1 Kings 19
1 When Ahab got home, he told [his wife] Jezebel what Elijah had done. He told her that Elijah had killed all the prophets of Baal.
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 this message to Elijah: “By this time tomorrow I will have [killed] you, just like you [killed all those prophets of Baal]. If I do not do that, I hope the gods will kill me.”
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 When Elijah received [her message], he was afraid. So [taking his servant with him], he fled in order that he would not be killed. He went [far south] 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 Then he went by himself further [south] into the desert. He walked all day. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that [Yahweh] would allow him to die. He said, “Yahweh, I’ve had enough. So allow me to die, because for me to live is no better than [being with] my ancestors [who have died].”
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 slept. But while he was sleeping, an angel touched him and [woke him up and] said to him, “Get up and eat some food!”
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 Elijah looked around and saw some bread which had been baked on hot stones, and he also saw a jar of water. So he ate some bread and drank some water and lay down [to sleep] 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 Then the angel [who had been sent by] Yahweh came again and touched him, and said, “Get up and eat some [more] food, because you need [more strength] to go on a long journey.”
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 some more, and because of doing that, he got enough strength to enable him to travel for forty days and nights to Sinai Mountain, the mountain [that was dedicated to] 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 He went into a cave there and slept there that night. [The next morning, ] Yahweh said to him “Elijah, why are you here?”
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 Elijah replied, “I have zealously served you, Yahweh, God Almighty. But the Israeli people have broken the agreement that they made with you. They have torn down your altars, and they have killed all of your prophets. I am the only one whom they have not killed, and now they are trying to kill me, too. [So I am running away from them].”
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 Yahweh said to him, “Go out and stand in front of me on this mountain while I pass by.” [Suddenly] a strong windstorm struck the mountain. As a result, rocks were loosened from the mountainside. But Yahweh was not in the wind. Then there was an earthquake, but Yahweh 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 Then there was a fire, but Yahweh was not in the fire. Then there was a sound like someone whispering quietly.
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 that, he wrapped his cloak around his face. He went out of the cave and stood at its entrance. And he heard Yahweh speaking to him, saying again, “Elijah, why are you here?”
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 He replied again, “I have zealously served you, Yahweh, God Almighty. But the Israeli people have broken the agreement that they made with you. They have torn down your altars, and they have killed all of your prophets. I am the only one whom they have not killed, and now they are trying to kill me, too. [So I am running away from them].”
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 Yahweh told him, “Go back to the desert near Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint [with olive oil] a man named Hazael, [to appoint him] to be the king of Syria.
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 Then anoint Jehu, the son of Nimshi, to be the king of Israel, and also anoint Elisha the son of Shaphat, from Abel-Meholah [town], to become my prophet after you are dead.
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 Hazael’s army [will kill many people, and] those who escape from [being killed by] his army will be killed by Jehu’s [army], and those who escape from [being killed by] Jehu’s army will be killed by Elisha.
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 But [you need to know that] there are still 7,000 people in Israel who have never bowed to [worship] Baal or kissed his [idol].”
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 went [to Syria] and found Elisha as he was plowing a field with a team of oxen. There were eleven other men who were in front of him, plowing with teams of oxen in the same field. Elijah went to Elisha, and took off his own coat and put it on Elisha, [to show Elisha that he wanted him to take his place as a prophet. Then he started to walk away].
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 Elisha left the oxen standing there and ran after Elijah, and said to him, “I will go with you, but first let me kiss my parents goodbye.” Elijah replied, “Okay, go home. But do not forget why I have [given my cloak] 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 went back [to his oxen]. He killed them [and cut them in pieces] and used the wood from the plow to build a fire to roast the meat. He distributed the meat to the other people [in his town], and they all ate some. Then he went with Elijah and became his helper.
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.
