1 Kings 19:20

18 Nevertheless, I have reserved seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

19 So Elijah departed and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve teams of oxen, and he was with the twelfth team. Elijah passed by him and threw his cloak around him.

So Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and then I will follow you.” “Go on back,” Elijah replied, “for what have I done to you?”

21 So Elisha turned back from him, took his pair of oxen, and slaughtered them. With the oxen’s equipment, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow and serve Elijah.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
So Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and then I will follow you.” “Go on back,” Elijah replied, “for what have I done to you?”
KJV
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?
WEB
Elisha left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, “Let me please kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” He said to him, “Go back again; for what have I done to you?”
ASV
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?
DARBY
And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and I will follow thee. And he said to him, Go back again; for what have I done to thee?
BLB
And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and he said, “Let me kiss, please, my father and my mother, and I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go, turn back, for what have I done to you?”
ÅB
Da forlot han oksene og sprang etter Elias og sa: La meg først få kysse min far og min mor, så vil jeg følge deg! Han svarte: Vel, gå hjem! For hva har jeg vel gjort med deg?
OTB
Da forlot han oksene og løp etter Elia, og sa, "Vær så snill, la meg kysse min far og min mor, så vil jeg følge deg." Og Elia svarte, "Gå tilbake, for hva har jeg gjort med deg?"
B1930
Da forlot han oksene og sprang efter Elias og sa: La mig først få kysse min far og min mor, så vil jeg følge dig! Han svarte: Vel, gå hjem! For hvad har jeg vel gjort med dig?

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references