Bible Strands
1 Kings 19:21
So Elisha turned back from him, took his pair of oxen, and slaughtered them. Using the oxen’s equipment for fuel, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow and serve Elijah.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Elisha responds to Elijah’s command to return after requesting a farewell. He acts at the plowing field, immediately addressing his agricultural livelihood.
The words — The narrative emphasizes וַ/יָּ֨שָׁב (va/i.Ya.shov, “he turned back”) and וַ/יִּזְבָּחֵ֗/הוּ (va/i.yiz.ba.Che./hu, “he sacrificed it”), framing the moment as a deliberate reversal from pursuit to destruction.
The thread — The text parallels the immediate departure of Levi in Luke 5:28 and the provision of oxen for sacrifice in 2 Samuel 24:22.
Why it lands — The verse records the physical slaughter of draft animals and the burning of their harness to feed the crowd. It demands a visible, irreversible break from prior economic ties before assuming a new calling.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.
Cross-references
- 2 Samuel 24:22 Araunah said to David, “May my lord the king take whatever seems good to him and offer it up. Here are the oxen for a burnt offering and the threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood.
- Exodus 24:13 So Moses set out with Joshua his attendant and went up on the mountain of God.
- Luke 5:28 and Levi got up, left everything, and followed Him.
- 2 Timothy 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is useful to me in the ministry.
- Philemon 1:13 I would have liked to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he could minister to me in my chains for the gospel.
- Numbers 27:18 And the LORD replied to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man with the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him.
- 1 Kings 18:43 “Go and look toward the sea,” he said to his servant. So the servant went and looked, and he said, “There is nothing there.” Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”
- 2 Kings 2:3 Then the sons of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the LORD will take your master away from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he replied. “Do not speak of it.”
- 2 Kings 3:11 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here? Let us inquire of the LORD through him.” And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.”
- Acts 13:5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. And John was with them as their helper.