King James Bible Dictionary

God his salvation, the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, who became the attendant and disciple of Elijah (1 Kings 19:16-19). His name first occurs in the command given to Elijah to anoint him as his successor (1 Kings 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. Luke 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 (2 Kings 2:9); and for the long period of about sixty years (B.C. 892-832) held the office of "prophet in Israel" (2 Kings 5:8).

After Elijah's departure, Elisha returned to Jericho, and there healed the spring of water by casting salt into it (2 Kings 2:21). We next find him at Bethel (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 (2 Kings 3:9-20); of the multiplying of the poor widow's cruse of oil (4:1-7); the miracle of restoring to life the son of the woman of Shunem (4:18-37); the multiplication of the twenty loaves of new barley into a sufficient supply for an hundred men (4:42-44); of the cure of Naaman the Syrian of his leprosy (5:1-27); of the punishment of Gehazi for his falsehood and his covetousness; of the recovery of the axe lost in the waters of the Jordan (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 (2 Kings 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 (2 Kings 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 (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 (2 Kings 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" (2 Kings 13:20-21).

salvation of God

Successor to the prophet Elijah.

History of:

Elijah instructed to anoint
1 Kings 19:16

Called by Elijah
1 Kings 19:19

Ministers unto Elijah
1 Kings 19:21

Witnesses Elijah's translation, receives a double portion of his spirit
2 Kings 2:1-15; 2 Kings 3:11

Mocked by the children of Beth-El
2 Kings 2:23-24

Causes the king to restore the property of the hospitable Shunammite
2 Kings 8:1-6

Instructs that Jehu be anointed king of Israel
2 Kings 9:1-3

Life of, sought by Jehoram
2 Kings 6:31-33

Death of
2 Kings 13:14-20

Bones of, restore a dead man to life
2 Kings 13:21

Miracles of:

Divides the Jordan
2 Kings 2:14

Purifies the waters of Jericho by casting salt into the fountain
2 Kings 2:19-22

Increases the oil of the woman whose sons were to be sold for debt
2 Kings 4:1-7

Raises from the dead the son of the Shunammite
2 Kings 4:18-37

Neutralizes the poison of the pottage
2 Kings 4:38-41

Increases the bread to feed one hundred men
2 Kings 4:42-44

Heals Naaman the leper
2 Kings 5:1-19; Luke 4:27

Sends leprosy as a judgment upon Gehazi
2 Kings 5:26-27

Recovers the ax that had fallen into a stream by causing it to float
2 Kings 6:6

Reveals the counsel of the king of Syria
2 Kings 6:12

Opens the eyes of his servant to see the hosts of the Lord
2 Kings 6:17

Brings blindness upon the army of Syria
2 Kings 6:18

Prophecies of:

Foretells a son to the Shunammite woman
2 Kings 4:16

Foretells plenty to the starving in Samaria
2 Kings 7:1

Foretells death of the unbelieving prince
2 Kings 7:2

Foretells seven years' famine in the land of Canaan
2 Kings 8:1-3

Foretells death of Ben-Hadad, king of Syria
2 Kings 8:7-10

Foretells elevation of Hazael to the throne
2 Kings 8:11-15

Foretells the victory of Jehoash over Syria
2 Kings 13:14-19

(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 Isr'l. The earliest mention of his name is in the command to Elijah in the cave at Horeb. (1 Kings 19:16,17) (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 Isr'lite, the beged , probably similar in form to the long abbeyeh of the modern Syrians. (2 Kings 2:12) His hair was worn trimmed behind, in contrast to the disordered locks of Elijah, and he used a walking-staff, (2 Kings 4:29) of the kind ordinarily carried by grave or aged citizens. (Zechariah 8:4) After the departure of his master, Elisha returned to dwell at Jericho, (2 Kings 2:18) 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. (2 Kings 2:23) The mocking children, Elisha's curse and the catastrophe which followed are familiar to all. Later he extricates Jehoram king of Isr'l, and the kings of Judah and Edom, from their difficulty in the campaign against Moab arising from want of water. (2 Kings 3:4-27) Then he multiplies the widow's oil. (2 Kings 4:5) 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. (2 Kings 4:8-37) Then at Gilgal he purifies the deadly pottage, (2 Kings 4:38-41) and multiplies the loaves. (2 Kings 4:42-44) The simple records of these domestic incidents amongst the sons of the prophets are now interrupted by an occurrence of a more important character. (2 Kings 5:1-27) The chief captain of the army of Syria, Naaman, is attacked with leprosy, and is sent by an Isr'lite maid to the prophet Elisha, who directs him to dip seven times in the Jordan, which he does and is healed, (2 Kings 5:1-14) while Naaman's servant, Gehazi, he strikes with leprosy for his unfaithfulness. ch. (2 Kings 5:20-27) Again the scene changes. It is probably at Jericho that Elisha causes the iron axe to swim. (2 Kings 6:1-7) 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 Isr'lite king and his troops. (2 Kings 6:8-23) During the famine in Samaria, (2 Kings 6:24-33) he prophesied incredible plenty, ch. (2 Kings 7:1-2) which was soon fulfilled. ch. (2 Kings 7:3-20) We next find the prophet at Damascus. Benhadad the king is sick, and sends to Elisha by Haz'l to know the result. Elisha prophesies the king's death, and announces to Haz'l that he is to succeed to the throne. (2 Kings 8:7,15) Finally this prophet of God, after having filled the position for sixty years, is found on his death-bed in his own house. (2 Kings 13:14-19) The power of the prophet, however, does not terminate with his death. Even in the tomb he restores the dead to life. ch. (2 Kings 13:21)

The oldest of the four sons of Javan (Genesis 10:4), whose descendants peopled Greece. It has been supposed that Elishah's descendants peopled the Peloponnesus, which was known by the name of Elis. This may be meant by "the isles of Elishah" (Ezekiel 27:7).

it is God; the lamb of God: God that gives help

A descendant of Noah
Genesis 10:4; 1 Chronicles 1:7

Islands of the Mediterranean bear the name of
Ezekiel 27:7

(God is salvation), the eldest son of Javan. (Genesis 10:4) The residence of his descendants is described in (Ezekiel 27:7) as the isles of Elishah, whence the Phoenicians obtained their purple and blue dyes. Some connect the race of Elishah with the 'olians, others with Elishah, and in a more extended sense Peloponnesus, or even Hellas.

Whom God hears.

1. A prince of Benjamin, grandfather of Joshua (Numbers 1:10; 1 Chronicles 7:26).

2. One of David's sons (2 Samuel 5:16).

3. Another of David's sons (1 Chronicles 3:6).

4. A priest sent by Jehoshaphat to teach the people the law (2 Chronicles 17:8).

God hearing

1. Grandfather of Joshua
Numbers 1:10; Numbers 2:18; Numbers 7:48; Numbers 7:53; Numbers 10:22; 1 Chronicles 7:26

2. A son of David
2 Samuel 5:16; 1 Chronicles 3:8; 1 Chronicles 14:7

3. Another son of David, elsewhere called Elishua

General references
1 Chronicles 3:6
Elishua

4. A descendant of Judah
1 Chronicles 2:41

5. Probably identical with a descendant of Judah above
2 Kings 25:25; Jeremiah 41:1

6. A secretary to Jehoiakim
Jeremiah 36:12; Jeremiah 36:20-21

7. A priest sent by Jehoshaphat to teach the law
2 Chronicles 17:8

(whom God hears).

1. The "prince" or "captain" of the tribe of Ephraim in the wilderness of Sinai. (Numbers 1:10; 2:18; 7:48; 10:22) (B.C. 1491.) From (1 Chronicles 7:26) we find that he was grandfather to the great Joshua.
2. A son of King David. (1 Samuel 5:16; 1 Chronicles 3:8; 14:7)
3. Another son of David, (1 Chronicles 3:6) who in the other lists is called ELISHUA. (B.C. after 1044.)
4. A descendant of Judah. (1 Chronicles 2:41)
5. The father of Nethaniah and grandfather of Ishm'l. (2 Kings 25:25; Jeremiah 41:1)
6. Scribe of King Jehoiakim. (Jeremiah 36:12,20,21) (B.C. 605.)
7. A priest in the time of Jehoshaphat. (2 Chronicles 17:8) (B.C. 912).

Whom God has judged, one of the "captains of hundreds" associated with Jehoiada in the league to overthrow the usurpation of Athaliah (2 Chronicles 23:1).

my God judgeth

A Jewish captain.
2 Chronicles 23:1

(whom God judges), son of Zichri; one of the captains of hundreds in the time of Jehoiada. (2 Chronicles 23:1) (B.C. 877.)