June 14: Saint Elisha, Prophet

Listening to the Word of God

Elisha is still a common name among African Christian families today. It comes from the Hebrew meaning “God is Lord” (El-Yah). In the Bible, Elisha is presented as a prophet who lived in the 8th century B.C., a disciple of the great prophet Elijah. His calling is recounted in the First Book of Kings, chapter 19:

" Elijah set out, and came upon Elisha, son of Shaphat, as he was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen; he was following the twelfth. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak on him.Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please, let me kiss my father and mother good-bye, and I will follow you.” Elijah answered, “Go back! What have I done to you?” Elisha left him and, taking the yoke of oxen, slaughtered them; he used the plowing equipment for fuel to boil their flesh, and gave it to the people to eat. Then he left and followed Elijah to serve him." (1 Kings 19:19–21).

In the Gospel, Jesus refers to this episode to emphasize the radical nature of the call to mission. To someone who wanted to follow Him after saying farewell to their family, Jesus responded: “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62).

Although Elisha does not possess the same charismatic power as Elijah, he nonetheless continues his work. Together—after Samuel and King David—they represent the first great figures of biblical prophecy. Elisha is deeply faithful to God: he experienced God’s presence personally and received His revelation. The prophet, in fact, is the one who listens to and preserves the Word of God.

It is significant that Jesus, in His first sermon in the synagogue of Nazareth, mentions both Elijah and Elisha: He recalls Elijah’s charity toward the widow of Zarephath and Elisha’s healing of Naaman the Syrian—two examples of good done to non-Jewish people, illustrating the universality of God’s love.

He died around 790 B.C. and was buried near Samaria.