ELI'SHA ( I;od is deliverance).
A prophet of Israel, who continued the move ment of Elijah against the Baal cult. The story of his career is told in 11. Kings ii., ix., xiii. as follows: He was the son of Shaphat, and lived at Abel-meholall. where, until his call, he was a farmer (1. Kings xix. 191. While at Horeb Elijah is told to appoint Elisha his successor: this he does by throwing his mantle over him. whereupon Elisha sacrifices the oxen with which he was plowing. and follows Elijah. During the life of his master nothing is heard of Elisha until immediately before Elijah's death. Eli sha follows him from Bethlehem to Jericho and then across the Jordan, Whiell Elijah divides with his mantle, and as Elijah is taken up he receives the mantle of his master (11. Kings ii. 131. Elisha also divides the Jordan and collies to Jericho, where he heals the poisonous waters (11. Kings ii. 19-22). On the road to Bethle hem he is met by children who laugh at him for his bald head. Ile curses them and forty of their number are devoured by two she bears ill. Kings ii. 23-251. He severely rebukes Je horam and refuses to speak to him. but proph esies for the sake of Jehoshaphat (11. Kings iii.). A wife of one of the sons of the prophets coin ing to Elisha for aid, he performs the miracle of the oil ill. Kings iv. 1-71. and restores to life the son of another woman who has befriended him (II. Kings iv. S'-37). Another miracle like that performed at Jericho was the removing of the poison prom the food prepared by the sons of the prophets (11. Kings iv. 38-41). Still an
other miracle is the making twenty loaves of bread serve one hundred men (11. Kings iv. 42 44): He cures Naaman of Syria of his leprosy and refuses to take any return for it and curses his servant Gehazi for having taken a present (II. Kings v.). He strikes the Syrian army with Idindness. but sends them away in peace after he has brought them to Samaria (II. Kings vi. S-23). \\lien he sees Harrel he knows at once the suffering that will be brought on Israel. but still tells Hazael that he will be king 111. Kings viii. 7-15.). To fulfill the prophecy of Elijah. Elisha sends a prophet to anoint Jelm, who promptly kills the family of Ahab and takes the throne (ll. Kings ix.). Before the death of Elisha he is vis ited by Joash and predicts three victories against the Syrians (Ti. Kings xiii. 14-19). Even after his death Elislm performs miracles; a body thrown upon his bones revives and stands up Cll. Kings xiii. The character of the Elisha stories, it will be seen, is very miteh the same as that of those told of Elijah. Both perform miracles, restoring dead persons to life. striking the living with disease. predicting victories or disasters, and the like. While not so rugged as Elijah, he surpasses the latter in the political influence that he exercises. The narrative (dearly indicates a progress to ward the recognition of Yahweh to the exclusion f the Baal cults, so that Elisha's path is eon smoother owing to the antecedent activ ity of Elijah.