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It is certainly a startling event that confounds contemporary readers. Elisha curses them in the name of Yahweh, and two she-bears emerge from the forest, ravaging forty-two members of the mocking contingent ( 2Kgs 2:23-25). While Elijah completed one of God’s commands by enlisting Elisha to succeed him, Elisha discharges the other two commands by placing Hazael and Jehu in power – doubling the accomplishments of his mentor.ĭid Elisha command two she-bears to devour forty-two children at Bethel?Īs Elisha arrives at Bethel, some small children emerge from the city and taunt him by calling him bald. Elisha functions as a powerful king-maker in this narrative who completes Elijah’s instructions and sets in motion a chain of events that lead to a new Northern king who roots out the cult of Baal in the Northern Kingdom by ending the royal line that first popularized this religious practice ( 2Kgs 10:1-15) and killing all of the priests and worshippers of Baal ( 2Kgs 10:18-27). This fulfills God’s curse upon the house of Omri for their sin of popularizing Baal-worship ( 1Kgs 21:20-24). When it becomes known, Jehu’s comrades declare their allegiance to him and support him in displacing the last of the Omrides, Joram, on his way back from a battle with Hazael, king of Aram ( 2Kgs 9:24). Next, Elisha dispatches a young acolyte who performs the anointment in secret ( 2Kgs 9:5-6).
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In 2Kgs 8:10-15, Elisha informs the high-ranking Aramean Hazael that he will become the next king of Aram, prompting him to accelerate the king’s death and take his place on the throne. Elisha performs many impressive miracles during his career but his most significant political task is completing the list of appointments that God had given Elijah. He manages to enlist Elisha as a follower by throwing his cloak over him ( 1Kgs 19:19), and Elisha demonstrates his power as a prophetic successor when he parts the Jordan with Elijah’s cloak immediately following his mentor’s disappearance at the hands of a whirlwind ( 2Kgs 2:11-14). In 1Kgs 19:15-16, God commissions Elijah to anoint Jehu, Hazael, and Elisha to put an end to the Baal-worshipping Omride dynasty, but Elijah only completes one of those tasks. What role does Elisha play in the political events portrayed in the books of Kings? Phoenicia (now known as Lebanon) was located to Israel's north, and on the whole, was just the opposite-cosmopolitan, populous and religiously diverse.The prophet Elisha succeeds his mentor Elijah and significantly outstrips him by approximately doubling his miracles and completing the work that God initially commanded Elijah to do. It was, however, solidly following the beliefs of Yahweh, the "one and true" God, according to the Bible. Israel was racked by internal tribal differences and, subsequently, became susceptible to frequent invasions. In 922 B.C., the nation of Israel was torn into two nations, Israel to the north and Judah to the south. Like Cleopatra, Jezebel’s story is one of intrigue, romance and ultimately, the fall of a nation. Preparing herself to be murdered by General Jehu, she applied makeup and dressed in finery before she was thrown over her balcony and eaten by dogs. Her citizens and the Yahweh prophet Elijah despised such actions. Jezebel continued worship the nature god Baal.
![elisha and the priests of baal elisha and the priests of baal](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Jb9iFqv3edQ/hqdefault.jpg)
Eventually, they ruled as king and queen. Jezebel was a Phoenician princess in the 9th century who married Ahab, the prince of Israel.
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In the centuries since her death, she has acquired numerous references in popular culture, none of them flattering. Jezebel was a Phoenician princess, later the wife of King Ahab of Israel.