1 Kings 19:15-21

Expanded Bible

¹⁵ The Lord said to him, “Go back on the road that leads to the ·desert [wilderness] around Damascus. Enter that city, and ·pour olive oil on [^Lanoint] Hazael to make him king over Aram [2 Kin. 8:7–15]. ¹⁶ Then ·pour oil on [^Lanoint] Jehu son of Nimshi to make him king over Israel [2 Kin. 9:1–13]. Next, ·pour oil on [^Lanoint] Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to ·make him a prophet in your place [succeed you as prophet; 2 Kin. 2:1–18]. ¹⁷ Jehu will kill anyone who escapes from Hazael’s sword, and Elisha will kill anyone who escapes from Jehu’s sword. ¹⁸ I ·have left [or will preserve/spare/leave] seven thousand people in Israel who have never bowed down before Baal and whose mouths have never kissed ·his idol [^Lhim].”

Elisha Becomes a Prophet

¹⁹ So Elijah left that place and found Elisha son of Shaphat plowing a field with ·a team of oxen. He owned twelve teams of oxen and was plowing with the twelfth team [or twelve teams of oxen, and he with the twelfth]. Elijah came up to Elisha, took off his ·coat [^Tmantle], and put it on Elisha. ²⁰ Then Elisha left his oxen and ran to follow Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and my mother good-bye,” Elisha said. “Then I will go with you.”

Elijah answered, “Go back. ·It does not matter to me [For what have I done to you?; or But consider what I have done to you].”

²¹ So Elisha went back and took his pair of oxen and ·killed [slaughtered; sacrificed] them. He used ·their wooden yoke [the plowing gear] for a fire [^Csymbolizing his turning from farming to a new calling as a prophet]. Then he cooked the meat and gave it to the people. After they ate it, Elisha left and followed Elijah and became his ·helper [servant; assistant].