Elisha

Although Elisha looks and sounds a lot like Elijah, the two names are not to be confused. They are borne from two distinctively different prophets in the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament (in the Book of Kings). Elijah and Elisha also have different etymologies. Both names come from the Hebrew, but while Elijah means “Yahweh is God”, Elisha means “God is salvation” from the Hebrew elements “el” meaning “God” and “sha” meaning “to save/help”. Adding further confusion to the two similar names, Elijah and Elisha were also 9th century B.C. contemporaries. Elisha was both a disciple and dutiful successor prophet of Elijah. In essence, Elisha carried on the work of Elijah. (Have we adequately confused you?) In other words, both were very important prophets in ancient Israel, although Elijah was the Grand Pooba Prophet of his time while Elisha played the role of understudy. But it was God who hand-picked Elisha as Elijah’s successor which places him in a pretty elitist club, one would think. In any case, after Elijah is whirled up into heaven in a chariot of fire in one of those breathtaking Biblical scenes, Elisha carries on God’s work throughout 2 Kings 2-13 (after asking for a “double portion” of Elijah’s spirit). You have to read it for yourself, but suffice it to say that Elisha performed many of his own marvels and miracles (with God’s help, of course); such as: multiplying a jar of oil into masses so that a widow could pay her debts and feed her family; resurrecting a dead child; fulfilling the appetites of 100 hungry men struck by famine with a tiny bit of bread; and curing leprosy. He also summoned two she-bears out of the woods to kill 42 boys who were making fun of his baldness (see for yourself in 2 Kings 2:23-24). Maybe they just should have offered him Rogaine. Aside from the random “kill-boys-over-bald-jokes” diversion, Elisha was a highly regarded prophet in a time when Israel needed to restore their faith in their one God. As such, Elisha has always been a popular name for Jews. It gained more crossover appeal after the Reformation when the Puritans began using many of the Old Testament Hebrew names on their own children. It is also occasionally used for girls (given the feminine “el-ISH-ah” pronunciation). Eli is an obvious nickname.