Elijah Part 9 – How Does Elisha Respond When Elijah Anoints Him?

Elisha left the oxen standing there, [and] ran after Elijah…
1 Kings 19:20 a

In His kindness, God gave Elijah a new assignment. It was different from his previous ones. This time, God told him to go back the way he had come and anoint three people.

Elijah’s first stop was to anoint Elisha.

Elijah had been running and ended up in a cave at Horeb, the Mountain of God. There, God asked what he was doing there. Elijah’s answer was quite pessimistic because he was weary, depressed, and feeling alone.

So, God’s response to Elijah’s answer was to send him back with a new task.

God also told him there were seven thousand in Israel who didn’t worship Baal, and hearing this may have been what Elijah needed to do what the Lord was asking.

Elijah Finds Elisha

Elijah left there and found Elisha son of Shaphat… (1 Kings 19:19 a)

Elijah left Horeb and began the long trek to Damascus. On the way, he stopped in Abel-Meholah to find Elisha. When he found him, Elisha was plowing a field with twelve teams of oxen in front of him.

Having twelve teams of oxen tells us that Elisha was a farmer of significant means. His family would have owned lots of land.

There were also twelve drivers, one for each team, and Elisha was with the last team. He would have received all the dust and grime from the teams plowing ahead of him. This tells us that Elisha was a hard and humble worker rather than one living a life of privilege.

Elisha’s name means “My God is salvation,” and this man would be the next major prophet to the northern kingdom of Israel.

Elijah throws His Mantle Over Elisha

…Elijah walked by him and threw his mantle over him. (1 Kings 19:19 b)

As Elisha was plowing, Elijah walked by him and threw his mantle (or cloak) over him. Then he kept walking.

In the Old Testament, priests (Ex 28:41) and kings (1 Sam 10:1) were typically the ones anointed. Anointing was done by pouring oil over the head as a symbolic act, designating them for a specific role.

There are no other examples in the Old Testament of a prophet being anointed besides Elisha. But judging by Elisha’s reaction to Elijah’s actions, he understood that the mantle being thrown over him meant he was being anointed as the next prophet.

It, too, was a symbolic act (like pouring oil on the head) showing that prophetic power and authority were being passed from one man to another.

The anointing did not mean Elisha was replacing Elijah right away. Rather, Elijah was inviting Elisha to follow him and learn.

Elisha Asks to Say Goodbye to His Family

…”Please let me kiss my father and mother, and then I will follow you.” (1 Kings 19:20 b)

Elisha immediately stopped his plowing and went after Elijah, indicating that he wanted to follow Elijah and enter the prophetic ministry.

Elisha’s only request was for Elijah to let him first say goodbye to his family before going with him.

Elijah’s reply, “Go on back, for what have I done to you?” was a curious thing for him to say. His meaning is unclear, as evidenced by the many interpretations I found in my research. Here are four:

• Elijah’s reply is an idiom meaning, “Do as you please” or “What have I done to stop you?” (Thomas L. Constable. The Bible Knowledge Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1986 p. 529)
• Elijah took offense at what Elisha requested and essentially said, “If you go back to say goodbye, you aren’t serious about following me, and I don’t want you.” This meaning is taken from how Jesus responded to the one who requested to say goodbye to his family before following Him in Luke 9:61-62. (Dr. Bill Creasy, The One Year Bible on Audible, Ch 35 at the 12 min mark)
• Elijah’s reply meant, “By all means, go and do what you must do. My assignment from God has been carried out.” (W. Phillip Keller. Elijah, Prophet of Power. Waco, TX: Word Books, 1980 p. 132)
• Elijah replied, “Go on back, but think about what I have done to you” (NLT). In other words, Elisha was given the okay to say goodbye to his family but encouraged to also consider the significance of the mantle being thrown over him and the cost of leaving to follow him.

As you can see, each meaning is somewhat different. But we know that Elisha returned to his oxen in the field and did something significant.

Elisha Seals His Decision

So he…took the team of oxen and slaughtered them… (1 Kings 19:21 a)

Elisha used the wood from the plow to build a fire. He slaughtered his oxen and roasted them in the fire. He shared the meat from the oxen with his friends and family, and everyone ate.

He said goodbye, not only to his father and mother as he had asked, but to everyone he knew. He threw a farewell party because he didn’t know when he would see them again.

This act was significant because it meant that Elisha was leaving everything behind—his family, friends, farm, livelihood, and wealth.

Elisha sealed his decision to go with Elijah and become his attendant and protege.

Elisha Follows Elijah

…Then he left, followed Elijah, and served him. (1 Kings 19:21 b)

Elijah had felt alone after the showdown at Mount Carmel and ran away. God had sent the rain after three and a half years because the people had acknowledged that the Lord was God, but Elijah didn’t trust they would remain faithful.

However, things had changed. Elijah now knew of seven thousand in Israel who worshiped the Lord. He had a companion who wanted to serve God and learn all he could about being a prophet. He no longer had any reason to feel alone and every reason to believe God was still working.

What if Elisha had been at the showdown and was one of the people who acknowledged that the Lord is God and not Baal? Maybe he was in such awe of God and thought, “I would jump at the chance to serve the Lord like Elijah if I got the opportunity.”

And here he was, following and serving Elijah now so he could later serve God as His prophet.

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What We Can Learn

Elisha had to give up everything to follow Elijah. He left his family and his livelihood behind.

The New Testament calls believers to give up everything to follow Jesus. This may not mean leaving your family and livelihood behind, but sometimes it does.

Leaving family behind is not the same as cutting off all ties with them. A missionary called to serve in another country must leave extended family behind but not sever ties with them.

However, if God calls you to serve Him in full-time ministry, you will most likely have to give up your career if you have one.

We are told to:

• Count the cost of following Jesus (Lk 14:25-33) – it requires complete dedication and love for Jesus more than family and self
• Be willing to give up our possessions if they interfere with our commitment to following Jesus, as taught in the parable of the rich young ruler (Mt 19:16-22)
• Separate ourselves from our old way of life, our selfish ways, and be willing to die for the sake of Christ (Lk 9:23-27)
• Place following Jesus above earthly concerns (Lk 9:57-62)

We see this in the life of Paul (Phil 3:7-8) and Moses (Heb 11:24-27).

As you read through Scripture, you will find many who counted the cost and gave up much for their faith in God. These heroes of the faith are our examples in addition to what Jesus taught.

Furthermore, many throughout history have given their lives wholeheartedly to Christ, even to the point of death.

In the Western world, counting the cost of following Jesus is sometimes foreign because we have the freedom to worship as we choose and comfort, making us less dependent on Christ for everyday needs.

However, whatever God asks us to do for the sake of following Christ, He will also give us the grace to do it (Rom 1:5; 1 Cor 15:9-10).

Final Thoughts

Elijah was God’s prophet to the Northern Kingdom and was now told to anoint a successor.

God told Elijah to anoint three men, one of whom was Elisha. Elisha was the one who would replace him as prophet.

When Elijah placed his mantle on Elisha, Elisha seemingly knew what it meant. He was excited to become the next prophet in Elijah’s place and gave up everything to follow this man of God.

The New Testament teaches believers to count the cost of following Jesus, being willing to give up whatever He asks of us.

As a believer, how have you counted the cost of following Jesus?