1 Kings 19:21

1 Kings 19:21

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.

a. ASV: And he returned from following him, and took the 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.

b. YLT: And he turneth back from after him, and taketh the yoke of oxen, and sacrificeth it, and with instruments of the oxen he hath boiled their flesh, and giveth to the people, and they eat, and he riseth, and goeth after Elijah, and serveth him.

c. Amplified Bible Classic: So Elisha went back from him. Then he took a yoke of oxen, slew them, boiled their flesh with the oxen’s yoke [as fuel], and gave to the people, and they ate. Then he arose, followed Elijah, and served him.

d. Septuagint: And he returned from following him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled them with the instruments of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate: and he arose, and went after Eliu, and ministered to him.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: [Elisha] turned back from following him; he took a pair of oxen and slaughtered them. He cooked the meat with the oxen’s instruments and gave [it] to the people, and they ate. He then arose and went after Elijah and ministered unto him.

1. “And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen,

a. [And he] returned back [Strong: 7725 shûwb, shoob; a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again:—((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) × again, (cause to) answer ( again), × in any case (wise), × at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back), cease, × certainly, come again (back), × consider, continually, convert, deliver (again), deny, draw back, fetch home again, × fro, get (oneself) (back) again, × give (again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, × needs, be past, × pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, × surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw.] [The KJV translates Strong's H7725 in the following manner: return (391x), ...again (248x), turn (123x), ...back (65x), ...away (56x), restore (39x), bring (34x), render (19x), answer (18x), recompense (8x), recover (6x), deliver (5x), put (5x), withdraw (5x), requite (4x), miscellaneous (40x).]

b. from [him] [Strong: 310 ʼachar, akh-ar'; from H309; properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses):—after (that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from, hereafter, hinder end, + out (over) live, + persecute, posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, thence(-forth), when, with.] [The KJV translates Strong's H310 in the following manner: after (454x), follow (78x), afterward(s) (46x), behind (44x), miscellaneous (87x).]

c. [and] took [Strong: 3947 lâqach, law-kakh'; a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications):—accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, × many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.] [The KJV translates Strong's H3947 in the following manner: take (747x), receive (61x), take away (51x), fetch (31x), bring (25x), get (6x), take out (6x), carry away (5x), married (4x), buy (3x), miscellaneous (26x).]

d. [a] yoke [Strong: 6776 tsemed, tseh'-med; a yoke or team (i.e. pair); hence, an acre (i.e. day's task for a yoke of cattle to plough)—acre, couple, × together, two (donkeys), yoke (of oxen).] [The KJV translates Strong's H6776 in the following manner: yoke (7x), couple (4x), two (2x), together (1x), acres (1x).]

e. [of] oxen [Strong: 1241 bâqâr, baw-kawr'; from H1239; a beeve or an animal of the ox family of either gender (as used for plowing); collectively, a herd:—beeve, bull (+ -ock), + calf, +cow, great (cattle), + heifer, herd, kine, ox.] [The KJV translates Strong's H1241 in the following manner: ox (78x), herd (44x), beeves (7x), young (18x), young (with H1121) (17x), bullock (6x), bullock (with H1121) (2x), calf (with H1121) (2x), heifer (2x), kine (2x), bulls (1x), cattle (1x), cow's (1x), great (1x).]

2. “...and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen…”

a. [and] slew [them] [Strong: 2076 zâbach, zaw-bakh'; a primitive root; to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice):—kill, offer, (do) sacrifice, slay.] [The KJV translates Strong's H2076 in the following manner: sacrifice (85x), offer (39x), kill (5x), slay (5x).]

b. [and] boiled [Strong: 1310 bâshal, baw-shal'; a primitive root; properly, to boil up; hence, to be done in cooking; figuratively to ripen:—bake, boil, bring forth, roast, seethe, sod (be sodden).] [The KJV translates Strong's H1310 in the following manner: seethe (10x), boil (6x), sod (6x), bake (2x), ripe (2x), roast (2x).]

c. [their] flesh [Strong: 1320 bâsâr, baw-sawr'; from H1319; flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the pudenda of a man:—body, (fat, lean) flesh(-ed), kin, (man-) kind, nakedness, self, skin.] [The KJV translates Strong's H1320 in the following manner: flesh (256x), body (2x), fatfleshed (with H1277) (2x), leanfleshed (with H1851) (2x), kin (2x), leanfleshed (with H7534) (1x), mankind (with H376) (1x), myself (1x), nakedness (1x), skin (1x).]

d. [with the] instruments [Strong: 3627 kᵉlîy, kel-ee'; from H3615; something prepared, i.e. any apparatus (as an implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon):—armour(-bearer), artillery, bag, carriage, furnish, furniture, instrument, jewel, that is made of, × one from another, that which pertaineth, pot, psaltery, sack, stuff, thing, tool, vessel, ware, weapon, whatsoever.]

e. [of the] oxen [Strong: 1241 bâqâr, baw-kawr'; from H1239; a beeve or an animal of the ox family of either gender (as used for plowing); collectively, a herd:—beeve, bull (+ -ock), + calf, +cow, great (cattle), + heifer, herd, kine, ox.] [The KJV translates Strong's H1241 in the following manner: ox (78x), herd (44x), beeves (7x), young (18x), young (with H1121) (17x), bullock (6x), bullock (with H1121) (2x), calf (with H1121) (2x), heifer (2x), kine (2x), bulls (1x), cattle (1x), cow's (1x), great (1x).]

1). We have heard of the phrase to “burn our bridges” and it refers to an attitude of never going back. Here Elisha was burning his bridges, by destroying the means of his former livelihood. I like what Gordon Lindsay wrote in his Old testament Series: “He took the yoke of oxen and slew them, and made a feast for his friends. The call of God was to him a serious matter. Elisha made no provision for the future. If he failed, he would have no yoke of oxen to come back to. His job as plowman was gone forever. It was do or die, sink or swim. The decision was irrevocably made. Elisha kissed his father and mother goodbye and went to join Elijah.”

2). I believe that it was also Gordon Lindsay in his Life and Teachings of Christ Series referred to a statement of Christ concerning commitment to the call of the believer.

a). Luke 9:62   And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

3. “...and gave unto the people, and they did eat…”

a. [and] gave [Strong: 5414 nâthan, naw-than'; a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.):—add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, × avenge, × be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, × doubtless, × without fail, fasten, frame, × get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), × have, × indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), lie, lift up, make, O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, × pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), sing, slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, × surely, × take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, weep, willingly, withdraw, would (to) God, yield.] [The KJV translates Strong's H5414 in the following manner: give (1,078x), put (191x), deliver (174x), made (107x), set (99x), up (26x), lay (22x), grant (21x), suffer (18x), yield (15x), bring (15x), cause (13x), utter (12x), laid (11x), send (11x), recompense (11x), appoint (10x), shew (7x), miscellaneous (167x).]

b. [unto the] people [Strong: 5971  ʻam, am; from H6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock:—folk, men, nation, people.] [The KJV translates Strong's H5971 in the following manner: people (1,836x), nation (17x), people ](with H1121) (4x), folk (2x), Ammi (1x), men (1x), each (1x).]

c. [and they did] eat [Strong: 398 ʼâkal, aw-kal'; a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively):—× at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, × freely, × in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, × quite.] [The KJV translates Strong's H398 in the following manner: eat (604x), devour ](111x), consume (32x), miscellaneous (55x).]

4. “...Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.”

a. [Then he] arose [Strong: 6965 qûwm, koom; a primitive root; to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative):—abide, accomplish, × be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, × be dim, endure, × enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift up (again), make, × but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise (up), rear (up), remain, (a-) rise (up) (again, against), rouse up, set (up), (e-) stablish, (make to) stand (up), stir up, strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure(-ly), (be) up(-hold, -rising).] [The KJV translates Strong's H6965 in the following manner: (stood, rise, etc...) up (240x), arise (211x), raise (47x), establish (27x), stand (27x), perform (25x), confirm (9x), again (5x), set (5x), stablish (3x), surely (3x), continue (3x), sure (2x), abide (1x), accomplish (1x), miscellaneous (19x).]

b. [and] went [Strong: 3212 yâlak, yaw-lak'; a primitive root (compare H1980); to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses):—× again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, pursue, cause to run, spread, take away (-journey), vanish, (cause to) walk(-ing), wax, × be weak.] [The KJV translates Strong's H3212 in the following manner: go (628x), walk (122x), come (77x), depart (66x), ...away (20x), follow (20x), get (14x), lead (17x), brought (8x), carry (5x), bring (4x), miscellaneous (62x).]

c. after [Strong: 310 ʼachar, akh-ar'; from H309; properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses):—after (that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from, hereafter, hinder end, + out (over) live, + persecute, posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, thence(-forth), when, with.] [The KJV translates Strong's H310 in the following manner: after (454x), follow (78x), afterward(s) (46x), behind (44x), miscellaneous (87x).]

d. Elijah [Strong: 452 ʼÊlîyâh, ay-lee-yaw'; or prolonged אֵלִיָּהוּ ʼÊlîyâhûw; from H410 and H3050; God of Jehovah; Elijah, the name of the famous prophet and of two other Israelites:—Elijah, Eliah.] [The KJV translates Strong's H452 in the following manner: Elijah (69x), Eliah (2x).]

e. [and] ministered [unto him] [Strong: 8334 shârath, shaw-rath'; a primitive root; to attend as a menial or worshipper; figuratively, to contribute to:—minister (unto), (do) serve(-ant, -ice, -itor), wait on.] [The KJV translates Strong's H8334 in the following manner: minister (v) (62x), minister (n) (17x), serve (8x), servant (5x), service (3x), servitor (1x), waited (1x).]