth from before him - a leper - like snow.
And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, - See, we pray thee, the place wherein we sit before thee, is too strait for us. Let us go, we pray thee, as far as the Jordan, and fetch from thence every man a single beam, and let us make us a place wherein we may sit. And he said - Go ye. read more. Then said one - Be content, we pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he said - I myself, will go. So he went with them, - and, when they came to the Jordan, they cut down wood. And it came to pass, as one was felling a branch, that, the axe-head, fell into the water, so he made outcry and said - Alas! my lord, for, it, was borrowed! And the man of God said - Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a piece of wood and cast it in thither, and the iron did swim. And he said - Take it up to thee. So he put forth his hand, and took it. Now, the king of Syria, was making war against Israel, - so he took counsel with his servants, saying - In such and such a place, shall be my encampment. The man of God, therefore, sent unto the king of Israel, saying - Beware of passing by this place, - for, thither, are the Syrians coming down. So the king of Israel sent unto the place whereof the man of God had spoken to him and warned him, and was on his guard there, - not once nor twice Then was the heart of the king of Syria disquieted concerning this thing, - and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not tell me, who of our men are for the king of Israel? Then said one of his servants, None, my lord O king, - but, Elisha, the prophet, who is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words which thou speakest in thy bed-chamber. And he said - Go, and see where he is, that I may send and take him. And it was told him, saying - Lo! in Dothan. Therefore sent he thither - horses and chariots, and a strong force, - and they came in by night, and encompassed the city. And, when the attendant of the man of God arose early and went forth, lo! a force surrounding the city, with horses and chariots. Then said his young man unto him - Alas! my lord, what shall we do? And he said - Do not fear, - for, more, are, they who are with us, than, they who are with them. Then prayed Elisha, and said, O Yahweh! open, I beseech thee, his eyes, that he may see. And Yahweh opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and lo! the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire, round about Elisha. And, when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto Yahweh, and said - Smite, I beseech thee, this people, with sudden blindness. And he smote them with sudden blindness, according to the word of Elisha. Then Elisha said unto them - This, is not the way, neither is, this, the city, follow me, that I may lead you unto the man, whom ye would secure! So he led them to Samaria. And it came to pass, when they had entered Samaria, that Elisha said, O Yahweh! open the eyes of these men, that they may see! And Yahweh opened their eyes, and they saw, and lo! they were in the midst of Samaria! Then said the king of Israel unto Elisha, when he saw them, - Shall I smite - shall I smite, my father? And he said - Thou shalt not smite. Them whom thou hadst taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow, wouldst, thou, have been smiting? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go their way unto their lord. And he made for them a great feast, and, when they had eaten and drunk, he let them go, and they went their way unto their lord. So then, troops of Syrians came again, no more, into the land of Israel. But it came to pass, after this, that Ben-hadad king of Syria gathered together all his host, - and came up and laid siege against Samaria. And there came to be, a great famine, in Samaria, and lo! they continued the siege against it, - until an ass's head was sold for eighty pieces of silver, and one pint of dove's dung for five pieces of silver. And so it was that, as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman, made outcry unto him, saying - Save, my lord, O king! And he said - If Yahweh do not save thee, whence should I save thee? out of the threshing-floor or out of the wine-press? And the king said to her - What aileth thee? And she said - This woman, said unto me - Give thy son, that we may eat him, to-day, and, my son, will we eat to-morrow. So we cooked my son, and did eat him, - and I said unto her, on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him; But she had hid her son. And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes, while yet he was passing by upon the wall, - so the people looked, and lo! sackcloth upon his flesh, within. And he said - So, let God do to me, and, so, let him add, - if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remain on him, to-day! Now, Elisha, being seated in his house, and, the elders, seated with him, - when he had sent a man from before him, ere yet the messenger could come in unto him, he himself, said unto the elders - Do ye see how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away my head? See! when the messenger is coming in, close ye the door, and press him back with the door, is not the sound of his lord's feet behind him? While yet he was speaking with them, lo! the messenger, coming down unto him, - and he said, - Lo! this, is a calamity from Yahweh, why should I wait for Yahweh, any longer?
Then said Elisha - Hear ye the word of Yahweh, - Thus, saith Yahweh - About this time to-morrow, a measure of fine meal for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria. Then the officer on whose hand the king leaned responded to the man of God, and said, Even if Yahweh were making windows in the heavens, could this thing, come to pass? And he said - Lo! thou, art about to see it with thine own eyes, but, thereof, shalt thou not eat! read more. Now there were, four men, lepers, at the entrance of the gate, - and they said one to another - Why are, we, sitting here until we are dead? If we say - Let us enter into the city, Then, the famine, is in the city, and we shall die there, and, if we remain here, then shall we die. Now, therefore, let us fall away unto the camp of the Syrians, if they save us alive, we shall live, and, if they put us to death, we shall die. So they rose up in the twilight, to enter into the camp of the Syrians, - and, when they entered the outskirts of the camp of the Syrians, lo! there was not there, a man. Now, the Lord, had caused the camp of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, noise of horses, a noise of a great host, - and they said one to another - Lo! the king of Israel hath hired against us - the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come against us. So they arose, and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, - the camp, just as it was, - and fled for their lives. When, therefore, these lepers came in as far as the outskirts of the camp, they entered into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried from thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went away and hid them, - and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried from thence - and went and hid them. Then said they one to another - Not a right thing, are, we, doing. This day, is, a day of good tidings, and, we, are holding our peace, if we tarry until the light of the morning, there will come upon us, some misfortune, - Now, therefore, come and let us go in, and tell the household of the king. So they came in and called unto the gate of the city, and told them, saying, We entered into the camp of the Syrians, and lo! there was not there, a man, nor sound of human being, - only horses tied, and asses tied, and their tents, just as they were! And the watchers of the gate called and told it to the household of the king, within. Then arose the king by night, and said unto his servants, Let me tell you, I pray you, what the Syrians have done to us, - they knew that we were, famished, so they have gone forth out of the camp, to hide in the field, saying, When they come forth out of the city, then shall we take them alive, and, into the city, will we enter. Then responded one of his servants, and said - Let there be taken, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which have been left therein, there they are, according to all the multitude of Israel who have been left therein, there they are, according to all the multitude of Israel, who have been consumed, - and let us send and see! So they took two chariots and horses, - and the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see! And they followed them as far as the Jordan, and lo! all the way, was full of garments, and utensils, which the Syrians had cast away in their fright, - and the messengers returned, and told the king. Then went the people forth and spoiled the camp of the Syrians, - and so there came to be - a measure of fine meal for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of Yahweh. Now, the king, had set the officer on whose hand he leaned, in charge over the gate, and the people trode upon him in the gate, that he died, - as spake the man of God, who said it when the messenger came down to him. Yea it came to pass, as the man of God had spoken unto the messenger, saying, - Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine meal for a shekel, shall there be about this time to-morrow, in the gate of Samaria: And when the officer responded to the man of God, and said, Lo! then, if Yahweh were making windows in the heavens, could it be according to this word? And he said, - Lo! thou art about to see it with thine own eyes, but, thereof, shalt thou not eat. Yea it fell out to him, thus, - and the people trode upon him in the gate, that he died.
And Elisha came into Damascus, when Ben-hadad king of Syria, was sick, - and it was told him, saying, The man of God hath come as far as this place.
But it came to pass on the morrow, that he took the coverlet, and dipped it in water, and spread it over his face, that he died, - and, Hazael, reigned, in his stead.
Now, Elisha, had fallen sick of his sickness whereof he was about to die, - so then Joash king of Israel came down unto him, and wept upon his face, and said, My father! my father! The chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof! And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. So he took unto him bow and arrows. read more. Then said he unto the king of Israel, Let thy hand rest upon the bow. So he let his hand rest thereon. Then Elisha put his own hands upon the hands of the king; and said - Open the lattice eastward. And he opened it. Then said Elisha - Shoot! And he shot. Then he said, - The arrow of victory by Yahweh, yea the arrow of victory over Syria, therefore shalt thou smite Syria in Aphek, till it be consumed. And he said - Take the arrows. So he took them. Then said he unto the king of Israel - Smite unto the ground. So he smote three times, and then stayed. Then was the man of God wroth against him, and said - Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times, then, hadst thou smitten Syria, until it had been consumed; But, now, three times, shalt thou smite Syria.
and it came to pass, as, they, were burying a man, that, lo! they saw a troop, so they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha, - and, as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he came to life again, and rose up on his feet.
Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Yet shall old men and old women sit in the broadways of Jerusalem, - Yea, each one with his staff in his hand for multitude of days:
Watsons
ELISHA, the son of Shaphat, Elijah's disciple and successor in the prophetic office, was of the city of Abelmeholah, 1Ki 19:16, &c. Elijah having received God's command to anoint Elisha as a prophet, came to Abelmeholah; and finding him ploughing with oxen, he threw his mantle over the shoulders of Elisha, who left the oxen, and accompanied him. Under the article Elijah, it has been observed that Elisha was following his master, when he was taken up to heaven; and that he inherited Elijah's mantle, with a double portion of his spirit. Elisha smote the waters of Jordan, and divided them; and he rendered wholesome the waters of a rivulet near Jericho. The kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom, having taken the field against the king of Moab, who had revolted from Israel, were in danger of perishing for want of water. Elisha was at that time in the camp; and seeing Jehoram, the king of Israel, he said, "What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. As the Lord liveth, were it not out of respect to Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, who is here present, I would not so much as look on thee. But now send for a minstrel; and while this man played, the Spirit of the Lord fell upon Elisha, and he said, Thus saith the Lord, Make several ditches along this valley; for ye shall see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley shall be filled with water, and you and your cattle shall drink of it." The widow of one of the prophets having told Elisha, that her husband's creditor was determined to take her two sons and sell them for slaves, Elisha multiplied the oil in the widow's house, in such quantity that she was enabled to sell it and to discharge the debt. Elisha went frequently to Shunem, a city of Manasseh, on this side Jordan, and was entertained by a certain matron at her house. As she had no children, Elisha promised her a son; and his prediction was accomplished. Some years after, the child died. Elisha, who was then at Mount Carmel, was solicited by the mother to come to her house. The prophet went, and restored the child. At Gilgal, during a great famine, one of the sons of the prophets gathered wild gourds, which he put into the pot, and they were served up to Elisha and the other prophets. It was soon found that they were mortal poison; but Elisha ordering meal to be thrown into the pot, corrected the quality of the pottage. Naaman, general of the king of Syria's forces, having a leprosy, was advised to visit Elisha in order to be cured. Elisha appointed him to wash himself seven times in the Jordan; and by this means Naaman was perfectly healed. He returned to Elisha, and offered him large presents, which the man of God resolutely refused. But Gehazi, Elisha's servant, did not imitate the disinterestedness of his master. He ran after Naaman, and in Elisha's name begged a talent of silver, and two changes of garments. Naaman gave him two talents. Elisha, to whom God had discovered Gehazi's action, reproached him with it, and declared, that the leprosy of Naaman should cleave to him and his family for ever. This is a striking instance of the disinterestedness of the Jewish prophets. Elisha, like his master Elijah, had learned to contemn the world. The king of Syria being at war with the king of Israel, could not imagine how all his designs were discovered by the enemy. He was told, that Elisha revealed them to the king of Israel. He therefore sent troops to seize the prophet at Dothan; but Elisha struck them with blindness, and led them in that condition into Samaria. When they were in the city, he prayed to God to open their eyes; and after he had made them eat and drink, he sent them back unhurt to their master. Some time after, Benhadad, king of Syria, having besieged Samaria, the famine became so extreme, that a certain woman ate her own child. Jehoram, king of Israel, imputing to Elisha these calamities, sent a messenger to cut off his head. Elisha, who was informed of this design against his life, ordered the door to be shut. The messenger was scarcely arrived, when the king himself followed, and made great complaints of the condition to which the town was reduced. Elisha answered, "To-morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria." Upon this, one of the king's officers said, "Were the Lord to open windows in heaven, might this thing be." This unbelief was punished; for the prophet answered, "Thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof," which happened according to Elisha's prediction, for he was trodden to death by the crowd in the gate. At the end of the seven years' famine, which the prophet had foretold, he went to Damascus, to execute the command which God had given to Elijah many years before, of declaring Hazael king of Syria. Benhadad being at that time indisposed, and hearing that Elisha was come into his territories, sent Hazael, one of his principal officers, to the prophet to consult him, and inquire of him whether it were possible for him to recover. The prophet told Hazael, that he might recover, but that he was very well assured that he should not; and then looking steadfastly upon him, he broke out into tears upon the prospect, as he told him, of the many barbarous calamities which he would bring upon Israel, when once he was advanced to power, as he would soon be, because he was assured by divine revelation that he was to be king of Syria. Hazael, though offended at the time at being thought capable of such atrocities, did but too clearly verify these predictions; for at his return, having murdered Benhadad, and procured himself to be declared king, he inflicted the greatest miseries upon the Israelites.
2. Elisha sent one of the sons of the prophets to anoint Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, and grandson of Nimshi, to be king, in pursuance of an order given to Elijah some years before; and Jehu having received the royal unction, executed every thing that had been foretold by Elijah against Ahab's family, and against Jezebel. Elisha falling sick, Joash, king of Israel, came to visit him, and said, "O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof." Elisha desired the king to bring him a bow and arrows. Joash having brought them, Elisha requested him to put his hands on the bow, and at the same time the prophet put his own hand upon the king's, and said, Open the window which looks east, and let fly an arrow.
The king having done this, Elisha said, This is the arrow of the Lord's deliverance: thou shalt be successful against Syria at Aphek. Elisha desired him again to shoot, which he did three times, and then stopped. But Elisha with vehemence said, "If thou hadst smitten five or six times, then thou hadst smitten Syria until thou hadst consumed it; whereas now thou shalt smite Syria only thrice." This is the last prediction of Elisha of which we read in Scripture, for soon after he died; but it was not his last miracle: for, some time after his interment, a company of Israelites, as they were going to bury a dead person, perceiving a band of Moabites making toward them, put the corpse for haste into Elisha's tomb, and, as soon as it had touched the prophet's body, it immediately revived; so that the man stood upon his feet: a striking emblem of the life-giving effect of the labours of the servants of God, after they themselves are gathered to their fathers.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And, Jehu son of Minshi, shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel, - and, Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy stead: