Discover how St. Elisha, Elijah’s successor, received a double spirit and performed miracles—living and through his bones. His name means “God is my salvation.” Even his bones performed miracles.
Newsroom, June 17, 2025, Gaudium Press — St. Elisha, one of the saints the Church celebrates today, received the “double” spirit of the Prophet Elijah. His name means “God is my salvation”; he lived in the 9th century BC. His story is told in both the First and Second Books of Kings.
Chosen by God, he was once plowing the field when he was elevated to the peak of prophecy.
We know he came from a wealthy family and his father was named Shaphat. When Elisha was plowing alongside his father, Elijah passed by, threw his cloak over him, and Elisha understood he must follow him.
It was God who chose him to follow Elijah as His light and guide, commanding Elijah to anoint “the son of Shaphat” as prophet in his place. God intended to create a lineage of prophets.
Earlier, God had instructed Elijah to anoint “Hazael as king over Aram,” declaring: “He who escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; he who escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill.”
He witnesses his spiritual father taken up in a fiery chariot—and much of that fire entered him.
Elijah was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire; Elisha succeeded him in his mission, inheriting his spirit—his “double” spirit. Under the Law, the firstborn inherited twice as much; thus Elisha received a privileged portion of his spiritual father’s spirit.
Elijah ascended in a fiery chariot, leaving his cloak to Elisha.
Elisha, not Elijah, by God’s order, anointed Jehu as the new king of Israel, ending Ahab’s cursed dynasty—a lineage ruined when Ahab married the evil Jezebel, Elijah’s great enemy. Elisha sent one of his prophets, Ramoth of Gilead, to anoint Jehu, a military commander. Scripture recounts:
He anointed Jehu, ending God’s cursed inheritance
“When he arrived, [Ramoth of Gilead] met the commanders of the army assembled and said, ‘I have a message for you, officer.’ ‘For which one of us?’ Jehu asked. He replied, ‘For you, officer.’
Jehu got up and went inside. The man poured the oil on his head and declared, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I have anointed you king over the people of the Lord, Israel. You shall destroy the house of Ahab, your lord; I will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all the Lord’s servants shed by Jezebel. (…) As for Jezebel, the dogs shall devour her in Jezreel, and no one shall bury her.’ Then he opened the door and fled.”
(2 Kings 9:5–13)
Prophet and miracle-worker
The kings of Israel saw Elijah living on through him. As Elisha was dying, King Joash visited, weeping: “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!”
Even at his death, Elisha aided King Joash, who was at war with Aram:
“Elisha said [to Joash]: ‘Take a bow and some arrows.’
He took a bow and arrows… Elisha said to the king: ‘Open the east window.’ He opened it… Elisha said: ‘Shoot!’ When the king shot, Elisha said: ‘The arrow of victory for the Lord, arrow of victory over Aram! You will utterly destroy Aram at Aphek.’
Then he said: ‘Take the arrows.’ He took them, and Elisha said: ‘Strike the ground.’ He struck it three times and stopped.
The man of God was angry with him and said: ‘Had you struck the ground five or six times, you would have destroyed Aram altogether; but now you shall only strike it three times.’”
(2 Kings 13:15–19)
Elisha performed many miracles in life—and his own bones worked miracles. Scripture records that bands raided the region where he was buried; “while some were burying a man, they saw one of those bands; they threw the dead man into Elisha’s grave and fled. As soon as the corpse touched Elisha’s bones, the man revived and stood up.”
The disciples gathered around him were called “sons of the prophets.”
Information from Carmelnet.org and Catholic.net.
Compiled by Adele Wong.
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