< 1 Kings 19 >
1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
And Achaab told Jezabel his wife all that Eliu [had] done, and how he [had] slain the prophets with the sword.
2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like the lives of those you killed!”
And Jezabel sent to Eliu, and said, If you are Eliu and I am Jezabel, God do so to me, and more also, if I do not make your life by this time to-morrow as the life of one of them.
3 And Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,
And Eliu feared, and rose, and departed for his life: and he comes to Bersabee [to] the land of Juda, and he left his servant there.
4 while he himself traveled on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”
And he himself went a day's journey in the wilderness, and came and sat under a juniper tree; and asked concerning his life that he might die, and said, Let it be enough now, O Lord, take, I pray you, my life from me; for I am no better than my fathers.
5 Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”
And he lay down and slept there under a tree; and behold, some one touched him, and said to him, Arise and eat.
6 And he looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again.
And Eliu looked, and, behold, at his head there was a cake of meal and a cruse of water; and he arose, and ate and drank, and returned and lay down.
7 A second time the angel of the LORD returned and touched him, saying, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.”
And the angel of the Lord returned again, and touched him, and said to him, Arise, and eat, for the journey [is] far from you.
8 So he got up and ate and drank. And strengthened by that food, he walked forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
And he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights to mount Choreb.
9 There Elijah entered a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
And he entered there into a cave, and rested there; and, behold, the word of the Lord [came] to him, and he said, What [do] you here, Eliu?
10 “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”
And Eliu said, I have been very jealous for the Lord Almighty, because the children of Israel have forsaken you: they have digged down your altars, and have slain your prophets with the sword; and I only am left alone, and they seek my life to take it.
11 Then the LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Behold, the LORD is about to pass by.” And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
And he said, You shall go forth to-morrow, and shall stand before the Lord in the mount; behold, the Lord will pass by. And, behold, a great [and] strong wind rending the mountains, and crushing the rocks before the Lord; [but] the Lord [was] not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake; [but] the Lord [was] not in the earthquake:
12 After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, small voice.
and after the earthquake a fire; [but] the Lord [was] not in the fire: and after the fire the voice of a gentle breeze.
13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
And it came to pass when Eliu heard, that he wrapt his face in his mantle, and went forth and stood in the cave: and, behold, a voice [came] to him and said, What [do] you here, Eliu?
14 “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”
And Eliu said, I have been very jealous for the Lord Almighty; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, and they have overthrown your altars, and have slain your prophets with the sword! and I am left entirely alone, and they seek my life to take it.
15 Then the LORD said to him, “Go back by the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint Hazael as king over Aram.
And the Lord said to him, Go, return, and you shall come into the way of the wilderness of Damascus: and you shall go and anoint Azael to be king over Syria.
16 You are also to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah to succeed you as prophet.
And Ju the son of Namessi shall you anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisaie the son of Saphat shall you anoint to be prophet in your room.
17 Then Jehu will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu.
And it shall come to pass, that him that escapes from the sword of Azael, Ju shall kill; and him that escapes from the sword of Ju, Elisaie shall kill.
18 Nevertheless, I have reserved seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
And you shall leave in Israel seven thousand men, all the knees which had not bowed themselves to Baal, and every mouth which had not worshipped 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.
And he departed thence, and finds Elisaie the son of Saphat, and he was plowing with oxen; [there were] twelve yoke before him, and he with the twelve, and he passed by to him, and cast his mantle upon him.
20 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?”
And Elisaie left the cattle, and ran after Eliu and said, I will kiss my father, and follow after you. And Eliu said, Return, for I have done [a work] for 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.
And he returned from following him, and took a yoke of oxen, and killed them, and boiled them with the instruments of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate: and he arose, and went after Eliu, and ministered to him.