1 Kings 19:21 (DRB)

Passage

And returning back from him, he took a yoke of oxen, and killed them, and boiled the flesh with the plough of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate: and rising up, he went away, and followed Elias, and ministered to him.

Nearby Context

1 Kings 19:19 And Elias departing from thence, found Eliseus, the son of Saphat, ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen: and he was one of them that were ploughing with, twelve yoke of oxen: and when Elias came up to him, he cast his mantle upon him.

1 Kings 19:20 And he forthwith left the oxen, and run after Elias, and said: Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said to him: Go, and return back: for that which was my part, I have done to thee.

1 Kings 19:21 And returning back from him, he took a yoke of oxen, and killed them, and boiled the flesh with the plough of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate: and rising up, he went away, and followed Elias, and ministered to him.

Study Lenses

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

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

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