< 1 Kings 19 >
1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and also how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.
3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life. And he came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.
4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree. And he requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is enough, now, O Jehovah, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.
5 And he lay down and slept under a juniper tree, and, behold, an agent touched him, and said to him, Arise and eat.
6 And he looked, and, behold, there was at his head a cake baked on the coals, and a cruse of water. And he ate and drank, and laid him down again.
7 And the agent of Jehovah came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat because the journey is too great for thee.
8 And he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.
9 And he came to a cave there, and lodged there. And, behold, the word of Jehovah came to him, and he said to him, What are thou doing here, Elijah?
10 And he said, I have been very jealous for Jehovah, the God of hosts. For the sons of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword. And I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.
11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before Jehovah. And, behold, Jehovah passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before Jehovah, but Jehovah was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but Jehovah was not in the earthquake.
12 And after the earthquake a fire, but Jehovah was not in the fire. And after the fire a still small voice.
13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice to him, and said, What are thou doing here, Elijah?
14 And he said, I have been very jealous for Jehovah, the God of hosts. For the sons of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword. And I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life to take it away.
15 And Jehovah said to him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when thou come, thou shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.
16 And thou shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi to be king over Israel. And thou shall anoint Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah to be prophet in thy place.
17 And it shall come to pass, that he who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill. And he who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill.
18 Yet I have reserved for me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him.
19 So he departed from there, 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 over to him, and cast his mantle upon him.
20 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 to him, Go back again, for what have I done to thee?
21 And he returned from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, and killed them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered to him.
