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, anoint to be king over Israel; And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah anoint to be Prophet in thy room.
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, anoint to be king over Israel; And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah anoint to be Prophet in thy room.
and Jehu the son of Nimshi, anoint to be king over Israel; And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah anoint to be Prophet in thy room. And whoso escapeth the sword of Hazael, him shall Jehu slay: and if any man escape the sword of Jehu, him shall Elisha slay. read more. And thereto I have left me seven thousand in Israel, of which never man bowed his knees unto Baal nor kissed him with his mouth." And he departed thence and found Elisha the son of Shaphat plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelve. And Elijah went to him and cast his mantle upon him.
And as soon as they were over, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for thee before I be taken away from thee." And Elisha said, "Let me, I pray thee, have thy spirit double in me."
And he went unto the spring of the water and cast the salt in thither, and said, "Thus sayeth the LORD, 'I heal this water, there shall not come henceforth either death or barrenness.'"
And he went from thence up to Bethel. And as he was going up in the way, there came little lads out of the city and mocked him, and said to him, "Go up, thou bald head! Go up thou baldhead!"
And the king of Israel took his journey with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. And when they had compassed the way seven days, there was no water for the host nor for the cattle that they had with them. Then said the king of Israel, "Alas, the LORD hath called together these three kings to deliver them into the hands of the Moabites." read more. But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there here no prophet of the LORD's, that we may enquire of the LORD by him?" And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, "Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat which poured water on the hands of Elijah." And Jehoshaphat said, "The word of the LORD is with him." And so the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom went down to him. And Elisha said to the king of Israel, "What have I to do with thee? Get thee to the prophets of thy father and of thy mother." And the king of Israel said unto him, "Oh nay, but hath the LORD called these three kings to deliver them into the hands of the Moabites?" And Elisha said, "As sure as the LORD of Hosts liveth - in whose sight I stand - and it were not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor yet see ye." But now bring me a minstrel. And as the minstrel played, the hand of the LORD was upon him. And he said, "Thus biddeth the LORD, 'Make this brook full of ditches.' For thus sayeth the LORD, 'Ye shall see neither wind nor rain, and yet this brook shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, and your beasts and your cattle also.' And this is yet but a small thing in the sight of the LORD: But he will give the Moabites into your hands also. And ye shall destroy all strong towns and all goodly cities, and shall fall all pleasant trees and stop all the wells of water, and mar all good plots of ground with stones." And in the morning, about offering time, there came such a water that way from Edom that the country was filled with water.
And there cried a certain woman of the wives of the children of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, "Thy servant my husband is dead, and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD. And the creditor is come to fetch my two sons, to be his bondmen." And Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for thee? Tell me, what hast thou in thine house?" And she said, thy handmaid hath nothing at all in her house, save a pitcher with oil. read more. And he said, "Go and borrow thee in other places, of all thy neighbours, empty vessels - and that not a few. And then go and shut the door to thee and to thy sons, and pour out into all those vessels, and put the full always aside." And she went from him, and shut the door to her and her sons. And they brought to her, and she poured out. And when the vessels were full, she said to her son, "Bring yet a vessel." And he said, "There is no more." And then the oil ceased. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, "Go and sell the oil and pay thy creditor. And live, thou and thy children, off the rest."
And when the lad was grown, it fell on a day that he went out to his father, to the harvest time. And there he complained unto his father, "My head, my head." And his father said to a lad, "Carry him to his mother." read more. And he took him and brought him to his mother. And he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. And she carried him up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door to him, and went out, and came to her husband and said, "Send me one of the young men and an ass that I may run to the man of God." And he said, "Wherefore wilt thou go to him today, while it is neither new moon nor Sabbath day?" And she said, "Be content." Then she saddled an ass and said to the lad, "Lead away, and make me not cease riding, until I bid thee." And so she went and came unto the man of God, to mount Carmel. And when the man of God saw her a far, he said to Gehazi his servant, "See, where our servant cometh. Now run against her, and ask her, whether it be all well with her, and with her husband and with the lad." And she said, "All is well." Then she went to the man of God up to the hill and caught him by the feet. And Gehazi went to her, to thrust her away. But the man of God said, "Let her alone, for her soul is vexed, and the LORD hath hid it from me and hath not told it me." Then she said, "Did I desire a son of my lord? Did I not say, that thou shouldest not bring me in a Fool's Paradise?" Then he said to Gehazi, "Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand and away. If any man meet thee, salute him not. And if any salute thee, answer him not again. And put my staff upon the boy." Notwithstanding, the mother of the child said, "As sure as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee." And then he arose and followed her. Gehazi went before them and put the staff upon the lad. But there was neither voice nor attending. And then he went again against his master and told him saying, "It hath not awaked the lad." And when Elisha was come to the house: Behold, the lad was dead and laid upon his bed. And he went in and shut the door to the lad and him, and prayed unto the LORD. And he went up and lay upon the lad, and put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes, and the palm of his hands on the palm of his hands, and spread himself upon the lad that the flesh of the child waxed warm. And went again and walked once up and down in the house, and then went up and spread himself upon him. And the lad sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. And he called Gehazi and said, "Call for this Shunammite." And he called her. And when she was come to him, he said, "Take thy son." Then she went and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son and went out.
There came a man from Baalshalishah and brought the man of God bread of first fruits, even twenty loaves of barley, and new corn in a cloth he had. And Elisha bade put it before the people that they might eat. Then his minister said, "What should I set this before a hundred men?" And he said, "Set it before the people and let them eat. For thus sayeth the LORD, 'They shall eat and leave.'" read more. And he set it before them, and they ate and left, according to the word of the LORD.
And when Elisha the man of God, heard how that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, "Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? Let him come to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel."
Then said the children of the prophets unto Elisha, "See, the place where we dwell with thee, is too little for us. Let us there take every man a beam and build us a place there, to dwell in." And he said, "Go ye." read more. And one said, "Begin I pray thee, and go with thy servants." And he said, "I will," and so went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. And as one was heaving of a beam, the axe head fell into the water. And he cried out and said, "Alas, master, for it was lent me." And the man of God said, "Where fell it?" And he showed him the place. And he cut a stick and cast it in thither, and made the axe head swim. And he said, "Take it up to thee." And the other stretched his hand and caught it.
After that, Elisha went to Damascus; Benhadad the king of Syria being sick. And one told the king, saying, "The man of God is come hither." Then said the king to Hazael, "Take a present with thee and go against the man of God and ask the LORD by him whether I shall recover of this my disease or no." read more. And Hazael went to meet him and took presents with him, even of all the good things of Damascus - as much as forty camels could bear - and came and presented himself before him and said, "Thy son Benhadad, king of Syria, hath sent me to thee, saying, 'Shall I recover of this my disease?'" And Elisha said to him, "Go and say to him, 'Thou shalt recover.' Howbeit, the LORD hath showed me that he shall surely die." And the man of God began to look earnestly, insomuch that he was ashamed: and the man of God wept. And Hazael said, "Why weepeth my lord?" And he answered, "For I know that thou shalt do evil unto the children of Israel: their strong cities thou shalt set on fire, and their young men thou shalt slay with the sword, and shalt dash out the brains of their sucking children: and all to tear their women with child." And Hazael said, "What is thy servant, which am but a dog, that I should do this great thing?" And Elisha said, "For the LORD hath showed me, that thou shalt be king of Syria." And so he departed from Elisha and came to his master, which said to him, "What said Elisha to thee?" And he said, "He told me that thou shouldest recover." And on the morrow he took a rough cloth and dipped it in the water and spread it on his face, and he died, and Hazael reigned in his stead.
And Elisha the prophet called unto one of the children of the prophets, and said to him, "Gird up thy loins and take this box of oil in thine hand and get thee to Ramoth in Gilead. And when thou comest thither, thou shalt there see Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi and go to him, and make him arise up from among his brethren and carry him to a secret chamber. read more. And take the box of oil and pour it on his head and say, 'Thus sayeth the LORD: I have anointed thee to be king over Israel.' And then open the door and flee, and tarry not." And the servant of the prophet got him to Ramoth in Gilead, and when he came, the captains of the Host were sitting together. And he said, "I have an errand to thee, Sir captain." And Jehu said, "Unto which of all of us?" And he said, "To thee O captain." And he arose and went into the house. And the other poured the oil on his head and said to him, "Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel, 'I have anointed thee to be king over Israel the people of the LORD, that thou slay the household of Ahab thy master. For I,' sayeth the LORD, 'will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, of the hand of Jezebel - for the whole house of Ahab shall be destroyed; and I will destroy unto Ahab what pisseth against the wall, and so much as the prisoned or that which is forsaken in Israel, and will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. And as for Jezebel, the dogs shall eat her in the field of Jezreel, and none shall bury her.'" And he opened the door and fled.
When Elisha was fallen sick of the sickness whereof he died, Joash king of Israel came to him and wept to him, and said, "O father, father! The chariot of Israel and the horsemen of the same!" And Elisha said unto him, "Bring bow and arrows." And he brought to him bow and arrows. read more. And he said to the king of Israel, "Put thine hand upon the bow, and when he had put his hand upon the bow, Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands." Then he said, "Open a window eastward," and he opened. And Elisha said, "shoot," and he shot. And he said, "The arrow of salvation of the LORD; and the arrow of salvation against the Syrians: For thou shalt beat the Syrians in Aphek till thou have consumed them." Then he said, "Take arrows," and he took. Then he said to the king of Israel, "Smite the ground," and he smote thrice and ceased. And the man of God was angry with him and said, "Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times, and then thou hadst smitten the Syrians till thou hadst consumed them: where now thou shalt beat them but thrice." When Elisha was dead and buried the soldiers of the Moabites came into the land, the year following. And it chanced, as they were burying a man, that they spied the Soldiers, and therefore cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha. And as soon as the man came and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood up on his feet.
And another said, "I will follow thee Lord: But let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house." Jesus said unto him, "No man that putteth his hand to the plough, and looketh back, is apt to the kingdom of God."
Fausets
("God for salvation".) ELISEUS in New Testament. Shaphat's son, of Abel Meholah ("meadow of the dance"), in the Jordan valley. See his call: ELIJAH. He was engaged at field work, 12 yoke before him, i.e. himself with the 12th while the other 11 were in other parts of the field; or, as land was measured by "yokes of oxen," he had plowed land to the extent of nearly 12 yokes, and was finishing the 12th: either view marks his being a man of substance. Hengstenberg regards the twelve as marking him the prophet of the whole covenant nation, not merely of the ten tribes. Whether formally "anointed" with oil or not, he was really anointed with the Spirit, and duly called by his predecessor to the prophetic office by Elijah's crossing over, and hastily throwing upon him the rough mantle, the token of investiture, and then going as quickly as he came. Elisha was one to act at once on God's first call, at all costs.
So bidding farewell to father and mother (contrast Mt 8:21-22; "suffer me first to go and (tend my father until his death, and then) bury my father"; and Lu 9:61-62, where the "bidding farewell" involved in that particular case a division of heart between home relations and Christ, Lu 14:26; Mt 10:37; Php 3:13), and slaying a yoke of oxen and boiling the flesh with the wooden instruments (compare 2Sa 24:22), a token of giving up all for the Lord's sake, he ministered to Elijah henceforth as Joshua did to Moses. His ministry is once described, "Elisha who poured water on the hands of Elijah." He was subordinate; so the sons of the prophets represent it: "Jehovah will take away thy master (Elijah) from thy head" (2Ki 2:3). Yet his ministry made an advance upon that of his master.
The mission of Elijah, as his name implied, was to bring Israel to confess that Jehovah alone is God ('Eel); Elisha further taught them, as his name implies, that Jehovah if so confessed would prove the salvation of His people. Hence, Elisha's work is that of quiet beneficence; Elijah's that of judicial sternness upon all rebels against Jehovah. Contrast 1Ki 18:40 with 2Ki 5:18-19. Elisha, the healer, fitly comes after Elijah, the destroyer. The latter presents himself with the announcement, "as Jehovah God of Israel liveth ... there shall not be dew nor rain these years": the first miracle of the former is, "thus saith Jehovah, I have healed these waters (by casting in salt, the symbol of grace and incorruption), there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land." The large spring N.W. of the present town of Jericho is the traditional object of the cure (Ain-es-Sultan).
Elijah, like a Bedouin, delighted in the desert, the heights of Carmel, and the caves of Horeb, and avoided cities. Elisha on the contrary frequented the haunts of civilization, Jericho (2Ki 2:18), Samaria (2Ki 2:25), and Dothan (2Ki 6:13), where he had a house with "doors" and "windows" 2Ki 4:3,9,24; 6:32; 13:17). He wore the ordinary Israelite garment, and instead of being shunned by kings for sternness, he possessed considerable influence with the king and the "captain of the host" (2Ki 4:13).
At times he could be as fiery in indignation against the apostate kings of Israel as was his predecessor (2Ki 3:13-14), but even then he yields himself to the soothing strains of a minstrel for the godly Jehoshaphat's sake, and foretells that the ditches which he directs to be made should be filled with water (the want of which was then being sorely felt), coming by the way of Edom; this took place at the S.E. end of the Dead Sea; the route of the confederates Judah. Israel, and Edom, in order to invade the rebelling Moabite king Mesha from the eastern side, since he was (according to the Moabite stone) carrying all before him in the N.W.
Like Elijah, he conquered the idols on their own ground, performing without fee the cures for which Beelzebub of Ekron was sought in vain. At Bethel, on his way from Jericho to Carmel (2Ki 2:23), where he had been with Elijah (2Ki 2:2), he was met by "young men" (narim, not "little children"), idolaters or infidels, who, probably at the prompting of Baal's prophets in that stronghold of his worship sneered at the report of Elijah's ascension: "Go up" like thy master, said they, "thou bald head" (qereach, i.e., with hair short at the back of the head, in contrast with Elijah's shaggy locks flowing over his shoulders; gibeach is the term for bald in front). Keil understands, however, "small boys" to have mocked his natural baldness at the back of his head (not with old age, for he lived until 50 years later, 2Ki 13:14).
The God-hating spirit which prevailed at calf-worshipping Bethel betrayed itself in these boys, who insulted the prophet of Jehovah knowingly. The profanity of the parents, whose guilt the profane children filled the measure of, was punished in the latter, that the death of the sons might constrain the fathers to fear the Lord since they would not love Him, and to feel the fatal effects recoiling on themselves of instigating their children to blaspheme (Ex 20:5). Elisha, not in personal revenge but as Jehovah's minister, by God's inspiration, pronounced their doom. Two Syrian she-bears (corresponding to the Arctic bear of northern Europe) "tare forty-two of them" (compare and contrast Lu 9:54-55). A widow (Obadiah's widow, according to Josephus), when the creditor threatened to take her sons as bondmen, cried to Elisha for help on the ground of her deceased husband's piety.
Elisha directed her to borrow empty vessels, and from her one remaining pot of oil to fill them all, shutting the door upon herself and her sons who brought her the vessels. Only when there was no vessel left to fill was the miraculous supply of oil stayed. A type of prayer, with "shut doors" (Mt 6:6), which brings down supplies of grace so long as we and ours have hearts open to receive it (Ps 81:10; Eph 3:20). Only when Abraham ceased to ask did God cease to grant (Genesis 18). On his way from Gilgal (not the one which was near Jericho, but N. of Lydda, now Jiljilieh) to Carmel, Elisha stayed at Shunem in Issachar, now Solam, three miles N. of Jezreel, on the southern slopes of Jebel ed Duhy, the little Hermon. "A great woman" (in every sense: means, largeness of heart, humility, contentment) was his hostess, and with her husband's consent provided for him a little chamber with bed, table, stool, and candlestick, so that he might in passing always "turn in there."
In reward he offered to use his interest for her with the king or the captain of the host; with true magnanimity which seeks not great things for self (Jer 45:5), she replied, "I dwell among mine own people." At Gehazi's suggestion without her solicitation, Elisha promises from God that she should have what was the greatest joy to an Israelite wife, a son. When he was old enough to go out with his father, a sunstroke in the harvest field caused his death. The mother, inferring from God's extraordinary and unsought gift of the child to her, that it could not be God's design to snatch him from her for ever, and remembering that Elijah had restored the widow's son at Zarephath, mounted her she-ass (hathon, esteemed swifter than the he-ass), and having left her son on the bed of the man of God, without telling her husband of the death, rode 15 miles, four hours ride, to Carmel.
There Elisha was wont to see her regularly at his services on the "new moon and sabbath." Seeing her now approaching from a distance, Elisha sent Gehazi to meet her and ask, "Is it well with thee? ... with thy husband? ... with the child?" Her faith, hope, and resignation prompted the reply, "It is well." Gehazi, like Jesus' disciples (Mt 15:23; 19:13), would have thrust her away when she clasped Elisha's feet (compare Mt 28:9; Lu 7:38), but Elisha with sympathetic insight said, "Let her alone, for her soul is vexed within her, and Jehovah hath hid it from me." A word from her was enough to reveal the child's death, which with natural absence of mind amidst her grief she did not explicitly men. lion, "Did I desire a son from my lord?" Elisha sends on Gehazi with his staff; Gehazi is to salute none on the way, 'like Jesus' 70 sent before His face, but lays Elisha
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Save only that which the young men have eaten and the parts of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol and Mamre: Let them take their parts."
And the men that were at the door of the house, they smote with blindness - both small and great, so that they could not find the door.
and yet his bow bode fast, and his arms and his hands were strong, by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob: out of him shall come a herdsman, a stone in Israel.
See that thou neither bow thyself unto them neither serve them: for I, the LORD thy God, am a jealous God, and visit the sin of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me:
"'If thou offer a meat offering of the first ripe fruits unto the LORD, then take of that which is yet green, and dry it by the fire and beat it small, and so offer the meat offering of thy first ripe fruits.
And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor frumenty of new corn: until the self same day that ye have brought an offering unto your God. And this shall be a law forever unto your children after you, wheresoever ye dwell.
so that ye shall eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters.
And the LORD spake unto Aaron, "Behold, I have given thee the keeping of mine heave offerings in all the hallowed things of the children of Israel. And unto thee I have given them unto anointing and to thy sons: to be a duty forever.
all the fat of the oil, of the wine and of the corn: their first fruits which they give unto the LORD that have I given unto thee.
And this is the duty of the priests, of the people and of them that offer, whether it be ox or sheep: They must give unto the priest, the shoulder and the two cheeks and the maw, the first fruits of thy corn, wine and oil, and the first of thy sheep shearing must 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 hath given thee, in that straitness and siege wherewith thine enemy shall besiege thee: so that it shall grieve the man that is tender, and exceeding delicate among you, to look on his brother and upon his wife that lieth in his bosom and on the remnant of his children, which he hath yet left - read more. for fear of giving unto any of them of the flesh of his children, which he eateth, because he hath nought left him in that straitness and siege wherewith thine enemy shall besiege thee in all thy cities. Yea, and the woman that is so tender and delicate among you that she dare not venture to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for softness and tenderness, shall be grieved to look on the husband that lieth in her bosom and on her son and on her daughter - even because of the afterbirth, that is come out from between her legs, and because of her children which she hath borne, because she would eat them for need of all things; secretly, in the straitness and siege wherewith thine enemy shall besiege thee in thy cities.
"'See, now, how that I - I am he: and that there is no God but I. I can kill, and make alive; and what I have smitten, that I can heal. Neither is there that can deliver any man out of my hand.
And the twelve stones which they took out of Jordan, Joshua pitched in Gilgal. And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, "When your children ask you in time to come saying, 'What mean these stones?'
And Araunah said unto the king, "Let my lord the king take and offer what seemeth him good in his eyes: Behold, oxen for sacrifice, and sleds and the other instruments of the oxen for wood."
insomuch that when Jezebel destroyed the Prophets of the LORD, he took a hundred of the Prophets and hid them, fifty in one cave and fifty in another, and provided bread and water for them.
And Elijah came unto all the people and said, "Why halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be very God, follow him: or if Baal be he, follow him." And the people answered him not one word.
Then said Elijah unto them, "Lay hands on the Prophets of Baal - let not one of them escape." And when they had taken them, Elijah brought them down unto the brook Kishon, and slew them there.
Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, "So do God to me, and so thereto, except I make thy soul like one of theirs by tomorrow this time."
Then the LORD said unto him, "Go and turn thy way to the wilderness of Damascus, and go and anoint Hazael to be king of Syria; and Jehu the son of Nimshi, anoint to be king over Israel; And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah anoint to be Prophet in thy room.
Elijah and Elisha were going from Gilgal, and Elijah said to Elisha, "Tarry here, I pray thee, for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel." But Elisha said, "As surely as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee." And when they came to Bethel, the children of the Prophets that were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, "Knowest thou not how that the LORD will take away thy master from thee this day?" And he said, "I know it too; hold your peace."
And as they went walking and talking, behold, there came a chariot of fire and horses of fire and put them asunder. And Elijah went up in the whirlwind to heaven.
And they came again to him, for he tarried at Jericho. And he said to them, "Did I not say unto you that ye should not go?"
And he went from thence up to Bethel. And as he was going up in the way, there came little lads out of the city and mocked him, and said to him, "Go up, thou bald head! Go up thou baldhead!"
And Elisha said to the king of Israel, "What have I to do with thee? Get thee to the prophets of thy father and of thy mother." And the king of Israel said unto him, "Oh nay, but hath the LORD called these three kings to deliver them into the hands of the Moabites?" And Elisha said, "As sure as the LORD of Hosts liveth - in whose sight I stand - and it were not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor yet see ye."
And he said, "Go and borrow thee in other places, of all thy neighbours, empty vessels - and that not a few.
And she said unto her husband, "See, I perceive that the man of God is perfect, and cometh always by us.
And Elisha said to him, "Say to her I pray thee, 'See, thou hast made all this provision for us, what shall we do for thee? Wouldest thou be spoken for to the king or to the captain of the Host?" And she said, "I dwell among mine own people."
Then she saddled an ass and said to the lad, "Lead away, and make me not cease riding, until I bid thee."
When Elisha was come to Gilgal again, there was a dearth in the land, and the children of the prophets dwelt with him. Then he said to his servant, "Put on a great pot, and make pottage for the children of the prophets."
When Elisha was come to Gilgal again, there was a dearth in the land, and the children of the prophets dwelt with him. Then he said to his servant, "Put on a great pot, and make pottage for the children of the prophets."
Naaman, captain of the Host to the king of Syria, was great with his master and well taken: for through him the LORD saved Syria. And he was an active man, and yet a leper.
And the king of Syria said, "Go thy way, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel." And he went and took with him ten talents of silver and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiments.
And Naaman came with his horses and his chariot, and stood at the door of Elisha.
And Naaman was wroth and went away, and said, "Behold, I thought in myself, he would have come out, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and put his hand on the place of the disease, and so take away the leprosy.
But herein the LORD be merciful to thy servant, for when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, he leaneth on mine hand, and I must worship in the house of Rimmon: Let the LORD, I pray thee, be merciful unto thy servant in this case." And he said to him, "Go in peace."
The leprosy therefore of Naaman cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed forever." And he went out from him a leper as white as snow.
And one of his servants said, "Nay, my lord king: Elisha the prophet that is in Israel, he telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy sleeping chamber." Then he said, "Go and spy where he is that I may send and fetch him." And one told the king, saying, "See, he is in Dothan."
And as Elisha sat in his house and the elders with him, the king sent one from him. But yer the messenger came at him, he said to the elders, "See you not how the son of this murderer hath sent, to take off mine head? Be circumspect therefore when the messenger cometh, and shut the door, and thrust him back therewith: for the sound of his master's feet followeth him."
Then spake Elisha unto the woman whose son he had restored to life again, saying, "Up, and go both thou and thine house, and sojourn where thou thinkest best, for the LORD will call a dearth which shall come on the land seven years."
Then spake Elisha unto the woman whose son he had restored to life again, saying, "Up, and go both thou and thine house, and sojourn where thou thinkest best, for the LORD will call a dearth which shall come on the land seven years." And the woman arose and did after the saying of the man of God, and went both she and her household and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years.
And the woman arose and did after the saying of the man of God, and went both she and her household and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. And at the seven years' end, when the woman was come again out of the land of the Philistines she went out to speak to the king for her house and for her land. read more. And the king was talking with Gehazi, the servant to the man of God, saying, "Tell me I pray thee, all the great deeds which Elisha did."
And on the morrow he took a rough cloth and dipped it in the water and spread it on his face, and he died, and Hazael reigned in his stead.
And Jehoram the son of Ahab went to war with Hazael king of Syria, at Ramoth in Gilead, and the Syrians wounded him.
'I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and of his sons,' said the LORD, 'and I will quite him in this ground,' sayeth the LORD. Now therefore take him and cast him in the plot of ground according to the word of the LORD."
When Elisha was fallen sick of the sickness whereof he died, Joash king of Israel came to him and wept to him, and said, "O father, father! The chariot of Israel and the horsemen of the same!"
Then he said, "Open a window eastward," and he opened. And Elisha said, "shoot," and he shot. And he said, "The arrow of salvation of the LORD; and the arrow of salvation against the Syrians: For thou shalt beat the Syrians in Aphek till thou have consumed them."
"Pluck up your hearts and be strong: Be not afraid or in any wise discouraged for dread of the king of Assyria, and of the great multitude that is with him: for there is one greater with us than with him.
Then his flesh, which hath been in misery and trouble, shall be as it was in his youth.
My voice shalt thou hear betimes, O LORD. Early in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
O tarry thou the LORD's leisure. Be strong, and he shall comfort thine heart; and put thou thy trust in the LORD.
The angel of the LORD pitcheth his tent round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
It is he that delivereth my soul in peace from them that lay wait for me; for they are many against me.
I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt; open thy mouth wide, and I shall fill it.
Some man giveth out his goods, and is richer; but the niggard, having enough, will depart from nothing, and yet is ever in poverty.
Foolishness maketh a man to go out of his way, and then is his heart impatient against the LORD.
But as for thy dead men and ours, that be departed, they are in life and resurrection. They lie in the earth, they wake, and have joy: for thy dew is a dew of life and light. But the place of the malicious Tyrants is fallen away.
But the desert and wilderness shall rejoice, the waste ground shall be glad, and flourish as the lily.
Then shall the lame man leap as a hart and the dumb man's tongue shall give thanks. In the wilderness also, there shall wells spring, and floods of water in the desert.
"For thou, Jacob, wouldest not call upon me, but thou hadst an un-lust toward me, O Israel.
I am the LORD thy God, that make the sea to be still, and to rage: whose name is the LORD of Hosts.
O how beautiful are the feet of the Ambassador, that bringeth the message from the mountain, and proclaimeth peace: That bringeth the good tidings, and preacheth health, and sayeth unto Zion, "Thy God is the king."
Come to the waters, all ye that be thirsty, and ye that have no money. Come buy, that ye may have to eat. Come buy wine and milk, without any money, or money worth.
The spirit of the LORD God is with me, for the LORD hath anointed me, and sent me to preach good tidings unto the poor: that I might bind up the wounded hearts, that I might preach deliverance to the captive, and open the prison to them that are bound;
That I might give unto them that mourn in Zion, beauty in the stead of ashes, joyful ointment for sighing, pleasant raiment for a heavy mind; That they might be called excellent in righteousness, a planting of the LORD for him to rejoice in.
Upon the walls of Jerusalem, I have set keepers which shall never cease, neither by day nor yet by night. And ye that stir up the remembrance of the Lord, see that ye pause not, neither let him have rest until he have prepared and made Jerusalem glorious in the earth.
And seekest thou yet promotion? Look not for it, and desire it not. For I will bring a miserable plague upon all flesh, sayeth the LORD. But thy life will I give thee for a prey, wheresoever thou goest."
And so will I compass my house round about with my men of war going to and fro: that no oppressor come upon them any more. For that have I seen now with mine eyes.
In that time shall the house of David and the citizens of Jerusalem have an open well, to wash of sin and uncleanness.
Ye have said, 'It is but lost labour, to serve God: What profit have we for keeping his commandments, and for walking humbly before the LORD of Hosts?
But when thou prayest, enter into thy chamber, and shut thy door to thee, and pray to thy father which is in secret; and thy father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
But when thou prayest, enter into thy chamber, and shut thy door to thee, and pray to thy father which is in secret; and thy father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
For I also myself am a man under power, and have soldiers under me: and I say to one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it."
Another that was one of his Disciples said unto him, "Master, 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 loveth his father or mother more than me, is not meet for me: and he that loveth his son or daughter more than me, is not meet for me.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in the field, the which a man findeth and hideth it: and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
And he gave her never a word to answer. Then came to him his disciples, and besought him saying, "Send her away, for she followeth us crying."
Then were brought to him young children, that he should put his hands on them and pray. And his disciples rebuked them.
Then he which had received the one talent came also, and said, 'Master, I considered that thou wast a hard man, which reapest where thou sowedst not, and gatherest where thou strawedst not, and was therefore afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: Behold, thou hast thine own.'
and was therefore afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: Behold, thou hast thine own.' His master answered, and said unto him, 'Thou evil servant and slothful, thou knowest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I strawed not: read more. Thou oughtest therefore to have had my money to the changers, and then at my coming should I have received my mine own with vantage. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every man that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance. And from him that hath not, shall be taken away, even that he hath. And cast that unprofitable servant into utter darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
And as they went to tell his disciples: behold, Jesus met them, saying, "All hail." They came and held him by the feet and worshipped him.
Go therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and the son and the holy ghost;
And with many such similitudes he preached the word unto them, after as they might hear it.
And he caught the blind by the hand, and led him out of the town, and spat in his eyes and put his hands upon him, and asked him whether he saw ought. And he looked up and said, "I see the men; For I see them walk as they were trees." read more. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him see. And he was restored to his sight, and saw every man clearly.
and she stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with ointment.
And they all ate, and were all satisfied. And there was taken up of that remained to them, twelve baskets full of broken meat. And it fortuned, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him, and he asked them saying, "Who say the people that I am?"
When his disciples, James, and John, saw that, they said, "Lord, wilt thou that we command that fire come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elijah did?" Jesus turned about, and rebuked them saying, "Ye know not what manner spirit ye are of.
And another said, "I will follow thee Lord: But let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house." Jesus said unto him, "No man that putteth his hand to the plough, and looketh back, is apt to the kingdom of God."
For whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness: that same shall be heard in light. And that which ye have spoken in the ear, even in secret places, shall be preached even on the top of the houses.
"If a man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, moreover and his own life, he cannot be my disciple.
And being in hell, in torments, he lift up his eyes 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 unto him, 'Son remember, that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy pleasure, and contrariwise, Lazarus pain. Now therefore is he comforted, and thou art punished. Beyond all this, between you and us there is a great space set, so that they which would go from hence to you, cannot: neither may come from thence to us.'
Jesus answered, "Verily, verily I say unto thee: Except that a man be born of water, and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Verily, verily I say unto you, the time 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 hath life in himself, so likewise hath he given to the son to have life in himself. read more. And hath given him power also to judge in that he is the son of man. Marvel not at this: that the hour shall come, in which all that are in the graves, shall hear his voice, and shall come forth: They that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; And they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
"There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two fishes: but what is that among so many?" And Jesus said, "Make the people to sit down." There was much grass in the place, and the men sat down: in number, about five thousand. read more. And Jesus took the bread, and gave thanks, and gave to the disciples; and his disciples, to them that were set down. And likewise of the fishes, as much as they would. When they had eaten enough, he said unto his disciples, "Gather up the broken meat that remaineth: that nothing be lost." And they gathered it together: and filled twelve baskets with the broken meat of the five barley loaves, which broken meat remained unto them that had eaten.
Jesus said, "I am come unto judgment, into this world: that they which see not, might see, and they which see might be made blind." And some of the Pharisees which were with him, heard these words and said unto him, "Are we then blind?" read more. Jesus said unto them, "If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, 'We see.' Therefore your sin remaineth."
I have yet many things to say unto you, But ye cannot bear them away now.
Then said Peter unto him, "Thy money perish with thee, because thou wenest that the gift of God may be obtained with money.
'Behold ye despisers, and wonder, and perish ye: for I do a work in your days, which ye shall not believe, if a man would declare it you.'"
Paul went down and fell on him, and embraced him, and said, "Make nothing ado. For his life is in him."
For what the law could not do, inasmuch as it was weak because of the flesh - that performed God, and sent his son in the similitude of sinful flesh, and by sin damned sin in the flesh;
What shall we then say unto these things? if God be on our side: who can be against us?
And fashion not yourselves like unto this world: But be changed through the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what thing that good, that acceptable, and perfect will of God is.
The night is past and the day is come nigh. Let us therefore cast away the deeds of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Thanks be unto God which always giveth us the victory in Christ, and openeth the savor of his knowledge by us in every place.
Is the law, then, against the promise of God? God forbid. Howbeit, if there had been a law given which could have given life: then no doubt righteousness should have come by the law.
Unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly, above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Brethren, I count not myself that I have gotten it: but one thing I say: I forget that which is behind me, and stretch myself unto that which is before me;
not drunken, no fighter, not given to filthy lucre: but gentle, abhorring fighting, abhorring covetousness,
For it is sufficient for us that we have spent the time that is past of the life, after the will of the gentiles; walking in wantonness, lusts, drunkenness, in eating, drinking, and in abominable idolatry.
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, anoint to be king over Israel; And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah anoint to be Prophet in thy room.
and Jehu the son of Nimshi, anoint to be king over Israel; And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah anoint to be Prophet in thy room. And whoso escapeth the sword of Hazael, him shall Jehu slay: and if any man escape the sword of Jehu, him shall Elisha slay.
And he departed thence and found Elisha the son of Shaphat plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelve. And Elijah went to him and cast his mantle upon him.
And the children of the Prophets of Jericho which saw from afar, said, "The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha," and went against him and bowed to the earth unto him.
Then the men of Jericho said to Elisha, "Behold, the city standeth pleasantly as my lord seeth, but the water is nought and the ground barren."
Then the men of Jericho said to Elisha, "Behold, the city standeth pleasantly as my lord seeth, but the water is nought and the ground barren."
And he went from thence up to Bethel. And as he was going up in the way, there came little lads out of the city and mocked him, and said to him, "Go up, thou bald head! Go up thou baldhead!"
Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign upon Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and continued twelve years.
Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign upon Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and continued twelve years. And he wrought that was evil in the sight of the LORD: but not like his father or his mother, for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made.
But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there here no prophet of the LORD's, that we may enquire of the LORD by him?" And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, "Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat which poured water on the hands of Elijah."
And Elisha said to the king of Israel, "What have I to do with thee? Get thee to the prophets of thy father and of thy mother." And the king of Israel said unto him, "Oh nay, but hath the LORD called these three kings to deliver them into the hands of the Moabites?"
But now bring me a minstrel. And as the minstrel played, the hand of the LORD was upon him.
And there cried a certain woman of the wives of the children of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, "Thy servant my husband is dead, and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD. And the creditor is come to fetch my two sons, to be his bondmen."
And it fell on a day, that Elisha came to Shunem, where was a rich woman that took him in for to eat bread. And as oft as he came that way, he turned in thither to eat bread.
Then he said, "By such a time, as soon as the fruit can live, thou shalt embrace a son." And she said, "Oh nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto the handmaid."
When Elisha was come to Gilgal again, there was a dearth in the land, and the children of the prophets dwelt with him. Then he said to his servant, "Put on a great pot, and make pottage for the children of the prophets."
When Elisha was come to Gilgal again, there was a dearth in the land, and the children of the prophets dwelt with him. Then he said to his servant, "Put on a great pot, and make pottage for the children of the prophets."
There came a man from Baalshalishah and brought the man of God bread of first fruits, even twenty loaves of barley, and new corn in a cloth he had. And Elisha bade put it before the people that they might eat. Then his minister said,
And he brought the letter to the king of Israel containing this tenor, "Now when this letter is come up to thee: Behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou shouldest rid him of his leprosy." And when the king of Israel had read the letter, he rent his clothes and said, "Am I God, to slay and to make alive, that he should send to me, for to deliver a man from his leprosy? But consider, I pray you, and see how he picketh quarrels with me!" read more. And when Elisha the man of God, heard how that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, "Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? Let him come to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel." And Naaman came with his horses and his chariot, and stood at the door of Elisha. Then Elisha sent a messenger, saying, "Go and wash thee in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee as before, and thou shalt be clean." And Naaman was wroth and went away, and said, "Behold, I thought in myself, he would have come out, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and put his hand on the place of the disease, and so take away the leprosy. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Might I not rather wash in them and be clean?" And so he turned and departed in an anger. Then came his servants and communed with him, and said, "Father if the prophet had bid thee done some great thing, oughtest thou not to have done it? How much rather then shouldest thou do it, while he sayeth to thee only, 'Wash and be clean?'" Then he went down and washed seven times in Jordan, as the man of God bade, and his flesh changed, like unto the flesh of a little boy, and he was clean. Then he turned again to the man of God and all his company with him, and came and stood before him and said, "Behold, I know that there is no God in all the world, but in Israel. And now, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant." But he said, "As surely as the LORD liveth before whom I stand, I will receive none." And the other would have constrained him to receive: but he would not do it. And Naaman said, "If thou wilt not: yet I pray thee, may there not be given to thy servant the burden of two mules of earth? For thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt sacrifice nor offering unto any other God, than to the LORD.
And he said, "Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned and came of his chariot against thee? Is it a time to receive silver and to receive garments, olive trees, vineyards, oxen, sheep, menservants and maidservants? The leprosy therefore of Naaman cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed forever." And he went out from him a leper as white as snow.
Then said the children of the prophets unto Elisha, "See, the place where we dwell with thee, is too little for us.
And the man of God said, "Where fell it?" And he showed him the place. And he cut a stick and cast it in thither, and made the axe head swim.
And the king of Syria fought against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, "In such a place and in such a place will I pitch."
And the king of Syria fought against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, "In such a place and in such a place will I pitch."
And he sent thither horse and chariots and a great Host. And they came thither by night and compassed the town about.
After this, Benhadad king of Syria gathered all the Host, and went and besieged Samaria.
Then Elisha said, "Hear the word of the LORD, for thus sayeth the LORD, 'Tomorrow this time a bushel of fine flour shall be sold for a sicle and two bushels of Barley for another in the gates of Samaria.'"
And so it chanced: for the people trod him under feet in the gate, that he died.
Then spake Elisha unto the woman whose son he had restored to life again, saying, "Up, and go both thou and thine house, and sojourn where thou thinkest best, for the LORD will call a dearth which shall come on the land seven years."
After that, Elisha went to Damascus; Benhadad the king of Syria being sick. And one told the king, saying, "The man of God is come hither."
And Elisha said to him, "Go and say to him, 'Thou shalt recover.' Howbeit, the LORD hath showed me that he shall surely die."
And Hazael said, "Why weepeth my lord?" And he answered, "For I know that thou shalt do evil unto the children of Israel: their strong cities thou shalt set on fire, and their young men thou shalt slay with the sword, and shalt dash out the brains of their sucking children: and all to tear their women with child."
And Elisha the prophet called unto one of the children of the prophets, and said to him, "Gird up thy loins and take this box of oil in thine hand and get thee to Ramoth in Gilead.
And he arose and went into the house. And the other poured the oil on his head and said to him, "Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel, 'I have anointed thee to be king over Israel the people of the LORD,
But there were left of the people, to Jehoahaz, but fifty horsemen and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen - for the king of Syria had destroyed them and made them like threshed chaff.
When Elisha was fallen sick of the sickness whereof he died, Joash king of Israel came to him and wept to him, and said, "O father, father! The chariot of Israel and the horsemen of the same!" And Elisha said unto him, "Bring bow and arrows." And he brought to him bow and arrows.
And Elisha said unto him, "Bring bow and arrows." And he brought to him bow and arrows.
When Elisha was dead and buried the soldiers of the Moabites came into the land, the year following. And it chanced, as they were burying a man, that they spied the Soldiers, and therefore cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha. And as soon as the man came and 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/mstc'>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 thereto against Jezebel came the word of the LORD, saying, "Dogs shall eat Jezebel, under the walls of Jezreel. And he that dieth of Ahab in the town, him shall dogs eat: and he that dieth in the fields, him shall the fowls of the air eat."
And it chanced that the LORD was minded to take up Elijah to heaven in a whirlwind.
Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign upon Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and continued twelve years.
Then said the children of the prophets unto Elisha, "See, the place where we dwell with thee, is too little for us. Let us there take every man a beam and build us a place there, to dwell in." And he said, "Go ye." read more. And one said, "Begin I pray thee, and go with thy servants." And he said, "I will," and so went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. And as one was heaving of a beam, the axe head fell into the water. And he cried out and said, "Alas, master, for it was lent me." And the man of God said, "Where fell it?" And he showed him the place. And he cut a stick and cast it in thither, and made the axe head swim. And he said, "Take it up to thee." And the other stretched his hand and caught it.
When Elisha was fallen sick of the sickness whereof he died, Joash king of Israel came to him and wept to him, and said, "O father, father! The chariot of Israel and the horsemen of the same!" And Elisha said unto him, "Bring bow and arrows." And he brought to him bow and arrows. read more. And he said to the king of Israel, "Put thine hand upon the bow, and when he had put his hand upon the bow, Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands." Then he said, "Open a window eastward," and he opened. And Elisha said, "shoot," and he shot. And he said, "The arrow of salvation of the LORD; and the arrow of salvation against the Syrians: For thou shalt beat the Syrians in Aphek till thou have consumed them." Then he said, "Take arrows," and he took. Then he said to the king of Israel, "Smite the ground," and he smote thrice and ceased. And the man of God was angry with him and said, "Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times, and then thou hadst smitten the Syrians till thou hadst consumed them: where now thou shalt beat them but thrice." When Elisha was dead and buried the soldiers of the Moabites came into the land, the year following. And it chanced, as they were burying a man, that they spied the Soldiers, and therefore cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha. And as soon as the man came and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood up on his feet.
Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth, shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to perpetual shame and reproof.
And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and yet none of them was healed, saving Naaman of Syria."
Unto which of the angels said he at any time, "Sit on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool?" Are they not all spirits to do service, sent for to minister for their sakes, which shall be heirs of salvation?
Smith
Eli'sha
(God his salvation), son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah; the attendant and disciple of Elijan, and subsequently his successor as prophet of the kingdom of Israel. The earliest mention of his name is in the command to Elijah in the cave at Horeb.
(B.C. about 900.) Elijah sets forth to obey the command, and comes upon his successor engaged in ploughing. He crosses to him and throws over his shoulders the rough mantle --a token at once of investiture with the prophet's office and of adoption as a son. Elisha delayed merely to give the farewell kiss to his father and mother and preside at a parting feast with his people, and then followed the great prophet on his northward road. We hear nothing more of Elisha for eight years, until the translation of his master, when he reappears, to become the most prominent figure in the history of his country during the rest of his long life. In almost every respect Elisha presents the most complete contrast to Elijah. Elijah was a true Bedouin child of the desert. If he enters a city it is only to deliver his message of fire and be gone. Elisha, on the other hand, is a civilized man, an inhabitant of cities. His dress was the ordinary garment of an Israelite, the beged, probably similar in form to the long abbeyeh of the modern Syrians.
His hair was worn trimmed behind, in contrast to the disordered locks of Elijah, and he used a walking-staff,
of the kind ordinarily carried by grave or aged citizens.
After the departure of his master, Elisha returned to dwell at Jericho,
where he miraculously purified the springs. We next meet with Elisha at Bethel, in the heart of the country, on his way from Jericho to Mount Carmel.
The mocking children, Elisha's curse and the catastrophe which followed are familiar to all. Later he extricates Jehoram king of Israel, and the kings of Judah and Edom, from their difficulty in the campaign against Moab arising from want of water.
Then he multiplies the widow's oil.
The next occurrence is at Shunem, where he is hospitably entertained by a woman of substance, whose son dies, and is brought to life again by Elisha.
Then at Gilgal he purifies the deadly pottage,
and multiplies the loaves.
The simple records of these domestic incidents amongst the sons of the prophets are now interrupted by an occurrence of a more important character.
The chief captain of the army of Syria, Naaman, is attacked with leprosy, and is sent by an Israelite maid to the prophet Elisha, who directs him to dip seven times in the Jordan, which he does and is healed,
while Naaman's servant, Gehazi, he strikes with leprosy for his unfaithfulness. ch.
Again the scene changes. It is probably at Jericho that Elisha causes the iron axe to swim.
A band of Syrian marauders are sent to seize him, but are struck blind, and he misleads them to Samaria, where they find themselves int he presence of the Israelite king and his troops.
During the famine in Samaria,
he prophesied incredible plenty, ch.
which was soon fulfilled. ch.
We next find the prophet at Damascus. Benhadad the king is sick, and sends to Elisha by Hazael to know the result. Elisha prophesies the king's death, and announces to Hazael that he is to succeed to the throne.
Finally this prophet of God, after having filled the position for sixty years, is found on his death-bed in his own house.
The power of the prophet, however, does not terminate with his death. Even in the tomb he restores the dead to life. ch.
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and Jehu the son of Nimshi, anoint to be king over Israel; And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah anoint to be Prophet in thy room. And whoso escapeth the sword of Hazael, him shall Jehu slay: and if any man escape the sword of Jehu, him shall Elisha slay.
And Elisha saw and cried, "O my father, O my father! The chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof!" And saw him no more: and therefore took his own clothes and rent them in two pieces.
And they came again to him, for he tarried at Jericho. And he said to them, "Did I not say unto you that ye should not go?"
And he went from thence up to Bethel. And as he was going up in the way, there came little lads out of the city and mocked him, and said to him, "Go up, thou bald head! Go up thou baldhead!"
And Mesha king of Moab - which was rich of sheep, and was wont to render unto the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and as many rams, with the wool - rebelled against the king of Israel after the death of Ahab. read more. And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same season, and numbered all Israel; and then went and sent to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying, "The king of Moab hath rebelled against me, wilt thou go with me against the Moabites to battle?" And he said, "I will go, and will be as thou, and my people shall be as thine, and my horses as thine." And he said, "What way shall we go?" And the other answered, "The way through the wilderness of Edom." And the king of Israel took his journey with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. And when they had compassed the way seven days, there was no water for the host nor for the cattle that they had with them. Then said the king of Israel, "Alas, the LORD hath called together these three kings to deliver them into the hands of the Moabites." But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there here no prophet of the LORD's, that we may enquire of the LORD by him?" And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, "Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat which poured water on the hands of Elijah." And Jehoshaphat said, "The word of the LORD is with him." And so the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom went down to him. And Elisha said to the king of Israel, "What have I to do with thee? Get thee to the prophets of thy father and of thy mother." And the king of Israel said unto him, "Oh nay, but hath the LORD called these three kings to deliver them into the hands of the Moabites?" And Elisha said, "As sure as the LORD of Hosts liveth - in whose sight I stand - and it were not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor yet see ye." But now bring me a minstrel. And as the minstrel played, the hand of the LORD was upon him. And he said, "Thus biddeth the LORD, 'Make this brook full of ditches.' For thus sayeth the LORD, 'Ye shall see neither wind nor rain, and yet this brook shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, and your beasts and your cattle also.' And this is yet but a small thing in the sight of the LORD: But he will give the Moabites into your hands also. And ye shall destroy all strong towns and all goodly cities, and shall fall all pleasant trees and stop all the wells of water, and mar all good plots of ground with stones." And in the morning, about offering time, there came such a water that way from Edom that the country was filled with water. And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come to fight against them, they gathered together, from the youngest that was able to put on harness and so upward, and waited in the borders. And they being up early in the morning, the sun arose and shone upon the water. And when the Moabites saw the water afar off, as red as blood, they said, "It is blood, the kings have fought together and one slain another. Now therefore ye Moabites get you to the spoil." And when they came to the Host of Israel, the Israelites stood up and laid on the Moabites, that they fled before them: And so they entered the land and destroyed the Moabites. And they overthrew the cities, and on every good parcel of land, cast every man his stone and over-covered it, and stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees. And as long as the stones thereof did remain in the walls of brick the slingers went upon it and beat it. And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was so strong for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew the sword, to have broken up unto the king of Edom. But they could not. And then he took his eldest son, that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the walls. And there came so great wrath upon Israel, that they departed from him and returned to their own land.
And she went from him, and shut the door to her and her sons. And they brought to her, and she poured out.
And it fell on a day, that Elisha came to Shunem, where was a rich woman that took him in for to eat bread. And as oft as he came that way, he turned in thither to eat bread. And she said unto her husband, "See, I perceive that the man of God is perfect, and cometh always by us. read more. Let us make him a chamber with a little wall, and let us set him there a bed, a table, a stool and a candlestick, that he may turn in thither, when he cometh to us." And it fortuned on a time that he came thither and turned into the chamber and lay there. Then he said to Gehazi his servant, "Call this Shunammite." And he called her, and she came before him. And Elisha said to him, "Say to her I pray thee, 'See, thou hast made all this provision for us, what shall we do for thee? Wouldest thou be spoken for to the king or to the captain of the Host?" And she said, "I dwell among mine own people." Then he said, "What is to be done for her?" And Gehazi said, "Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old." And he said, "Call her." And he called her. And she came and stood at the door. Then he said, "By such a time, as soon as the fruit can live, thou shalt embrace a son." And she said, "Oh nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto the handmaid." And the wife conceived and bare a son the same season that Elisha had said unto her, "As soon as the fruit could have life." And when the lad was grown, it fell on a day that he went out to his father, to the harvest time. And there he complained unto his father, "My head, my head." And his father said to a lad, "Carry him to his mother." And he took him and brought him to his mother. And he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. And she carried him up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door to him, and went out, and came to her husband and said, "Send me one of the young men and an ass that I may run to the man of God." And he said, "Wherefore wilt thou go to him today, while it is neither new moon nor Sabbath day?" And she said, "Be content." Then she saddled an ass and said to the lad, "Lead away, and make me not cease riding, until I bid thee." And so she went and came unto the man of God, to mount Carmel. And when the man of God saw her a far, he said to Gehazi his servant, "See, where our servant cometh. Now run against her, and ask her, whether it be all well with her, and with her husband and with the lad." And she said, "All is well." Then she went to the man of God up to the hill and caught him by the feet. And Gehazi went to her, to thrust her away. But the man of God said, "Let her alone, for her soul is vexed, and the LORD hath hid it from me and hath not told it me." Then she said, "Did I desire a son of my lord? Did I not say, that thou shouldest not bring me in a Fool's Paradise?" Then he said to Gehazi, "Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand and away. If any man meet thee, salute him not. And if any salute thee, answer him not again. And put my staff upon the boy."
Then he said to Gehazi, "Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand and away. If any man meet thee, salute him not. And if any salute thee, answer him not again. And put my staff upon the boy." Notwithstanding, the mother of the child said, "As sure as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee." And then he arose and followed her. read more. Gehazi went before them and put the staff upon the lad. But there was neither voice nor attending. And then he went again against his master and told him saying, "It hath not awaked the lad." And when Elisha was come to the house: Behold, the lad was dead and laid upon his bed. And he went in and shut the door to the lad and him, and prayed unto the LORD. And he went up and lay upon the lad, and put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes, and the palm of his hands on the palm of his hands, and spread himself upon the lad that the flesh of the child waxed warm. And went again and walked once up and down in the house, and then went up and spread himself upon him. And the lad sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. And he called Gehazi and said, "Call for this Shunammite." And he called her. And when she was come to him, he said, "Take thy son." Then she went and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son and went out. When Elisha was come to Gilgal again, there was a dearth in the land, and the children of the prophets dwelt with him. Then he said to his servant, "Put on a great pot, and make pottage for the children of the prophets." And one went out into the field, to gather herbs, and found as it were a wild vine, and gathered thereof coloquintidaes, his lapful, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage - they unwitting. And they poured out for the men to eat. And when they had tasted of the pottage, they cried out and said, "There is death in the pot, thou man of God!" And could not eat thereof. Then he said, "Bring meal." And he cast it into the pot and said, "Fill for the people that they may eat." And there was no harm in the pot. There came a man from Baalshalishah and brought the man of God bread of first fruits, even twenty loaves of barley, and new corn in a cloth he had. And Elisha bade put it before the people that they might eat. Then his minister said, "What should I set this before a hundred men?" And he said, "Set it before the people and let them eat. For thus sayeth the LORD, 'They shall eat and leave.'" And he set it before them, and they ate and left, according to the word of the LORD.
Naaman, captain of the Host to the king of Syria, was great with his master and well taken: for through him the LORD saved Syria. And he was an active man, and yet a leper. And there had gone a company of soldiers out of Syria a running, and had brought out of the country of Israel a little maid, which was with Naaman's wife. read more. And the Damsel said unto her lady, "I would my master were with a prophet that is in Samaria: he would deliver him of his leprosy." And she went and told her husband, saying, "Thus and thus sayeth the maid that is out of the land of Israel." And the king of Syria said, "Go thy way, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel." And he went and took with him ten talents of silver and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiments. And he brought the letter to the king of Israel containing this tenor, "Now when this letter is come up to thee: Behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou shouldest rid him of his leprosy." And when the king of Israel had read the letter, he rent his clothes and said, "Am I God, to slay and to make alive, that he should send to me, for to deliver a man from his leprosy? But consider, I pray you, and see how he picketh quarrels with me!" And when Elisha the man of God, heard how that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, "Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? Let him come to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel." And Naaman came with his horses and his chariot, and stood at the door of Elisha. Then Elisha sent a messenger, saying, "Go and wash thee in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee as before, and thou shalt be clean." And Naaman was wroth and went away, and said, "Behold, I thought in myself, he would have come out, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and put his hand on the place of the disease, and so take away the leprosy. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Might I not rather wash in them and be clean?" And so he turned and departed in an anger. Then came his servants and communed with him, and said, "Father if the prophet had bid thee done some great thing, oughtest thou not to have done it? How much rather then shouldest thou do it, while he sayeth to thee only, 'Wash and be clean?'" Then he went down and washed seven times in Jordan, as the man of God bade, and his flesh changed, like unto the flesh of a little boy, and he was clean.
And when he was departed from him a furlong of ground, Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, "Behold, my master hath spared Naaman, this Syrian, so that he hath not taken from him that which he brought! As surely as the LORD liveth, I will run after him and take somewhat." And so Gehazi went after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him coming after him, he came down off the chariot against him, and said, "Is all well?" read more. And he said, "Yea. But my master hath sent me, saying, 'See, there be two young men come to me out of Ephraim of the children of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, one talent of silver and a couple of good garments." And Naaman said, "Adventure and take two talents of silver in two bags, with two goodly garments." - and delivered them unto two of his servants, to bear it before him. And he went in the dark and took it of their hands and bestowed it in the house, and let the men go, and they departed. Then he went and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, "Whence cometh Gehazi?" And he said, "Thy servant went no whither." And he said, "Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned and came of his chariot against thee? Is it a time to receive silver and to receive garments, olive trees, vineyards, oxen, sheep, menservants and maidservants? The leprosy therefore of Naaman cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed forever." And he went out from him a leper as white as snow.
Then said the children of the prophets unto Elisha, "See, the place where we dwell with thee, is too little for us. Let us there take every man a beam and build us a place there, to dwell in." And he said, "Go ye." read more. And one said, "Begin I pray thee, and go with thy servants." And he said, "I will," and so went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. And as one was heaving of a beam, the axe head fell into the water. And he cried out and said, "Alas, master, for it was lent me." And the man of God said, "Where fell it?" And he showed him the place. And he cut a stick and cast it in thither, and made the axe head swim. And he said, "Take it up to thee." And the other stretched his hand and caught it. And the king of Syria fought against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, "In such a place and in such a place will I pitch." And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, "Beware thou go not by such a place, for there are the Syrians gone down." And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there more than once or twice. And the heart of the king of Syria was troubled therewith, that he sent for his servants and said to them, "Will ye not show me which of us telleth the king of Israel?" And one of his servants said, "Nay, my lord king: Elisha the prophet that is in Israel, he telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy sleeping chamber." Then he said, "Go and spy where he is that I may send and fetch him." And one told the king, saying, "See, he is in Dothan." And he sent thither horse and chariots and a great Host. And they came thither by night and compassed the town about. And when the servant of the men of God rose up early, and was gone out: Behold, there was an Host round about the town with horses and chariots. Then said his lad to him, "Alas master, what shall we do?" And he said, "Fear not, there are more with us than with them." And Elisha prayed and said, "LORD open the eyes of the young man," and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. And when the soldiers came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD and said, "Smite this people with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the desire of Elisha." Then Elisha said unto them, "This is not the way, nor this is not the town: But follow me and I will bring you to the man ye seek." And he led them to Samaria. When they were come to Samaria, Elisha said, "LORD, open their eyes and let them see." And the LORD opened their eyes that they saw. And behold they were in the midst of Samaria. And then said the king of Israel unto Elisha when he saw them, "Shall I smite them? Shall I smite them, father?" And he said, "Smite them not. But smite them thou takest with thine own sword and with thine own bow. But set bread and water before them, and let them eat and drink, and go to their master." And he made great ordinance before them. And when they had eaten and drunk, sent them away, and they went to their master. And so the soldiers of Syria came no more into the land of Israel. After this, Benhadad king of Syria gathered all the Host, and went and besieged Samaria. And there arose great dearth in Samaria: for they had besieged it, until an ass's head was worth four score sicles of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of doves' dung worth five sicles. And as the king of Israel walked upon the walls, there cried a woman to him, saying, "Help, my lord king." And he said, "Nay, the LORD help thee. But wherewith should I help thee, with corn or wine?" Then said the king to her, "What aileth thee?" And she answered, "This woman here said to me, 'Bring thy son and let us eat him today, and we will eat mine tomorrow.' And so we dressed my son and did eat him. And I said to her another day, 'Bring thy son that we may eat him.' But she hath hid her son." When the king heard the words of the woman, he rent his clothes even as he was walking on the walls. And when the people looked upon him: see, he was clothed in sack under. Then he said, "God do so and so to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat tarry on him this day!" And as Elisha sat in his house and the elders with him, the king sent one from him. But yer the messenger came at him, he said to the elders, "See you not how the son of this murderer hath sent, to take off mine head? Be circumspect therefore when the messenger cometh, and shut the door, and thrust him back therewith: for the sound of his master's feet followeth him." And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger was come unto him. And he said, "Behold, this evil is of the LORD! What more shall we look for of the LORD?"
Then Elisha said, "Hear the word of the LORD, for thus sayeth the LORD, 'Tomorrow this time a bushel of fine flour shall be sold for a sicle and two bushels of Barley for another in the gates of Samaria.'" Then a great lord on whose hand the king leaned, answered the man of God and said, "Though the LORD would make windows in heaven, yet would not this be." And he said again, "Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes and shalt not eat thereof." read more. And there were four lepers set without the gate of Samaria. And they said each to his companion, "What sit we here until we die? Though we thought that we might come into the city, yet is the dearth so great in the city, that we shall there die. And if we tarry here, we are but dead also. Now therefore come, and let us flee to the Host of the Syrians. If they save our lives, we shall live; and if they kill us, then are we dead." And so they arose in the dark to go to the Host of the Syrians. And when they were come to the side of the Host of Syria: see, there was no man there. For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians hear a noise of chariots and a noise of horses, and the noise of a great Host. Insomuch that they said one to another, "See, the king of Israel hath hired against us, the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Egypt, to come upon us." And upon that they arose and fled in the dark, and left their tents, their horses, their asses and the field they had pitched even as it was, and fled for their lives. And when these lepers came to the edge of the Host, they went into a tent and did eat and drink and carried thence silver, gold and raiment, and went and hid it: and came again and entered into another, and carried thence also, and went and hid it. Then they said one to another, "It is not well that we do, for this day is a day to bring tidings. And if we hold our peace, and tarry till it be daylight, we shall find a mischief. Now therefore come, let us go and tell the king's household." And so they went and called to the porter of the city and told them saying, "We came to the pavilions of the Syrians: and see, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses and asses tied, and the tents even as they were." Then the porters called and told the kings house within. And the king arose in the night and said to his servants, "I will show you, how the Syrians have served us. They know that we are oppressed with hunger, and therefore are gone out of their pavilions to hide themselves in the field, saying, 'They will come out of the city, and then we shall catch them alive and get into the city.' And one of his servants answered and said, 'Let men take five of the horses that remain and are left in the city. Behold, they are as good as all the multitude that are left in the city: and as good as all the multitude of the city that are consumed, and let us send and see." And they took two chariots of horses, and the king sent after the Host of the Syrians, saying, "Go and see." And they followed after them even unto Jordan: and see, all the way was full of clothes and vessels which the Syrians had cast from them for haste. And the messengers returned and told the king. And then the people went out and robbed the tents of the Syrians. And so a bushel of flour was sold for a sicle, and two bushels of barley for a sicle, according to the word of the LORD. And the king set the lord on whose hand he leaned, to keep the gate. And the people trod him in the gate, that he died, according to the saying of the man of God which he said, when the king came down to him. And it came to pass, according to the word of the man of God to the king, saying, "Two bushels of barley for a sicle and a bushel of flour for another shall be tomorrow this time in the gates of Samaria." And the lord answered the man of God and said, "Though the LORD made windows in heaven, yet would not this be." And the other said, "Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, and shalt not eat thereof." And so it chanced: for the people trod him under feet in the gate, that he died.
After that, Elisha went to Damascus; Benhadad the king of Syria being sick. And one told the king, saying, "The man of God is come hither."
And on the morrow he took a rough cloth and dipped it in the water and spread it on his face, and he died, and Hazael reigned in his stead.
When Elisha was fallen sick of the sickness whereof he died, Joash king of Israel came to him and wept to him, and said, "O father, father! The chariot of Israel and the horsemen of the same!" And Elisha said unto him, "Bring bow and arrows." And he brought to him bow and arrows. read more. And he said to the king of Israel, "Put thine hand upon the bow, and when he had put his hand upon the bow, Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands." Then he said, "Open a window eastward," and he opened. And Elisha said, "shoot," and he shot. And he said, "The arrow of salvation of the LORD; and the arrow of salvation against the Syrians: For thou shalt beat the Syrians in Aphek till thou have consumed them." Then he said, "Take arrows," and he took. Then he said to the king of Israel, "Smite the ground," and he smote thrice and ceased. And the man of God was angry with him and said, "Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times, and then thou hadst smitten the Syrians till thou hadst consumed them: where now thou shalt beat them but thrice."
And it chanced, as they were burying a man, that they spied the Soldiers, and therefore cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha. And as soon as the man came and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood up on his feet.
Thus saith the LORD Sabaoth: yet there shall sit both old men and old women in the streets of Jerusalem and men with staves in their hands for the multitude of days.
Watsons
ELISHA, the son of Shaphat, Elijah's disciple and successor in the prophetic office, was of the city of Abelmeholah, 1Ki 19:16, &c. Elijah having received God's command to anoint Elisha as a prophet, came to Abelmeholah; and finding him ploughing with oxen, he threw his mantle over the shoulders of Elisha, who left the oxen, and accompanied him. Under the article Elijah, it has been observed that Elisha was following his master, when he was taken up to heaven; and that he inherited Elijah's mantle, with a double portion of his spirit. Elisha smote the waters of Jordan, and divided them; and he rendered wholesome the waters of a rivulet near Jericho. The kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom, having taken the field against the king of Moab, who had revolted from Israel, were in danger of perishing for want of water. Elisha was at that time in the camp; and seeing Jehoram, the king of Israel, he said, "What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. As the Lord liveth, were it not out of respect to Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, who is here present, I would not so much as look on thee. But now send for a minstrel; and while this man played, the Spirit of the Lord fell upon Elisha, and he said, Thus saith the Lord, Make several ditches along this valley; for ye shall see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley shall be filled with water, and you and your cattle shall drink of it." The widow of one of the prophets having told Elisha, that her husband's creditor was determined to take her two sons and sell them for slaves, Elisha multiplied the oil in the widow's house, in such quantity that she was enabled to sell it and to discharge the debt. Elisha went frequently to Shunem, a city of Manasseh, on this side Jordan, and was entertained by a certain matron at her house. As she had no children, Elisha promised her a son; and his prediction was accomplished. Some years after, the child died. Elisha, who was then at Mount Carmel, was solicited by the mother to come to her house. The prophet went, and restored the child. At Gilgal, during a great famine, one of the sons of the prophets gathered wild gourds, which he put into the pot, and they were served up to Elisha and the other prophets. It was soon found that they were mortal poison; but Elisha ordering meal to be thrown into the pot, corrected the quality of the pottage. Naaman, general of the king of Syria's forces, having a leprosy, was advised to visit Elisha in order to be cured. Elisha appointed him to wash himself seven times in the Jordan; and by this means Naaman was perfectly healed. He returned to Elisha, and offered him large presents, which the man of God resolutely refused. But Gehazi, Elisha's servant, did not imitate the disinterestedness of his master. He ran after Naaman, and in Elisha's name begged a talent of silver, and two changes of garments. Naaman gave him two talents. Elisha, to whom God had discovered Gehazi's action, reproached him with it, and declared, that the leprosy of Naaman should cleave to him and his family for ever. This is a striking instance of the disinterestedness of the Jewish prophets. Elisha, like his master Elijah, had learned to contemn the world. The king of Syria being at war with the king of Israel, could not imagine how all his designs were discovered by the enemy. He was told, that Elisha revealed them to the king of Israel. He therefore sent troops to seize the prophet at Dothan; but Elisha struck them with blindness, and led them in that condition into Samaria. When they were in the city, he prayed to God to open their eyes; and after he had made them eat and drink, he sent them back unhurt to their master. Some time after, Benhadad, king of Syria, having besieged Samaria, the famine became so extreme, that a certain woman ate her own child. Jehoram, king of Israel, imputing to Elisha these calamities, sent a messenger to cut off his head. Elisha, who was informed of this design against his life, ordered the door to be shut. The messenger was scarcely arrived, when the king himself followed, and made great complaints of the condition to which the town was reduced. Elisha answered, "To-morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria." Upon this, one of the king's officers said, "Were the Lord to open windows in heaven, might this thing be." This unbelief was punished; for the prophet answered, "Thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof," which happened according to Elisha's prediction, for he was trodden to death by the crowd in the gate. At the end of the seven years' famine, which the prophet had foretold, he went to Damascus, to execute the command which God had given to Elijah many years before, of declaring Hazael king of Syria. Benhadad being at that time indisposed, and hearing that Elisha was come into his territories, sent Hazael, one of his principal officers, to the prophet to consult him, and inquire of him whether it were possible for him to recover. The prophet told Hazael, that he might recover, but that he was very well assured that he should not; and then looking steadfastly upon him, he broke out into tears upon the prospect, as he told him, of the many barbarous calamities which he would bring upon Israel, when once he was advanced to power, as he would soon be, because he was assured by divine revelation that he was to be king of Syria. Hazael, though offended at the time at being thought capable of such atrocities, did but too clearly verify these predictions; for at his return, having murdered Benhadad, and procured himself to be declared king, he inflicted the greatest miseries upon the Israelites.
2. Elisha sent one of the sons of the prophets to anoint Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, and grandson of Nimshi, to be king, in pursuance of an order given to Elijah some years before; and Jehu having received the royal unction, executed every thing that had been foretold by Elijah against Ahab's family, and against Jezebel. Elisha falling sick, Joash, king of Israel, came to visit him, and said, "O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof." Elisha desired the king to bring him a bow and arrows. Joash having brought them, Elisha requested him to put his hands on the bow, and at the same time the prophet put his own hand upon the king's, and said, Open the window which looks east, and let fly an arrow.
The king having done this, Elisha said, This is the arrow of the Lord's deliverance: thou shalt be successful against Syria at Aphek. Elisha desired him again to shoot, which he did three times, and then stopped. But Elisha with vehemence said, "If thou hadst smitten five or six times, then thou hadst smitten Syria until thou hadst consumed it; whereas now thou shalt smite Syria only thrice." This is the last prediction of Elisha of which we read in Scripture, for soon after he died; but it was not his last miracle: for, some time after his interment, a company of Israelites, as they were going to bury a dead person, perceiving a band of Moabites making toward them, put the corpse for haste into Elisha's tomb, and, as soon as it had touched the prophet's body, it immediately revived; so that the man stood upon his feet: a striking emblem of the life-giving effect of the labours of the servants of God, after they themselves are gathered to their fathers.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
and Jehu the son of Nimshi, anoint to be king over Israel; And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah anoint to be Prophet in thy room.