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._ Took a yoke of oxen - i:e., not above three years of age (1 Kings 1:9; Proverbs 15:17; Proverbs 22:13), either stall-fed or taken fresh from the pastures (1 Kings 4:23). Such a large preparation of animal food was reserved for festive occasions, and all the friends and domestics partook in succession of the viands. Having hastily prepared ...

19-21 Elijah found Elisha by Divine direction, not in the schools of the prophets, but in the field; not reading, or praying, or sacrificing, but ploughing. Idleness is no man's honour, nor is husbandry any man's disgrace. An honest calling in the world, does not put us out of the way of our heavenly calling, any more than it did Elisha. His heart was touched by the Holy Spirit, and he was ready to leave all to attend Elijah. It is in a day of power that Christ's subjects are made willing; nor would any come to Christ unless they were thus drawn. It was a discouraging time for prophets to set out in. A man that had consulted with flesh and blood, would not be fond of Elijah's mantle; yet Elisha cheerfully leaves all to accompany him. When the Saviour said to one and to another, Follow me, the dearest friends and most profitable occupations were cheerfully left, and the most arduous duti...

Verse 1 Kings 19:21. _HE RETURNED BACK_] He went home to his house; probably he yet lived with his parents, for it appears he was a single man: and _he slew a yoke of the oxen _- he made a feast for his household, having boiled the flesh of the oxen with his agricultural implements, probably in token that he had _abandoned_ secular life: then, having bidden them an affectionate farewell, he arose, went after Elijah, who probably still awaited his coming in the field or its vicinity, and ministered unto him. ON the call of Elisha, I may make a few remarks. 1. Elijah is commanded, 1 Kings 19:16, to _anoint_ Elisha prophet in his room. Though it is generally believed that _kings, priests_, and _prophets_, were inaugurated into their respectiv

Elisha returns to his oxen and laborers. He indicates his relinquishment of his home and calling by the slaughter of the particular yoke of oxen with which he had himself been plowing, probably the best beasts of the twelve, and by burning the “instruments,” the p oughs and yokes, both made of wood. Next he feasts his people to show his gratitude for his call, Elijah apparently remaining the while; and then, leaving father and mother, cattle and land, good position and comfortable home, Elisha became the “minister” to the wanderer. Compare Exodus 24:13; Joshua 1:1....

EXPOSITION ELIJAH'S FLIGHT THE THEOPHANY OF HOREB AND THE CALLING OF ELISHA.—We can readily understand with what a sense of humiliation and shame the weak and excited king, who must have been awed and impressed by the strange portent he had witnessed, would recount the day's proceedings to his imperious and headstrong consort, and with what intense mortification and rage she must have heard of the triumph of the proscribed religion and of the defeat and death of the priests of Baal. One might almost have expected that the testimony of an eyewitness, and that her husband, to the greatness and completeness of Elijah's victory; that his unprejudiced, and indeed unwilling, account of the sacrifices, of the descent of the heavenly fire, of the cries it wrung from the people, etc; w

AND HE RETURNED BACK FROM HIM,.... To his father's house, and took his leave, and then came back into the field, perhaps with others accompanying him: AND TOOK A YOKE OF OXEN AND SLEW THEM, AND BOILED THEIR FLESH WITH THE INSTRUMENTS OF THE OXEN: their yokes, and the plough, with an addition of other things sufficient to boil them: AND GAVE UNTO THE PEOPLE, AND THEY DID EAT; the ploughmen and others that came together on this occasion; he made a feast for them, to express his joy at being called to such service he was: THEN HE AROSE AND WENT AFTER ELIJAH; left his worldly employment, the riches he was heir to, his parents, and his friends, and followed the prophet: AND MINISTERED UNTO HIM; became his servant, whereby he attained to great knowledge and understanding of divine things, and was trained up to the prophetic office, which he was invested with upon the removal of Elijah; see...

3. ELIJAH IN THE WILDERNESS AND UPON MOUNT HOREB CHAPTER 19 _ 1. Elijah's flight and despondency (1 Kings 19:1)_ 2. Upon Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:9) 3. Elisha called (1 Kings 19:10) Elijah perhaps stopped at the very door of the palace where wicked Jezebel dwelt. He would remain with Ahab to the very last before he went in to face the queen. Should not Elijah have remained and gone even before Jezebel to bear his testimony? Instead he becomes terrified of wicked Jezebel. Had he hoped that what had taken place on Carmel would result in bringing not alone Ahab back to Jehovah, but also influence Jezebel? If such was his expectation he must have been bitterly disappointed. Jezebel s

1 Kings 19:1. ELIJAH'S FLIGHT TO HOREB. HIS COMMISSION. Jezebel, it will be noticed, can do no more than threaten Elijah: her power is limited. Elijah escapes to the southern extremity of Judah, to Beersheba, a sacred place of pilgrimage frequented (Amos 5:5; Amos 8:14) even by N. Israelites. In the desert, under a juniper or broom tree, he received his vision (1 Kings 19:5), and went to Horeb, the Mount of God. Horeb is Sinai: the name is employed in the N. Israelite Hexateuchal narrative E and in Deuteronomy. It was supposed to be Yahweh's special dwelling-place (Judges 5:4;

INSTRUMENTS. implements. Compare 2 Samuel 24:22....

_And he returned back from_[R.V. FROM FOLLOWING] _him_ Elisha clearly understood the permission which was given to him. He is allowed a short space for leave-taking, but the call is imperative, and he is to follow with all speed. Elijah goes his way, but leaves Elisha in no doubt whither he is going, and where he may be found. _and took a_[R.V. THE] _yoke of oxen_ The language in the original is definite, and no doubt refers to the particular pair of oxen which Elisha had himself been using. _and boiled their flesh_ Thus he made a farewell feast to those with whom he had been working. Having a true conception of the great duty to which he was called, he would have them rejoice, and not sorrow, at his departure. _and gave unto the people_ i.e. The plowmen, and other helpers in the work which they had been doing. There is nothing to guide us in deciding whether the feast was made at the...