1 Kings 19:19

19 Therefore Elijah went forth from thence, and found Elisha, the son of Shaphat, earing in twelve yokes of oxen; and he was one in the twelve yokes of oxen, earing. And when Elijah had come to him, Elijah casted his mantle upon him. (And so Elijah went forth from there, and found Elisha, the son of Shaphat, plowing with twelve yokes of oxen; and he was plowing alongside the twelfth yoke of them. And when Elijah had come to him, he threw his mantle upon him.)

1 Kings 19:19 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 19:19

So he departed thence
From Mount Horeb, and came to Abelmeholah, which Bunting computes ^F26 at one hundred and fifty six miles:

and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was ploughing with twelve yoke
of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth;
which may be understood either of twelve couple of oxen drawing one plough; which was a large number, but will not seem strange when it is observed, that Abelmeholah, where Elisha was ploughing, lay in the vale of Jordan, which was a clayey stiff ground, and required such a number of oxen to plough it up, especially at the first tilling of it, as this might be {a}; compare ( 1 Kings 4:12 ) ( 7:46 ) A late traveller ^F2 observes, that at Damegraed, in upper Egypt on the Nile, six oxen yoked to plough had a great deal of difficulty to turn up the ground; or else, as the Jewish writers generally understand it, there were twelve ploughs, and a yoke of oxen to each, and a ploughman to attend everyone, and Elisha attended the twelfth; or was with one of the twelve, as the Targum, and might have the oversight of them all; Kimchi thinks, and so Abarbiuel after him, that this signified that he should be leader of the twelve tribes of Israel: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him;
the skirts of it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F26 Travels p. 204.
F1 See Fuller's Pisgah-Sight B. 2. ch. 8. p. 175.
F2 Norden's Travels in Egypt and Arabia, vol. 2. p. 85.

1 Kings 19:19 In-Context

17 And it shall be, whoever shall flee the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall slay him; and whoever shall flee the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall slay him.

18 And I shall leave to me in Israel seven thousand of men, of which the knees be not bowed before Baal, and each mouth that worshipped not him, and kissed not his hand. (But I shall leave for me seven thousand men in Israel, who have not bowed their knees before Baal, and whose mouths have not worshipped him, nor kissed his hand.)

19 Therefore Elijah went forth from thence, and found Elisha, the son of Shaphat, earing in twelve yokes of oxen; and he was one in the twelve yokes of oxen, earing. And when Elijah had come to him, Elijah casted his mantle upon him. (And so Elijah went forth from there, and found Elisha, the son of Shaphat, plowing with twelve yokes of oxen; and he was plowing alongside the twelfth yoke of them. And when Elijah had come to him, he threw his mantle upon him.)

20 And he ran anon after Elijah, when the oxen were left, and said, I pray thee, kiss I my father and my mother, and so I shall follow thee. And Elijah said to him, Go thou, and turn again, for I have done to thee that that was mine (to do). (And leaving the oxen behind, Elisha ran at once after Elijah, and said, I pray thee, let me kiss my father and my mother good-bye, and then I shall follow thee. And Elijah said to him, Go thou, and return, for I have done to thee what was mine to do.)

21 Soothly he turned again from Elijah, and took twain oxen, and killed them; and with the plow of the oxen he seethed the flesh, and gave (the meat) to the people, and they ate; and he rose (and then he rose up), and went, and followed Elijah, and ministered to him.