God likes some moxy!

[arcticmonster2003]

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 by him, and cast his mantle upon him.


I think this verse gets lost in translation due to technology and the fact that most people don't farm much anymore. I can only imagine that controlling a single ox while plowing would be a challenge for most of us today or then in Elisha's time, much less 12 yoke. There is a reason this is written in detail. My dad actually pointed this out to me recently, he said it is hard enough to plow with a single donkey.

Funny how the word has much meaning that isn't often noticed. I love it when new meaning in the scriptures a given to me!

[Tony N]

And it is possible that each ox represented a tribe of Israel and they were all plowing by the hand of a great prophet and were to bring forth fruit from their labors and yet they were all sacrificed? Hmmm.

[lovetruth]

i also noticed he was plowing "with the twelveth" rather than just driving them.

elisha gave up his whole system of functioning to which he had fully dedicated himself to follow the leading of the Spirit of God.