Wednesday, 29 February 2012

Elisha (est.848 - 793)



Elisha the son of Shaphat was anointed to be a prophet by Elijah to be his eventual successor; he was ploughing in a field when Elijah found him.  From there they traveled from Gilgal to Bethel, then to Jericho, then to Jordan where Elijah planned his ascension.

Elisha asks Elijah for 'double portion of thy spirit', and he is told that it will be given if he watches Elijah ascend to heaven.  After that Elisha gained new understanding, instantly able to smite and to part water, and even cursed children who mocked him, causing a bear to attack them
Elisha then traveled to Mount Carmel and then onward to Samaria.  The King came seeking his help, and so a minstrel played music and the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha to tell the king what to do.

A woman later asks for help (supposeldy the wife of a son of a prophet) and Elisha helps her, afterwards he would often pass when in the area to share bread. Elisha eventually predicts that she will have a baby (after previously being barren), later on Elisha revives the boy after he dies.

King of Syria sends Naaman to Israel to be healed by the prophet, and is told to wash in the river seven times before he gets healed, and Elisha refuses payment as a reward, but his servant Gehazi runs after Naaman and takes payment, but in doing so, incurs Elisha's curse which makes him take Naaman's leprosy.  Sons of prophets are moving to Jordan to make a new home and Elisha goes with them.  King of Syria sends an army to besiege Dothan and fetch the prophet, but Elisha made them all blind and took them to Samaria.  Elisha was able to predict the price of food, the death of various people and a seven year famine among other things.  Prophets had the power to anoint a new King, even on his death bed, sick, the King came and grieved and yet Elisha left him with a prediction that he would only defeat the Syrians three times.

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