1 Kings 19:20

Elisha left the oxen standing there and ran after Elijah, and said to him, “I will go with you, but first let me kiss my parents goodbye.” Elijah replied, “Okay, go home. But do not forget why I have given my cloak to you!”

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?

In Context

19So Elijah went to Syria and found Elisha as he was plowing a field with a team of oxen. There were eleven other men who were in front of him, plowing with teams of oxen in the same field. Elijah went to Elisha, and took off his own coat and put it on Elisha, to show Elisha that he wanted him to take his place as a prophet. Then he started to walk away.

21So Elisha went back to his oxen. He killed them and cut them in pieces and used the wood from the plow to build a fire to roast the meat. He distributed the meat to the other people in his town, and they all ate some. Then he went with Elijah and became his helper.

Read all of 1 Kings 19

Cross References

Matthew 4:20They immediately left the work that they were doing with their fishing nets, and they went with him.

Matthew 8:21Another man who was one of Jesus’ disciples said to him, “Sir/Lord, permit me first to go home. After my father dies I will bury him, and then I will come with you.”

Matthew 19:27Then Peter said to him, “You know that we (exc) have left everything behind and we have become your disciples. So what benefit will we get for doing that?”

Acts 20:37They all cried a lot, and they hugged Paul and kissed him.

Matthew Henry on 1 Kings 19:20-21

The Call of Elisha. ( b. c. 901.) 19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. 20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? 21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study 1 Kings 19:20