Prophet in Israel in the second half of the ninth century BCE, during and after the reign of Jehoram, son of Ahab and Jezebel. Elijah's disciple and successor, he continued his master's efforts to eradicate idolatry and promote belief in the One God. Politically active, he initially supported Jehoram because he removed the idols his parents had introduced. Eventually, he helped bring down the king and the Omri dynasty by having the rebel general Jehu anointed king. Elisha's story is told in I Kings 19:16–II Kings 13:21.
