Expert: Kerry Gray - 3/6/2009

Question
How long did Elisha serve Elijah? Many years or 10? Please direct me to the scripture that validates the answer.

Answer
It begins in 1 Kings 19:19-21 (the time of the wicked king Ahab)

1 Kings 19:19-21 So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother good-by,” he said, “and then I will come with you.” “Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?” So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.

And ends here in 2 Kings 2:12-15


And Elisha saw it and he cried, "My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" And he saw him no
more.Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had
fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen
from him and struck the water, saying, "Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?" And when he had struck the water, the
water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. Now when the sons of the prophets who
were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha." And they came to meet him
and bowed to the ground before him.


(which is about 10 years from 1 Kings 19:16,19-21 to 2 Kings 2:2)

Kerry