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, the son of Nimshi, thou shalt anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha, the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah, thou shalt anoint to be prophet in thy place.
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, the son of Nimshi, thou shalt anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha, the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah, thou shalt anoint to be prophet in thy place.
and Jehu, the son of Nimshi, thou shalt anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha, the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah, thou shalt anoint to be prophet in thy place. And it shall be that he that escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall slay; and he that escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall slay. read more. And I will cause seven thousand to remain in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him. So he departed from there and found Elisha, the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. And Elijah passed by him and cast his mantle upon him.
And when they had gone over, Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee before I am taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
And he went forth unto the springs of the waters and cast the salt in there and said, Thus hath the LORD said, I have healed these waters; there shall be no more death or barrenness in them.
Then he went up from there unto Bethel, and as he was going up by the way, the young men of the city came forth and mocked him, saying, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
So the king of Israel went and the king of Judah and the king of Edom, and as they walked round about seven days' journey through the desert, there was no water for the host or for the beasts that followed them. Then the king of Israel said, Alas! The LORD has called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab! read more. But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not a prophet of the LORD here, that we may enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's slaves answered and said, Here is Elisha, the son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah. And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. Then Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? Go to the prophets of thy father and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, No, for the LORD has called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. And Elisha said, As the LORD of the hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee nor see thee. But now bring me a minstrel. And when the minstrel played, the hand of the LORD came upon him; and he said, Thus hath the LORD said, Make this valley full of ditches. For thus hath the LORD said, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet this valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye and your livestock and your beasts. And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD; he will also deliver the Moabites into your hands. And ye shall smite every fenced city and every choice city and shall fell every good tree and stop every fountain of water and mar every good piece of land with stones. And it came to pass in the morning, when the present was offered, that water came by the way of Edom, and the land was filled with water.
Now a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried unto Elisha, saying, Thy slave, my husband, is dead; and thou knowest that thy slave feared the LORD; and the creditor is come to take my two sons to be his slaves. And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? Tell me what thou hast in the house? And she said, Thy handmaid has nothing in the house except a flask of oil. read more. And he said, Go, borrow vessels from all thy neighbours, empty vessels; borrow not a few. Then enter in and shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons and pour out into all those vessels, and as each one is full, set it aside. So she went from him and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her, and she poured out the oil. And when the vessels were full, she said unto her son, Bring me yet another vessel. And he said unto her, There are no more vessels. Then the oil stopped flowing. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell this oil and pay thy debtors and live thou and thy sons of the rest.
And when the child was grown, it came to pass one day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a servant, Carry him to his mother. read more. And when he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees until noon and then died. Then she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God and shut the door upon him and went out. And calling her husband, she said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men and one of the asses that I may run to the man of God and come again. And he said, Why must thou go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath. And she said, Peace. Then she caused the ass to be saddled and said to her servant, Lead and go forward; slack not the pace for me except I bid thee. So she went and came unto the man of God to Mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi, his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite. Run now, I pray thee, to meet her and say unto her, Dost thou have peace? And thy husband? And the child? And she answered, Peace. And when she came to the man of God in the mountain, she caught him by the feet. And Gehazi came near to thrust her away; but the man of God said, Let her alone, for her soul is bitter within her; and the LORD has hid it from me and has not revealed it to me. Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? Did I not say, Do not deceive me? Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins and take my staff in thy hand and go; if thou meet anyone, salute him not; and if anyone salutes thee, answer him not again, and lay my staff upon the face of the child. Then the mother of the child said, As the LORD lives and as thy soul lives, I will not leave thee. And he arose and followed her. And Gehazi had gone on before them and had laid the staff upon the face of the child, but there was neither voice, nor attention. Therefore he went again to meet him and told him, saying, The child is not awaked. And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was laid dead upon his bed. He went in therefore and shut the door upon both of them and prayed unto the LORD. Then he went up and lay upon the child and put his mouth upon his mouth and his eyes upon his eyes and his hands upon his hands; thus he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then he returned and walked through the house to and fro and went up and stretched himself upon him again; and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. And he called Gehazi and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And as she was coming in unto him, he said, Take up thy son. Then she entered in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground and took up her son and went out.
Then a man came from Baalshalisha, who brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of wheat in the head. And he said, Give unto the people that they may eat. And his minister said, How can I set this before one hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat, for thus hath the LORD said, They shall eat, and some shall be left over. read more. So he set it before them, and they ate, and some was left over, according to the word of the LORD.
And when Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, Why hast thou rent thy clothes? Let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.
The sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too tight for us. Let us go, we pray thee, unto the Jordan, and each one take a beam from there, and let us make us a place there where we may dwell. And he answered, Go. read more. And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy slaves. And he answered, I will go. So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down the wood. But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water, and he cried and said, Alas, master! It was borrowed. And the man of God said, Where did it fall? And he showed him the place. Then he cut down a stick and cast it in there and caused the iron to swim. And he said unto him, Take it. And he put out his hand and took it.
Elisha went to Damascus; and Benhadad, the king of Syria, was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come here. And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thy hand, and go, meet the man of God and enquire of the LORD by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? read more. So Hazael went to meet him and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Benhadad, king of Syria, has sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou may certainly recover. But the LORD has showed me that he shall surely die. And he settled his countenance steadfastly, until he was ashamed; and the man of God wept. Then Hazael said unto him, Why does my lord weep? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the sons of Israel; their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword and wilt dash their children and rip up their women with child. And Hazael said, But what, is thy slave a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD has showed me that thou shalt be king over Syria. So he departed from Elisha and came to his master; who said to him, What did Elisha say to thee? And he answered, He told me that thou may surely recover. And it came to pass on the next day that he took a thick cloth and dipped it in water and spread it on his face so that he died; and Hazael reigned in his stead.
Then Elisha, the prophet, called one of the sons of the prophets and said unto him, Gird up thy loins and take this flask of oil in thy hand and go to Ramothgilead. And when thou comest there, thou shalt see Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, there; go in and make him arise up from among his brethren and take him to an inner chamber. read more. Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, Thus hath the LORD said, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door and flee and do not tarry. So the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramothgilead. And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting, and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain. And he arose and went into the house, and he poured the oil on his head and said unto him, Thus hath said the LORD God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel. And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab, thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my slaves, the prophets, and the blood of all the slaves of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel. For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisses against the wall, he that is shut up as well as he that is left in Israel. And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha, the son of Ahijah. And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be no one to bury her. And he opened the door and fled.
Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness of which he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel, and the horsemen thereof! And Elisha said unto him, Take the bow and the arrows. And he took unto him the bow and the arrows. read more. And he said to the king of Israel, Put thy hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it; and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands. And he said, Open the window towards the east. And when he opened it Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD's salvation, and the arrow of salvation from Syria; for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, until thou have consumed them. And he said again, Take the arrows. And he took them. Then he said to the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote three times, and stopped. Then the man of God was angry with him, and said, If thou would have smitten five or six times; then thou would have smitten Syria until thou had consumed it; whereas now thou shalt smite Syria three times. And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year. And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha; and when the dead man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.
And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee, but let me first go bid farewell those who are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No one having put his hand to the plough and looking back 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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except only that which the young men have eaten and the portion of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, who shall take their portion.
And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
but his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the Mighty one of Jacob; from there did the stone of Israel shepherd,
Thou shalt not bow down to them nor serve them; for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons unto the third and fourth generation of those that hate me
And if thou offer a present of thy firstfruits unto the LORD, thou shalt offer for the offering of thy firstfruits green ears of grain dried by the fire, even grain beaten out of full ears.
And ye shall eat neither bread nor parched grain nor green ears until this same day until ye have offered the offering of your God; it shall be a statute for ever throughout your ages in all your dwellings.
And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat.
The LORD spoke further unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of my offerings; all the dedicated things of the sons of Israel I have given unto thee by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by a perpetual statute.
All the best of the oil and all the best of the wine and of the wheat, the firstfruits of this, which they shall present unto the LORD, this have I given thee.
And this shall be the right of the priest from the people, from those that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; they shall give unto the priest the shoulder and the two cheeks and the maw. The firstfruits also of thy grain, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstfruits of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him;
And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God has given thee, in the siege and in the straitness with which thine enemies shall distress thee. The man that is tender among you and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother and toward the wife of his bosom and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave, read more. so that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat, because he shall have nothing left him in the siege and in the straitness with which thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates. The tender and delicate woman among you who would not venture to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom and toward her son and toward her daughter and toward her young one that comes out from between her feet and toward her children which she shall bear, for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness with which thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates,
See now that I, I am he, and there are no gods with me; I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal; and there is not one that can deliver out of my hand.
And Joshua raised up in Gilgal the twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan. And he spoke unto the sons of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What do these stones mean unto you?
And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good unto him; behold, here are oxen for burnt sacrifice and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood;
for when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took one hundred prophets and hid them in groups of fifty in caves and sustained them with bread and water.)
And Elijah came near unto all the people and said, How long shall ye halt between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people did not answer him a word.
And Elijah said unto them, Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they seized them; and Elijah took them down to the brook Kishon and slew them there.
Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if by tomorrow at this time I have not made thy person as one of them.
And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way by the wilderness of Damascus; and thou shalt arrive there and anoint Hazael to be king over Syria; and Jehu, the son of Nimshi, thou shalt anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha, the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah, thou shalt anoint to be prophet in thy place.
And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD has sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD lives and as thy soul lives, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel. And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head today? And he said, Yes, I know it; be silent.
And it came to pass, as they still went on and talked, that, behold, a chariot of fire with horses of fire separated the two, and Elijah went up into heaven in a whirlwind.
And when they came again to him (for he tarried at Jericho), he said unto them, Did I not tell you to not go?
Then he went up from there unto Bethel, and as he was going up by the way, the young men of the city came forth and mocked him, saying, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
Then Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? Go to the prophets of thy father and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, No, for the LORD has called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. And Elisha said, As the LORD of the hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee nor see thee.
And he said, Go, borrow vessels from all thy neighbours, empty vessels; borrow not a few.
And she said to her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God, who passes by us continually.
And he said unto Gehazi, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been diligent for us with all this care; what shall I do for thee? Dost thou have need that I speak for thee unto the king or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among my own people.
Then she caused the ass to be saddled and said to her servant, Lead and go forward; slack not the pace for me except I bid thee.
And Elisha returned to Gilgal. Then there was a famine in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, so he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot and make pottage for the sons of the prophets.
And Elisha returned to Gilgal. Then there was a famine in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, so he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot and make pottage for the sons of the prophets.
Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high esteem because by him the LORD had given salvation unto Syria; he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.
And the king of Syria said, Go, depart, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
But Naaman went away angry and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD, his God, and strike his hand over the place and remove the leprosy.
In this thing may the LORD pardon thy slave, that when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, if I also bow myself in the house of Rimmon, that the LORD pardon thy slave in this thing, if I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon. And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.
The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
Then one of his slaves said, None, my lord, O king, but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber. And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and take him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
And Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man unto him. But before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door; is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?
Then Elisha spoke unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household and sojourn wherever thou canst sojourn; for the LORD has called for a famine which shall come upon the land seven years.
Then Elisha spoke unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household and sojourn wherever thou canst sojourn; for the LORD has called for a famine which shall come upon the land seven years. Then the woman arose and did as the man of God told her; and she went with her household and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years.
Then the woman arose and did as the man of God told her; and she went with her household and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. And it came to pass at the end of the seven years that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines, and she went forth to cry unto the king for her house and for her lands. read more. And the king had talked with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha has done.
And it came to pass on the next day that he took a thick cloth and dipped it in water and spread it on his face so that he died; and Hazael reigned in his stead.
And he went with Joram, the son of Ahab, to the war against Hazael, king of Syria, in Ramothgilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram.
Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons, said the LORD, and I will requite thee in this portion, said the LORD. Now, therefore, take and cast him into the portion, according to the word of the LORD.
Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness of which he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel, and the horsemen thereof!
And he said, Open the window towards the east. And when he opened it Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD's salvation, and the arrow of salvation from Syria; for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, until thou have consumed them.
Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria nor for all the multitude that is with him, for there are more with us than with him.
his flesh shall become more tender than a child's; and he shall return to the days of his youth.
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; early will I present myself unto thee and wait.
Wait for the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, for the LORD.
Zain The angel of the LORD encamps round about those that fear him and delivers them.
He has ransomed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, for there were many against me.
I am the LORD thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt; open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
There are those who scatter, and more is added unto them; and there are those who withhold more than is just, but come to poverty.
The foolishness of man perverts his way, and his heart is wroth against the LORD.
Thy dead shall live, and together with my body they shall arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the covering of light, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the lily.
Then the lame one shall leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall praise; for waters shall be dug in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.
But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.
And I am the LORD thy God that divides the sea and the waves roar; I am thy God; the LORD of the hosts is his name.
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace, that brings good tidings of good, that publishes saving health, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigns!
Ho, every one that thirsts, come ye to the waters, and he that has no money; come ye, buy, and eat; come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to preach good tidings unto those who are cast down; to bind up the wounds of the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those that are bound;
to order in Zion those that mourn, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night; ye that make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent and give him no rest, until he establishes and until he makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
And dost thou seek great things for thyself? seek them not; for, behold, I bring evil upon all flesh, said the LORD: but I will give thee thy life as a spoil of battle in all places where thou goest.
And I will be the defence and firm support to my house from him that comes and goes; and no oppressor shall pass through them any more, for now I have seen with my eyes.
In that time there shall be an open fountain for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem against sin and against uncleanness.
Ye have said, It is vain to serve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his law and that we walk mournfully before the LORD of the hosts?
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy chamber, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father who sees in secret shall reward thee openly.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy chamber, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father who sees in secret shall reward thee openly.
For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me; and I say to this man, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my slave, Do this, and he does it.
And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.
He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like unto treasure hid in the field, which when found, a man hides it and, for the joy thereof, goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away, for she cries out after us.
Then were there brought unto him little children that he should put his hands on them and pray, and the disciples rebuked them.
Then he who had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown and gathering where thou hast not scattered; therefore, I was afraid and went and hid thy talent in the earth; behold, thou hast what is thine.
therefore, I was afraid and went and hid thy talent in the earth; behold, thou hast what is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful slave, thou knewest that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I have not scattered; read more. therefore, it was expedient for thee to have put my money to the bankers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with interest. Take, therefore, the talent from him and give it unto him who has ten talents. For unto every one that has shall be given, and he shall have abundance, but from him that has not shall be taken away even that which he has. And cast ye the unprofitable slave into the outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, Receive joy. And they came and held him by the feet and worshipped him.
Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
And with many such parables he spoke the word unto them as they were able to hear it.
So, taking the blind man by the hand, he led him out of the town; and spitting into his eyes and putting his hands upon them, he asked him if he saw anything. And looking, he said, I see men; I see that they walk as trees. read more. After that, he put his hands again upon his eyes and caused him to see; and he was whole and saw everyone, far away and clearly.
and stood at his feet behind him weeping and began to wash his feet with tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.
And they ate and were all filled, and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets. And it came to pass as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him, and he asked them, saying, Who do the people say that I am?
And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, even as Elijah did? But he turned and rebuked them and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee, but let me first go bid farewell those who are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No one having put his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.
Therefore whatever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light, and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, and even his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
and in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. read more. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime didst receive thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted here, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who would pass from here to you cannot; neither can they pass from there to us.
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Unless a man is born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour shall come, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. For as the Father has life in himself, so has he given to the Son to have life in himself read more. and has also given him power and authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this, for an hour shall come when all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and those that have done good shall come forth unto the resurrection of life; but those that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment.
There is a lad here, who has five barley loaves and two small fishes, but what are they among so many? Then Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. read more. And Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples and the disciples to those that were sitting down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they desired. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over from those that had eaten.
And Jesus said, For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see might see and that those who see might be blinded. And some of the Pharisees who were with him heard these words and said unto him, Are we blind also? read more. Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin; but now because ye say, We see, therefore your sin abides.
I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
Behold, ye despisers, and wonder and perish, for I do a work in your days, a work which ye would in no wise believe, if one should declare it unto you.
And Paul went down and fell on him and, embracing him, said, Trouble not yourselves, for his soul is still in him.
For that which was impossible to the law, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh
What shall we then say to these things? If God is for us, who shall be against us?
And be not conformed to this age, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your soul that ye may experience what is that good and well pleasing and perfect will of God.
The night is past, and the day is come; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us clothe ourselves with the weapons of light.
Now thanks be unto God, who always causes us to triumph in the Christ and makes manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
Is the law then against the promises of God? No, in no wise, for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
Brethren, I do not reckon to have laid hold of it yet, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and extending myself unto those things which are ahead,
not given to wine, not hurtful, not greedy of dishonest gain, but gentle, not contentious, not covetous;
For it should suffice us that during the time past of our life we had done the will of the Gentiles, when we conversed in lasciviousness, lusts, drunkenness, gluttony, orgies, and abominable 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, the son of Nimshi, thou shalt anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha, the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah, thou shalt anoint to be prophet in thy place.
and Jehu, the son of Nimshi, thou shalt anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha, the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah, thou shalt anoint to be prophet in thy place. And it shall be that he that escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall slay; and he that escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall slay.
So he departed from there and found Elisha, the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. And Elijah passed by him and cast his mantle upon him.
And seeing him, the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho said, The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha. And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, the seat of this city is good, as my lord sees, but the water is evil, and the ground barren.
And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, the seat of this city is good, as my lord sees, but the water is evil, and the ground barren.
Then he went up from there unto Bethel, and as he was going up by the way, the young men of the city came forth and mocked him, saying, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
Now Jehoram, the son of Ahab, began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.
Now Jehoram, the son of Ahab, began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not like his father and like his mother, for he put away the images of Baal that his father had made.
But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not a prophet of the LORD here, that we may enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's slaves answered and said, Here is Elisha, the son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.
Then Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? Go to the prophets of thy father and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, No, for the LORD has called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
But now bring me a minstrel. And when the minstrel played, the hand of the LORD came upon him;
Now a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried unto Elisha, saying, Thy slave, my husband, is dead; and thou knowest that thy slave feared the LORD; and the creditor is come to take my two sons to be his slaves.
And it also happened that one day Elisha passed through Shunem, where there was an important woman, and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as often as he passed by, he turned in there to eat bread.
And he said, At the appointed time, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, No, my lord, thou man of God, do not deceive thy handmaid.
And Elisha returned to Gilgal. Then there was a famine in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, so he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot and make pottage for the sons of the prophets.
And Elisha returned to Gilgal. Then there was a famine in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, so he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot and make pottage for the sons of the prophets.
Then a man came from Baalshalisha, who brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of wheat in the head. And he said, Give unto the people that they may eat.
And he also took the letter to the king of Israel, which said, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman, my slave, to thee, that thou may remove his leprosy. And when the king of Israel read the letter, he rent his clothes and said, Am I God, to kill and to give life, that this man sends unto me to remove the leprosy of this man? Therefore now consider and see how he seeks a quarrel against me. read more. And when Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, Why hast thou rent thy clothes? Let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall be restored, and thou shalt be clean. But Naaman went away angry and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD, his God, and strike his hand over the place and remove the leprosy. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. Then his slaves came near and spoke unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, would thou not have done it? How much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash and be clean? Then went he down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came and stood before him, and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing from thy slave. But he said, As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it, but he refused. Then Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy slave two mules' burden of earth? For from now one thy slave will offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD.
Then he said unto him, Did not my heart go with thee when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money and to receive garments and oliveyards and vineyards and sheep and oxen and menslaves and maidslaves? The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
The sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too tight for us.
And the man of God said, Where did it fall? And he showed him the place. Then he cut down a stick and cast it in there and caused the iron to swim.
Then the king of Syria warred against Israel and took counsel with his slaves, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.
Then the king of Syria warred against Israel and took counsel with his slaves, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.
So he sent horsemen and chariots there and a great host, who came by night and compassed the city about.
And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad, king of Syria, gathered all his host and went up and besieged Samaria.
Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus hath the LORD said, Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.
And so it happened unto him, for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died.
Then Elisha spoke unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household and sojourn wherever thou canst sojourn; for the LORD has called for a famine which shall come upon the land seven years.
Elisha went to Damascus; and Benhadad, the king of Syria, was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come here.
And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou may certainly recover. But the LORD has showed me that he shall surely die.
Then Hazael said unto him, Why does my lord weep? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the sons of Israel; their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword and wilt dash their children and rip up their women with child.
Then Elisha, the prophet, called one of the sons of the prophets and said unto him, Gird up thy loins and take this flask of oil in thy hand and go to Ramothgilead.
And he arose and went into the house, and he poured the oil on his head and said unto him, Thus hath said the LORD God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel.
Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen and ten chariots and ten thousand footmen, for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like dust to be tread upon.
Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness of which he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel, and the horsemen thereof! And Elisha said unto him, Take the bow and the arrows. And he took unto him the bow and the arrows.
And Elisha said unto him, Take the bow and the arrows. And he took unto him the bow and the arrows.
And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year. And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha; and when the dead man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood 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/j2000'>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
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And of Jezebel, the LORD has also spoken, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the rampart of Jezreel. Him that dies of Ahab in the city, the dogs shall eat, and him that dies in the field, shall the fowls of the air eat.
And it came to pass, when the LORD would take Elijah up into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
Now Jehoram, the son of Ahab, began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.
The sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too tight for us. Let us go, we pray thee, unto the Jordan, and each one take a beam from there, and let us make us a place there where we may dwell. And he answered, Go. read more. And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy slaves. And he answered, I will go. So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down the wood. But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water, and he cried and said, Alas, master! It was borrowed. And the man of God said, Where did it fall? And he showed him the place. Then he cut down a stick and cast it in there and caused the iron to swim. And he said unto him, Take it. And he put out his hand and took it.
Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness of which he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel, and the horsemen thereof! And Elisha said unto him, Take the bow and the arrows. And he took unto him the bow and the arrows. read more. And he said to the king of Israel, Put thy hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it; and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands. And he said, Open the window towards the east. And when he opened it Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD's salvation, and the arrow of salvation from Syria; for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, until thou have consumed them. And he said again, Take the arrows. And he took them. Then he said to the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote three times, and stopped. Then the man of God was angry with him, and said, If thou would have smitten five or six times; then thou would have smitten Syria until thou had consumed it; whereas now thou shalt smite Syria three times. And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year. And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha; and when the dead man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.
And many of those that sleep in the dust of the earth shall be awakened, some for eternal life, and some for shame and everlasting confusion.
And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed, except Naaman the Syrian.
But to which of the angels did he say at any time, Sit on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth in service for the love of those who are the heirs of saving health?
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, the son of Nimshi, thou shalt anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha, the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah, thou shalt anoint to be prophet in thy place. And it shall be that he that escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall slay; and he that escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall slay.
And as Elisha saw it, he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more, and he took hold of his own clothes and rent them in two pieces.
And when they came again to him (for he tarried at Jericho), he said unto them, Did I not tell you to not go?
Then he went up from there unto Bethel, and as he was going up by the way, the young men of the city came forth and mocked him, saying, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
And Mesha, king of Moab, was a pastor and rendered unto the king of Israel one hundred thousand lambs and one hundred thousand rams, with the wool. But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. read more. And King Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time and numbered all Israel. And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab has rebelled 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 as thy people and my horses as thy horses. And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom. So the king of Israel went and the king of Judah and the king of Edom, and as they walked round about seven days' journey through the desert, there was no water for the host or for the beasts that followed them. Then the king of Israel said, Alas! The LORD has called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab! But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not a prophet of the LORD here, that we may enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's slaves answered and said, Here is Elisha, the son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah. And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. Then Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? Go to the prophets of thy father and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, No, for the LORD has called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. And Elisha said, As the LORD of the hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee nor see thee. But now bring me a minstrel. And when the minstrel played, the hand of the LORD came upon him; and he said, Thus hath the LORD said, Make this valley full of ditches. For thus hath the LORD said, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet this valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye and your livestock and your beasts. And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD; he will also deliver the Moabites into your hands. And ye shall smite every fenced city and every choice city and shall fell every good tree and stop every fountain of water and mar every good piece of land with stones. And it came to pass in the morning, when the present was offered, that water came by the way of Edom, and the land was filled with water. And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to gird on a girdle and upward and stood in the border. And when they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water before them as red as blood; and they said, This is blood; the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another. Now therefore, Moab, to the spoil. But when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites so that they fled before them, but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country. And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land each man cast his stone and filled it, and they stopped all the fountains of water and felled all the good trees until they left their stones only in Kirharaseth, for the slingers went about it and smote it. And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was overcoming him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords to break through unto the king of Edom, but they could not. Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation in Israel, and they departed from him and returned to their own land.
So she went from him and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her, and she poured out the oil.
And it also happened that one day Elisha passed through Shunem, where there was an important woman, and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as often as he passed by, he turned in there to eat bread. And she said to her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God, who passes by us continually. read more. Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall, and let us set for him there a bed and a table and a stool and a lampstand so that when he comes to us, he shall turn in there. And it came to pass one day that he came there, and he turned into the chamber and slept there. Then he said to Gehazi, his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him. And he said unto Gehazi, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been diligent for us with all this care; what shall I do for thee? Dost thou have need that I speak for thee unto the king or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among my own people. And he said, What then shall we do for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she has no child, and her husband is old. Then he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door. And he said, At the appointed time, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, No, my lord, thou man of God, do not deceive thy handmaid. But the woman conceived and gave birth to a son at the appointed time that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life. And when the child was grown, it came to pass one day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a servant, Carry him to his mother. And when he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees until noon and then died. Then she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God and shut the door upon him and went out. And calling her husband, she said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men and one of the asses that I may run to the man of God and come again. And he said, Why must thou go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath. And she said, Peace. Then she caused the ass to be saddled and said to her servant, Lead and go forward; slack not the pace for me except I bid thee. So she went and came unto the man of God to Mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi, his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite. Run now, I pray thee, to meet her and say unto her, Dost thou have peace? And thy husband? And the child? And she answered, Peace. And when she came to the man of God in the mountain, she caught him by the feet. And Gehazi came near to thrust her away; but the man of God said, Let her alone, for her soul is bitter within her; and the LORD has hid it from me and has not revealed it to me. Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? Did I not say, Do not deceive me? Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins and take my staff in thy hand and go; if thou meet anyone, salute him not; and if anyone salutes thee, answer him not again, and lay my staff upon the face of the child.
Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins and take my staff in thy hand and go; if thou meet anyone, salute him not; and if anyone salutes thee, answer him not again, and lay my staff upon the face of the child. Then the mother of the child said, As the LORD lives and as thy soul lives, I will not leave thee. And he arose and followed her. read more. And Gehazi had gone on before them and had laid the staff upon the face of the child, but there was neither voice, nor attention. Therefore he went again to meet him and told him, saying, The child is not awaked. And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was laid dead upon his bed. He went in therefore and shut the door upon both of them and prayed unto the LORD. Then he went up and lay upon the child and put his mouth upon his mouth and his eyes upon his eyes and his hands upon his hands; thus he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then he returned and walked through the house to and fro and went up and stretched himself upon him again; and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. And he called Gehazi and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And as she was coming in unto him, he said, Take up thy son. Then she entered in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground and took up her son and went out. And Elisha returned to Gilgal. Then there was a famine in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, so he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot and make pottage for the sons of the prophets. And one went out into the field to gather herbs and found a wild vine and gathered his lap full of wild grapes and came and shred them into the pot of pottage, for they knew them not. So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as they were eating of that pottage, that they cried out and said, O thou man of God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eat it. But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot, and he said, Pour out for the people that they may eat. And there was no evil thing in the pot. Then a man came from Baalshalisha, who brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of wheat in the head. And he said, Give unto the people that they may eat. And his minister said, How can I set this before one hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat, for thus hath the LORD said, They shall eat, and some shall be left over. So he set it before them, and they ate, and some was left over, according to the word of the LORD.
Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high esteem because by him the LORD had given salvation unto Syria; he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper. And the Syrians had gone out by companies and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid, and she waited on Naaman's wife. read more. And she said unto her mistress, If my lord would ask the prophet that is in Samaria, he would remove his leprosy. And Naaman went in and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel. And the king of Syria said, Go, depart, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment. And he also took the letter to the king of Israel, which said, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman, my slave, to thee, that thou may remove his leprosy. And when the king of Israel read the letter, he rent his clothes and said, Am I God, to kill and to give life, that this man sends unto me to remove the leprosy of this man? Therefore now consider and see how he seeks a quarrel against me. And when Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, Why hast thou rent thy clothes? Let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall be restored, and thou shalt be clean. But Naaman went away angry and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD, his God, and strike his hand over the place and remove the leprosy. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. Then his slaves came near and spoke unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, would thou not have done it? How much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash and be clean? Then went he down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master has spared Naaman, this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought. As the LORD lives, I will run after him and take something from him. So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him and said, Is there no peace? read more. And he said, Peace. My master has sent me, saying, Behold, even now two young men of the sons of the prophets came to me from Mount Ephraim; give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver and two changes of garments. And Naaman said, If you wish take two talents. And he urged him and bound two talents of silver in two bags with two changes of garments and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bore them before him. And when he came to a secret place, he took them from their hand and bestowed them in the house; and he let the men go, and they departed. But when he went in and stood before his master, Elisha said unto him, From where comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went nowhere. Then he said unto him, Did not my heart go with thee when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money and to receive garments and oliveyards and vineyards and sheep and oxen and menslaves and maidslaves? The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
The sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too tight for us. Let us go, we pray thee, unto the Jordan, and each one take a beam from there, and let us make us a place there where we may dwell. And he answered, Go. read more. And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy slaves. And he answered, I will go. So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down the wood. But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water, and he cried and said, Alas, master! It was borrowed. And the man of God said, Where did it fall? And he showed him the place. Then he cut down a stick and cast it in there and caused the iron to swim. And he said unto him, Take it. And he put out his hand and took it. Then the king of Syria warred against Israel and took counsel with his slaves, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp. And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware to not pass through such and such a place, for the Syrians are going there. Then the king of Israel sent to the place, which the man of God told him and warned him of and kept himself from there, not once nor twice. Therefore, the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled over this thing, and he called his slaves and said unto them, Will ye not show me which of us is for the king of Israel? Then one of his slaves said, None, my lord, O king, but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber. And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and take him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan. So he sent horsemen and chariots there and a great host, who came by night and compassed the city about. And when the servant of the man of God was risen early to go forth, behold, a host compassed the city both with horsemen and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! What shall we do? And he answered, Fear not; for those that are with us are more than those that are with them. And Elisha prayed and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw; and, behold, the mountain was full of horsemen and chariots of fire round about Elisha. And when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD and said, Smite these people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city; follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. And he led them to Samaria. And when they came into Samaria, Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? Shall I smite them? And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them; would thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and return to their master. And he prepared great provision for them; and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel. And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad, king of Syria, gathered all his host and went up and besieged Samaria. And there was a great famine in Samaria as they besieged it until an ass's head was sold for eighty pieces of silver and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver. And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, a woman cried unto him, saying, Save me, my lord, O king. And he said, If the LORD does not save thee, from where shall I save thee? Out of the threshingfloor, or out of the winepress? And the king said unto her, What ails thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow. So we boiled my son and ate him. And I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son that we may eat him. But she has hid her son. And when the king heard the words of the woman, he rent his clothes; and he passed by like this upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh. Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha, the son of Shaphat, shall remain upon him today. And Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man unto him. But before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door; is not the sound of his master's feet behind him? And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him; and he said, Behold, this evil is of the LORD; for what should I wait for the LORD any longer?
Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus hath the LORD said, Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria. Then a captain on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat of it. read more. And there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate, who said one to another, Why shall we stay here until we die? If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there; and if we stay here, we shall die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians; if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die. And they rose up at the beginning of the night, to go unto the camp of the Syrians; and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there. For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host; and they said one to another, Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us. Therefore they had arisen and fled at the beginning of the night and had left their tents and their horses and their asses, even the camp as it was, and had fled for their lives. And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank and took silver and gold and raiment and went and hid it and came again and entered into another tent and took from there also and went and hid it. Then they said one to another, We do not well; this day is a day to give good tidings, and we are silent; if we tarry until the morning light, we shall be taken in the iniquity. Now, therefore, come, that we may enter in and give the news in the king's house. So they came and called unto the porter of the city, and they told them, saying, We went to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied and asses tied, and the tents as they were. And the porters cried out and told it inside and in the king's house. And the king arose in the night and said unto his slaves, I will now show you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we are hungry; therefore, they have gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive and get into the city. Then one of his slaves answered and said, Let some take, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city (for they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it; they are also as all the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed) and let us send and see. They took, therefore, two chariot horses; and the king sent after the camp of the Syrians, saying, Go and see. And they went after them unto the Jordan; and, behold, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. And the messengers returned and told the king. Then the people went out and spoiled the camp of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD. And the king appointed the prince on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate; and the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him. And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel shall be tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria. Unto which that prince had answered the man of God, and said, Even if the LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat of it. And so it happened unto him, for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died.
Elisha went to Damascus; and Benhadad, the king of Syria, was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come here.
And it came to pass on the next day that he took a thick cloth and dipped it in water and spread it on his face so that he died; and Hazael reigned in his stead.
Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness of which he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel, and the horsemen thereof! And Elisha said unto him, Take the bow and the arrows. And he took unto him the bow and the arrows. read more. And he said to the king of Israel, Put thy hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it; and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands. And he said, Open the window towards the east. And when he opened it Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD's salvation, and the arrow of salvation from Syria; for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, until thou have consumed them. And he said again, Take the arrows. And he took them. Then he said to the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote three times, and stopped. Then the man of God was angry with him, and said, If thou would have smitten five or six times; then thou would have smitten Syria until thou had consumed it; whereas now thou shalt smite Syria three times.
And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha; and when the dead man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.
Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said; Old men and old women shall yet dwell there in the streets of Jerusalem, and each one with his staff in his hand for the multitude of the 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, the son of Nimshi, thou shalt anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha, the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah, thou shalt anoint to be prophet in thy place.