Elijah and Elisha: Great Prophets of God

When Elisha asked to receive a "double portion" of Elijah's spirit in 2 Kings 2:9, he was not seeking a ministry twice as great as his master's. Instead, he was using cultural terms derived from inheritance law to express his desire to carry on Elijah's ministry. Inheritance law assigned a double portion of a father's possessions to the firstborn son (see Dt 21:17). Elijah's response that "If you see me...it will be yours" (2 Kng 2:10) left the gift Elisha requested in God's hands. Elisha sees Elijah being taken up by the chariots of God at the Jordan River, and God fulfills the request: Elisha received the "double portion" = the power and authority of his master. It is ironic that Elijah performed 8 works of God while Elisha is given 16! Elisha went on to accomplish greater works than his master Elijah by performing exactly double the miracles his master performed in the name of God.

Elijah's 8 miracles
Miracle	Reference
1. Shut up the heavens causing a drought	1 Kings 17:1
2. Multiplied flour and oil for a widow	1 Kings 17:14-16
3. Raised the widow's son from the dead	1 Kings 17:22-23
4. Defeated the prophets of Baal with fire from heaven	1 Kings 18:25-38
5. Brought rain to end the drought	1 Kings 18:41-45
6. Destroyed 51 soldiers with fire and lightening	2 Kings 1:9-10
7. Destroyed another 51 soldiers with fire and lightening	2 Kings 1:11-12
8. Parted the waters of the Jordan River	2 Kings 2:8

Elisha's 16 miracles
Miracle	Reference
1. Parted the waters of the Jordan River	2 Kings 2:14
2. Purified water	2 Kings 2:19-22
3. Sent bears to ravage his attackers	2 Kings 2:23-24
4. Caused a flood to save Israel and to foil the Moabites	2 Kings 3:14-25
5. Made a miraculous flow of oil for a widow	2 Kings 4:2-7
6. Gave fertility to the woman of Shunem	2 Kings 4:8-17
7. Raised a child from the dead	2 Kings 4:32-37
8. Purified poisoned soup	2 Kings 4:38-41
9. Multiplied loaves to feed a large crowd	2 Kings 4:42-44
10. Healed Naaman of leprosy	2 Kings 5:1-19
11. Gehazi cursed with leprosy	2 Kings 5:20-27
12. Made an iron axe head float	2 Kings 6:1-7
13. Struck the Aramaeans blind	2 Kings 6:18
14. Prophesied the end of the Aramaean siege	2 Kings 7:1-20
15. Prophesied the death of Ben-Hadad and the rise of Hazael	2 Kings 8:7-15
16. Prophesied Israel would defeat Aram	2 Kings 13:14-19