God’s Word Translation
1 Kings 19:19
19Elijah found Elisha, son of Shaphat. Elisha was plowing behind 12 pairs of oxen. He was using the twelfth pair. Elijah took off his coat and put it on Elisha.
1 Kings 19:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him.
Context of 1 Kings 19:19
17If anyone escapes from Hazael’s sword, Jehu will kill him. And if anyone escapes from Jehu’s sword, Elisha will kill him. 18But I still have 7,000 people in Israel whose knees have not knelt to worship Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.” Elijah found Elisha, son of Shaphat. Elisha was plowing behind 12 pairs of oxen. He was using the twelfth pair. Elijah took off his coat and put it on Elisha. 20So Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye. Then I will follow you.” “Go back,” Elijah answered him. “I’m not stopping you.” 21Elisha left him, took two oxen, and butchered them. He boiled the meat, using the oxen’s yoke ⌞for firewood⌟. He gave the meat to the people to eat. Then he left to follow and assist Elijah.
Read all of 1 Kings 191 Kings 19:19 word by word
וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ מִ֠שָּׁם וַיִּמְצָ֞א אֶת־אֱלִישָׁ֤ע בֶּן־שָׁפָט֙ וְה֣וּא חֹרֵ֔שׁ שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֤ר צְמָדִים֙ לְפָנָ֔יו וְה֖וּא בִּשְׁנֵ֣ים הֶעָשָׂ֑ר וַיַּעֲבֹ֤ר אֵלִיָּ֙הוּ֙ אֵלָ֔יו וַיַּשְׁלֵ֥ךְ אַדַּרְתּ֖וֹ אֵלָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- So he departedיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- thence, and foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- Elishaאֱלִישָׁע'ĕlîyshâ‛ · ElishaH477
- the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Shaphatשָׁפָטshâphâţ · ShaphatH8202
- plowingחָרַשׁchârash · to plow/plotH2790
- twelveעָשָׂר‛âώâr · tenH6240
- twelveשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- yokeצֶ֫מֶדtsemed · pairH6776
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- and Elijahאֵלִיָּה'êlîyâh 'êlîyâhû · ElijahH452
- passedעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
- by him, and castשָׁלַךְshâlak · to throwH7993
- his mantleאַדֶּ֫רֶת'addereth · clothingH155
Cross-references for 1 Kings 19:19
- 1 Kings 19:16Anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, as king of Israel. And anoint Elisha, son of Shaphat, from Abel Meholah as prophet to take your place.
- Exodus 3:1Moses was taking care of the sheep of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. As he led the sheep to the far side of the desert, he came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
- Judges 6:11The Messenger of the Lord came and sat under the oak tree in Ophrah that belonged to Joash from Abiezer’s family. Joash’s son Gideon was beating out wheat in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites.
- Psalms 78:70He chose his servant David. He took him from the sheep pens.
- Amos 7:14Amos responded, “I’m not a prophet, and I’m not a disciple of the prophets. I am a rancher and a grower of figs.
- Zechariah 13:5He will say, ‘I am not a prophet. I’m a farmer. I’ve owned this land since I was a child.’
- Matthew 4:18As he was walking along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew. They were throwing a net into the sea because they were fishermen.
- 1 Kings 19:13When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his coat, went out, and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then the voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
- 1 Samuel 28:14“In what form?” he asked her. She answered, “An old man is coming up, and he’s wearing a robe.” Then Saul knew it was Samuel. Saul knelt down with his face touching the ground.
- 2 Kings 2:8Elijah took his coat, rolled it up, and struck the water with it. The water divided to their left and their right, and the two men crossed ⌞the river⌟ on dry ground.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 19:19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Twelve yoke of oxen - Elisha must have had a considerable estate, when he kept twelve yoke of oxen to till the ground. If, therefore, he obeyed the prophetic call, he did it to considerable secular loss. He with the twelfth - Every owner of an inheritance among the Hebrews, and indeed among the ancients in general, was a principal agent in its cultivation. Cast his mantle upon him - Either this was a ceremony used in a call to the prophetic office, or it…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19Plowing - Elisha‘s occupation is an indication of his character. He is emphatically a man of peace. He passes the year in those rural occupations which are natural to the son of a wealthy yeoman - superintending the field-laborers himself, and taking a share in their toils. He thus presents a strong contrast to the stern, harsh, rugged Gileadite, who is almost half an Arab, who seems to have no settled home, no quiet family circle, who avoids the haunts…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-21Verses 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…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19Twelve teams of oxen suggest that Elisha's family was rich. Elisha knew that Elijah's power from God would pass to him with the prophet's cloak.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. Elisha the son of Shaphat--Most probably he belonged to a family distinguished for piety, and for their opposition to the prevailing calf-worship. ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen--indicating that he was a man of substance. Elijah ... cast his mantle upon him--This was an investiture with the prophetic office. It is in this way that the Brahmins, the Persian Sufis, and other priestly or sacred characters in the East are appointed--a mantle being, by…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 19:19
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Kings 19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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