Joseph (est.1886-1806 B.C.)

Joseph was born in Syria and had eleven brothers Rueben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Gad, Asher, Benjamin, Dan and Naphtali.  Joseph was son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham.

By 17 he was his father's favourite and they were living in Canaan, he would have many dreams foretelling the future, yet his brother scorned him so they faked his death and sold him to slavery to a caravan coming from Gilead, where he ended up being sold in Egypt

He rose from slave to house assistant but his owner's wife tried to seduce him and then told lies and Joseph ended up in prison, where he interprets dreams for people, two years later he is called to interpret the king of Egypts dream; He say that a seven year famine is on the way, and Joseph is put in charge of all the officials.  His brothers come to buy food, and they do not recognize Joseph as speaks in Egyptian and he tricks them all to come to Egypt so that he can reveal his identity.

Gen44:5 states that he uses a silver cup to "learn about the future"

So his father and brothers and their families come to live in Egypt to avoid death during the famine, stopping at Beersheba to offer sacrifices.  Joseph went on to trade food for all things and by the end of the famine he owned all of the land and animals and most people were his slaves.  He went on to have two sons Ephraim and Manasseh.  Joseph died at the age of 110 and he was embalmed, later his bones were taken by Moses when the exile occurred so that he could be buried in the land of Canaan.

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.