He left the oxen: The pronoun he refers to Elisha and this should be made clear in translation as a number of English versions have done (Good News Translation, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, New Living Translation).

Ran after Elijah: The Hebrew does not state explicitly that Elijah had continued on his way, but he must have since Elisha ran after him.

The subject of the first verb said is Elisha, but the subject of the second verb said is Elijah. Translators need to be sure that it is clear in the receptor language who is speaking in both halves of this verse. They may also consider translating the second occurrence of said as “answered” since it is in the context of a dialogue.

Let me kiss my father and my mother: In the Old Testament, kissing was sometimes part of a farewell expression (Gen 31.28). Good News Translation, New Living Translation, and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh make the purpose of the kissing explicit by adding “good-by[e].” The first edition of Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch omits the specific form in which Elisha says good-bye and states “Let me say farewell to my parents.” In languages where kissing is not a part of the culture, a rendering such as that in Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch may be an acceptable translation. Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation keep the form of the Hebrew in saying my father and my mother. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says simply “my parents.” In some languages it may be unnatural to mention the father before the mother. In such cases it is legitimate to translate “my mother and my father.” Verse 21 does not actually say that Elisha said good-bye to his parents, but that is probably to be understood. Note that after the verb kiss the Hebrew text contains the particle of entreaty, which is often translated “I pray” or “please.”

Go back again; for what have I done to you?: Go back again is literally “Go. Return.” These words and those that follow may be interpreted two different ways, as the footnote in Good News Translation indicates. They may mean (a) “All right, go back. I’m not stopping you,” which suggests some disapproval by Elijah who tells Elisha he may return to his home and stay there; or they may mean (b) “Go on, but come back, because what I have just done to you is important.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .