1 Kings 19
1 And Ahab told Jezebel, all that Elijah had done, —and withal, how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
Now Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
2 Then sent Jezebel a messenger unto Elijah, saying, —So, let the gods do, and, so, let them add, if, by this time to-morrow, I make not thy life as the life of one of them.
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!”
3 And, when he saw [that], he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, —and left his servant there.
And Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,
4 But, he himself, went into the wilderness a day’s journey, and came and sat down under a certain shrub, —and asked for his life, that he might die, and said—Enough, now, O Yahweh! take away my life, for, no better, am, I, than, my fathers.
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.”
5 And, as he lay, and slept, under a certain shrub, lo! a messenger, touching him, who said to him—Rise, eat.
Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”
6 So he looked about, and lo! at his head, a cake baked on hot stones, and a cruse of water, —and he did eat and drink, and then went back and lay down.
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.
7 And the messenger of Yahweh came again a second time, and touched him, and said—Rise, eat, —because, too much for thee, is the journey.
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.”
8 So he arose, and did eat and drink, —and journeyed, in the strength of that eating, forty days and forty nights, as far as the mountain of God—Horeb.
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.
9 And he entered, there, into a cave, and lodged there, —and lo! the word of Yahweh [came] unto him, and said to him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
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?”
10 And he said—Very jealous, have I been, for Yahweh, God of hosts, because the sons of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thine altars, have they thrown down, thy prophets, also have they slain with the sword, —and, I alone, am left, and they have sought my life, to take it.
“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.”
11 And he said—Go forth to-morrow, and stand in the mountain, before Yahweh. And lo! Yahweh, passing by, and a great and strong wind—rending the mountains, and breaking in pieces the crags, before Yahweh, Not, in the wind, was, Yahweh, —And, after the wind, an, earthquake, Not, in the earthquake, was, Yahweh;
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.
12 And, after the earthquake, a, fire, Not, in the fire, was, Yahweh, —And, after the fire, the voice of a gentle whisper.
After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, small voice.
13 And it came to pass, when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went forth, and stood at the entrance of the cave, —and lo! unto him, a voice; and it said—What doest thou here, Elijah?
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?”
14 And he said—Very jealous, have I been, for Yahweh, God of hosts, because the sons of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thine altars, have they thrown down, thy prophets also, have they slain with the sword, —and, I alone, am left, and they rove sought my life, to take it.
“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.”
15 And Yahweh said unto him, Go, return to thy way, towards the wilderness of Damascus, —and, when thou enterest, then shalt thou anoint Hazael to be king over Syria;
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.
16 And, Jehu son of Minshi, shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel, —and, Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy stead:
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.
17 Then shall it come to pass, that—him that escapeth the sword of Hazael, shall, Jehu, slay, —and, him that escapeth the sword of Jehu, shall, Elisha, slay;
Then Jehu will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu.
18 Yet will I leave remaining in Israel, seven thousand, —all knees which have not bowed to Baal, and all mouths which have not kissed to him.
Nevertheless, I have reserved seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
19 So he departed from thence, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, as he was plowing, with twelve yoke of oxen before him, he being with the twelfth, —so Elijah crossed over unto him, and cast his mantle towards him;
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.
20 and he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said—Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, that I may follow thee. And he said unto him, —Go, turn back, for what have I done to thee?
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?”
21 So he turned back from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, and sacrificed them, and, with the implements of the oxen, boiled their flesh, and gave unto the people, and they did eat, —then he arose, and followed Elijah, and ministered unto him.
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.
