1 Kings 19:21 (ASV)

Passage

And he returned from following him, and took the 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.

Nearby Context

1 Kings 19:19 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 over unto him, and cast his mantle upon him.

1 Kings 19:20 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?

1 Kings 19:21 And he returned from following him, and took the 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.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "returned", "following", "took", "yoke", "oxen", "slew", "boiled", and "flesh". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "returned" and "following", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The prior verse says "And he left the oxen and ran...", giving immediate footing for "returned" and "following". In 1 Kings context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "returned" and "following" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.