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 Achab told Izebel all that Elijah had done, and withal that he had slain all 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!”
Then sent Izebel a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So may the gods do to me, and may they thus continue, if about this time tomorrow I do not render thy life as the life of any 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 when he saw this, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba', which belongeth to Judah, and he left his young man 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.”
But he himself went forward into the wilderness a day's journey, and he came and sat down under a certain broom-bush: and he requested for himself to die; and he said, It is enough, now, O Lord, take away my soul; for I am not 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 laid himself down and slept under a certain broom-bush, and, behold then, an angel was touching him, and said unto him, Arise, 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 he looked about, and, behold, there was at his head a cake baked on coals, and a cruise of water; and he ate and drank, and laid himself down again.
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 came again, the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise, eat; because the journey is yet far for thee.
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 he went on the strength of that eating forty days and forty nights unto the mount of God, Horeb.
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 came there unto a cave, and remained there over night: and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and said unto him, What dost thou here, Elijah?
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 he said, I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thy altars have they thrown down, and thy prophets have they slain with the sword: and I am left by myself alone, and they have sought my life, to take it away.
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, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord: and, behold, the Lord passed by, and a wind, great and strong, rending the mountains, and breaking in pieces the rocks [went] before the Lord; but not in the wind was the Lord: and after the wind was an earthquake: but not in the earthquake was the Lord;
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 was a fire; but not in the fire was the Lord; and after the fire was the sound of a soft whisper.
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 Elijah heard it, that he concealed his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave: and, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What dost thou here, Elijah?
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 he said, I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thy altars have they thrown down, and thy prophets have they slain with the sword: and I am left by myself alone, and they have sought my life, to take it away.
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 unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus; and go, anoint Chazael 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 Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha' the son of Shaphat of Abel-mecholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy stead.
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 escapeth the sword of Chazael shall Jehu slay; and him that escapeth the sword of Jehu shall Elisha' slay.
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 I will leave in Israel seven thousand, all the knees which have not been bent unto Ba'al, and every mouth which hath 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.
And he departed thence, and found Elisha' the son of Shaphat, who was ploughing; twelve yoke of oxen were before him, and he was with the twelfth: and Elijah passed up to him, and cast his mantle toward 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 he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss but my father and my mother, and I will [then] follow thee: and he said unto him, Go, return; for what have I done to thee?
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 back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and with the instruments of the oxen he boiled the flesh for them, and he gave it unto the people, and they did eat; and then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.
