Elisha took up the mantle of Elijah and was blessed with two parts of Elijah’s spirit, performing 16 miracles, compared with the 8 of Elijah.

As he sees a fiery war chariot and fiery horses come between himself and Elijah and he sees Elijah go up in a windstorm, Elisha receives the promised two parts in Elijah’s spirit. He soon shows that “the spirit of Elijah” has settled down upon him. (2:15) Taking up Elijah’s fallen garment, he uses it to divide the waters again. He then heals the bad water at Jericho. On the way to Bethel, small boys begin to jeer at him: “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” (2:23) Elisha calls on Jehovah, and two she-bears come out of the woods and kill 42 of these juvenile delinquents.

8. What further miracles does Elisha perform?

⁸ Elisha’s further miracles (4:1–8:15). As her creditors are about to take her two sons into slavery, the widow of one of the sons of the prophets seeks help from Elisha. He miraculously multiplies the small supply of oil in her house so that she is able to sell enough to pay her debts. A Shunammite woman recognizes Elisha as a prophet of the true God, and she and her husband prepare a room for his use when he is in Shunem. Because of her kindness, Jehovah blesses her with a son. Some years later, the child becomes sick and dies. The woman immediately seeks out Elisha. He accompanies her to her home, and by Jehovah’s power he raises the child to life. Returning to the sons of the prophets at Gilgal, Elisha miraculously removes “death in the pot” by rendering poisonous gourds harmless. He then feeds a hundred men with 20 barley loaves, and yet they have “leftovers.”​—4:40, 44.

9. What miracles are performed in connection with Naaman, and with the axhead?

⁹ Naaman, the chief of the Syrian army, is a leper. A captive Israelite girl tells Naaman’s wife that there is a prophet in Samaria who can cure him. Naaman journeys to Elisha, but instead of attending to him personally, Elisha merely sends word for him to go and wash himself seven times in the Jordan River. Naaman is indignant at this apparent lack of respect. Are not the rivers of Damascus better than the waters of Israel? But he is prevailed upon to obey Elisha, and he is cured. Elisha refuses to accept a gift as a reward, but later his attendant Gehazi runs after Naaman and asks for a gift in Elisha’s name. When he returns and tries to deceive Elisha, Gehazi is struck with leprosy. Still another miracle is performed when Elisha makes an axhead float.

10. How are the superior forces of Jehovah shown, and how does Elisha turn back the Syrians?

¹⁰ When Elisha warns the king of Israel of a Syrian plot to kill him, the king of Syria sends a military force to Dothan to capture Elisha. Seeing the city surrounded by the armies of Syria, Elisha’s attendant becomes fearful. Elisha assures him: “Do not be afraid, for there are more who are with us than those who are with them.” Then he prays to Jehovah to let his attendant see the great force that is with Elisha. ‘And, look! The mountainous region is full of horses and war chariots of fire all around Elisha.’ (6:16, 17) When the Syrians attack, the prophet again prays to Jehovah, and the Syrians are struck with mental blindness and led to the king of Israel. Instead of their being put to death, however, Elisha tells the king to spread a feast for them and send them home.

11. How are Elisha’s prophecies concerning the Syrians and Ben-hadad fulfilled?

¹¹ Later on, King Ben-hadad of Syria besieges Samaria, and there is a great famine. The king of Israel blames Elisha, but the prophet predicts an abundance of food for the following day. In the night, Jehovah causes the Syrians to hear the sound of a great army, so that they flee, leaving all their provisions for the Israelites. After some time Ben-hadad becomes sick. On hearing a report that Elisha has come to Damascus, he sends Hazael to inquire if he will recover. Elisha’s answer indicates that the king will die and that Hazael will become king in his place. Hazael makes sure of this by himself killing the king and taking over the kingship.

The final miracle accredited to Elisha takes place after his death, when a dead man is thrown into the same burial place, only to stand up alive as soon as he touches Elisha’s bones.