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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

1 Kings 19:20-21

1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 Kings 19:20 Let me kiss my father and my mother. Elisha immediately leaves his normal employment to follow his new mentor, pausing only briefly to cut his ties with his old life. He kisses his parents goodbye and destroys his old means of financial support (the 12 yoke of oxen and... the yokes of the oxen that control them), symbolizing that he has abandoned home and income for the Lord.

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See also 1 Kings 19:20-21 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 1 Kings 19:20. _LET ME - KISS MY FATHER AND MY MOTHER_] Elisha fully understood that he was called by this ceremony to the prophetic office: and it is evident that he conferred not with flesh an...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    LET ME, I PRAY THEE, KISS MY FATHER ... - Not an unnatural request before following his new spiritual father. Elijah sees in his address a divided heart, and will not give the permission or accept the...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    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

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    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 Be...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    WHAT HAVE. DONE. ? Figure of speech _Erotesis_ (App-6), or "what is the meaning of what. did? ...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _kiss my father and my mother_ He was sensible that the separation was to be permanent, and that a higher call than that of earthly parentage was laid upon him. This is the ground for his petition. Th...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    FOR WHAT HAVE I DONE TO THEE?— It seems very difficult to give any satisfactory explanation of these words as they stand in our version. They might be rendered _for I have done something to thee:_ Eli...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    C. ELIJAH'S CALL OF A SUCCESSOR 19:19-21 TRANSLATION (19) And he went from there, and found Elisha son of Shaphat while he was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    ELIJAH AT HOREB 2. Then Jezebel sent, etc.] Her religious feelings as a votary of Baal and her dignity as the queen had both been outraged by the prophet, and she at once sought revenge....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    WHAT HAVE I DONE TO THEE?] whatever sacrifice was involved in the prophetic call was to be made ungrudgingly. Elijah, like our Lord, would have no half-hearted service: cp. Luke 9:59....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S LESSONS FROM HISTORY 1 KINGS _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 19 GOD SPEAKS TO ELIJAH AT *MOUNT SINAI V1 Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done. He also told her that Elijah had killed al...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    LET ME, I PRAY THEE. — It is impossible not to compare this with the similar request made to our Lord (Luke 9:61) by one who declared readiness to follow Him. The comparison suggests that the answer o...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יַּעֲזֹ֣ב אֶת ־הַ בָּקָ֗ר וַ יָּ֨רָץ֙

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE CALL OF ELISHA 1 Kings 19:19 "The one remains, the many change and pass; Heaven's light alone remains, earth's shadows flee." - SHELLEY WHETHER Elijah saw or saw not all that God had meant by...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    APPOINTING JEHOVAH'S INSTRUMENTS 1 Kings 19:15 Elijah was never reinstated in quite the position that he had occupied before his fatal flight. True, he was bidden to return, and work was given him to...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The slaughter of the prophets of Baal aroused the ire of Jezebel to such a degree that she sent a direct message full of fury to Elijah. There is no escaping the sadness of his attitude on receiving t...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, (i) 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...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Kiss, and bid them adieu. (Menochius) --- To thee. I have no farther orders. Obey the Spirit of God. Hoc age. Hebrew, "for what have I done to thee?" Did I require thee to follow me? Act as God may d...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (19) В¶ 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...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The days were very dark in Israel. Not only rebellion. And rebellion, always serious, was peculiarly so in Israel, for there it was insubordination in a direct manner against not only God's providence...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Until now the prophet had stood before Jehovah (1 Kings 17:1; 1 Kings 18:15) and had spoken in His name; but now, terrified by the threats of Jezebel, he flees from the dangers of the place into which...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND HE LEFT THE OXEN, AND RAN AFTER ELIJAH,.... His heart being touched by the Lord at the same time, and his mind enlightened to understand what was meant by that action: AND SAID, LET ME, I PRAY TH...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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 the...

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    1 Kin. 19:20, 21. See Matthew 24:17; Matthew 24:18. The truth with respect to what is related in these verses probably was thus: - Elijah was directed by the Spirit of God to cast his mantle on Elisha...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _He left the oxen and ran after Elijah_ Being powerfully moved to follow him, and wholly give himself up to his function. _And said _ Or, _but he said_, or, _yet he said, Let me kiss my father_, &c. T...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Eliiah threatned by Iezebel, fleeth to Beersheba, 4 In the wildernesse being wearie of his life, is comforted by an Angel. 9 At Horeb God appeareth vnto him, sending him to anoint Hazael, Iehu, an...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And he, understanding the significance of this act, LEFT THE OXEN, AND RAN AFTER ELIJAH, AND SAID, LET ME, I PRAY THEE, KISS MY FATHER AND MY MOTHER, in saying farewell to them, AND THEN I WILL FOLLOW...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Elijah Receives the Lord's Commission...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    ELIJAH FLEEING FROM JEZEBEL (vs.1-10) When Ahab informed his wife Jezebel of Elijah's having brought down the fire of God to consume his sacrifice, of the slaughter of the prophets of Baal and the an...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    GO BACK AGAIN: _ Heb._ go return...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    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 husban...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    HE RAN AFTER ELIJAH; being powerfully moved by God's Spirit to follow Elijah, and wholly to give up himself to his affection. AND SAID; or, _but he said_; or, _yet he said_. LET ME KISS MY FATHER AND...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Kings 19:20 left H5800 (H8799) oxen H1241 ran H7323 (H8799) after H310 Elijah H452 said H559 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE CALL OF ELISHA (1 KINGS 19:19). In obedience to YHWH's command Elijah then went to seek out Elisha as his successor. Arriving at the field where Elisha was ploughing he threw his robe over him. El...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: God's care of His overwrought prophet. Call of Elisha. CHARACTERS: God, Elijah, Jezebel, Elisha. CONCLUSION: Even though we faint in our faith, God abideth faithful. The best thing for a d...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Kings 19:2. _Jezebel_ swore to destroy Elijah. Ahab would perhaps have received the prophet as his monitor and guide, had it not been for this woman, now given over to a reprobate mind. 1 Kings 19:1...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And found Elisha._ THE HUSBANDMAN OF ABEL-MEHOLAH I. A marked characteristic of Elisha was, contentment with his position and willingness to fulfil its duties, however humble. How few, possessed of...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And He said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord._ ELIJAH’S VISION I. The man himself. A great craggy soul that towers above the men of his age--his head wreathed in the glories of h...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.— 1 Kings 19:20. GO BACK AGAIN; for what, &c.—לֵךְ שׁוב. Luther renders, “Go (to thy parents), and come (then) again.” (_Keil_) “Go, but return soon, for it is a great t...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    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...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    So Ahab told his wife Jezebel the whole story of what had happened, what Elijah did, and how he killed all of her prophets with the sword. And Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, and she said, So let...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Acts 20:37; Luke 9:61; Luke 9:62; Matthew 19:27; Matthew 4:20;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    ELIJAH FLEEING FOR HIS LIFE 1 Kings 19:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS 1. The story of the slaughter of the prophets of Baal. The people fell on their faces as soon as they saw that God consumed the sacrifice...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    He ran — Being powerfully moved by God's spirit to follow Elijah, and wholly give up himself to his function. Let me kiss — That is, bid them farewell. Go — And take thy leave of them, and then return...

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