The Call of Elisha

¹⁹ So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak^(A) around him. ²⁰ Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,”^(B) he said, “and then I will come with you.”

“Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?”

²¹ So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen^(C) and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.^(D)

Oaths

³³ “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath,^(A) but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’^{(B) 34} But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all:^(C) either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;^{(D) 35} or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.^{(E) 36} And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. ³⁷ All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’;^(F) anything beyond this comes from the evil one.^[a](G)