אֱלִישָׁע
𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤔𐤏
Elisha
H477 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper personal name meaning 'El is salvation' or 'My God is salvation.' Most prominently refers to the prophet Elisha, active in the northern kingdom of Israel in the 9th century BCE, recognized as the successor of Elijah. The name can also refer to other less prominent individuals but is chiefly known from the Elisha narrative in Kings. The name functions to express a theophoric statement, integrating the divine name El and a root meaning 'to save.'
Semantic Range
Personal name: 'El is salvation,' 'My God is salvation'; used for the prophet Elisha; occasionally refers to other Israelites of same name
Root / Etymology
Formed from אֵל ('El,' a common Hebrew name for God) and ישׁע (y-sh-ʿ, 'to save, deliver'). Thus, the name means 'God is salvation' or 'My God is salvation.' The form is a contraction or variant of אֱלִישׁוּעַ (Elishuʻa, same meaning).
Historical & Contextual Notes
The most frequent referent of אֱלִישָׁע is the prophet Elisha, whose prophetic activity occurs primarily within the narratives of 2 Kings, often in the context of royal courts and social crises in the northern kingdom. The name itself is typical of Israelite theophoric naming convention, paralleling other names formed with El plus a verb root (e.g., Eliezer – 'El is help'). When referring to the prophet, the term should not be retroactively conflated with later Jewish or Christian concepts of sainthood or prophetic succession. English translations consistently use 'Elisha' for this figure, but the underlying Hebrew construction emphasizes divine agency in deliverance. Other individuals named Elisha appear rarely (e.g., Neh 12:13), but the prophetic figure is by far predominant in biblical tradition. This name is distinct from Hebrew names using Yah(w)- as the theophoric element (e.g., יְהוֹשֻׁעַ); using El distinguishes it both theologically and linguistically. The Septuagint renders the name Ἐλισαιέ (Elisaie).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
contracted for אֱלִישׁוּעַ.; Elisha, the famous prophet; Elisha.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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אלשׁע (ʾ-l-y-š-ʿ) — El (God), to save, to deliver
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H477-01 |
אֱלִישָׁ֤ע | elisha | HNp |
Elisha | El-is-salvation | 50 |
H477-03 |
וֶ/אֱלִישָׁ֖ע | veelisha | HC/Np |
And Elisha | And El-is-salvation | 7 |
H477-02 |
לֶ/אֱלִישָֽׁע | leelisha | HR/Np |
of Elisha | to El-is-salvation | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
58 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H477-01 |
1 Kings 19:16 | אֱלִישָׁ֤ע | elisha | HNp |
Elisha | El-is-salvation |
H477-01 |
1 Kings 19:17 | אֱלִישָֽׁע | elisha | HNp |
Elisha | El-is-salvation |
H477-01 |
1 Kings 19:19 | אֱלִישָׁ֤ע | elisha | HNp |
Elisha | El-is-salvation |
H477-03 |
2 Kings 2:1 | וֶ/אֱלִישָׁ֖ע | veelisha | HC/Np |
and Elisha | And El-is-salvation |
H477-01 |
2 Kings 2:2 | אֱלִישָׁ֜ע | elisha | HNp |
Elisha | El-is-salvation |
H477-01 |
2 Kings 2:2 | אֱלִישָׁ֔ע | elisha-2 | HNp |
Elisha | El-is-salvation |
H477-01 |
2 Kings 2:3 | אֱלִישָׁע֒ | elisha | HNp |
Elisha | El-is-salvation |
H477-01 |
2 Kings 2:4 | אֱלִישָׁ֣ע | elisha | HNp |
Elisha | El-is-salvation |
H477-01 |
2 Kings 2:5 | אֱלִישָׁע֒ | elisha | HNp |
Elisha | El-is-salvation |
H477-01 |
2 Kings 2:9 | אֱלִישָׁע֙ | elisha | HNp |
Elisha | El-is-salvation |