ELIJAH IS HERALDED AS THE GREAT PROPHET, YET ELISHA WAS GIVEN TWICE AS MUCH AS HIM. One Would Think That The One With The Most Is Greater Than The One Who Has Only Half As Much. Still there is much that the brightest and most knowledgeable of humans do not know.

In the bible why did Elisha ask Elijah for a double portion?

What did he mean a double portion, and why did he say you asked a hard thing And why did he say it can happen only if you see me as I am being taken away?

Harry Riches · Answer requested by Jamar Grimsley

When to comes to what people do, why questions are always difficult to answer because this presupposes that the someone else knows the reason for another person’s decision. I did not know Elisha, therefore I do not know why he did what he did. I can only surmise possibilities.

Elisha could have decided to ask for a double portion because he believed, in a spiritual sense, that he was like the oldest son of Elijah’s. This may have been the reason why he thought that he ought to ask for a double portion. For when we ask for something, usually we have to believe that the reason for our asking is justifiable. Therefore by faith, Elisha believed that he was justified in making his request.

We might ask for something because we believe that unless we ask we will not know whether we would have been turned down. Salespersons are told, if you do not ask, you will never know whether the person is going to say, “Yes,” or “No!!” However, when talking about God, we also know that He sees our hearts, so we cannot be a fickle person if we truly expect to receive what we ask from Him.

Elijah said to Elisha that if his eyes were opened then he would receive his request.

• And when they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” He said, “You have asked for a difficult thing. However, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” (2 Kings 2:9–10)

The reason Elijah could not give what only God can give is he was merely a servant. Therefore, by stating what he did, Elijah was letting Elisha know that which comes from God does not come from man. Only God gives the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

However, Jesus said that the pure in heart shall see God (Matthew 5:8). Although, Elisha did not see God, he saw into the realm the spirit, the realm of God—the realm of true realities. This suggests that Elisha was spiritually mature. One thing we know from reading 2 Kings, chapter two, Elisha was committed and, because of this, he was not prepared to leave Elijah until he obtained his request.

The Only Way We Can Truly Learn Is By Experience, Theory Does Not Cut It