1 Kings 19
1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done and how he had killed 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 Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of those dead prophets by tomorrow about this time.”
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 When Elijah heard that, he arose and fled for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs 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 a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. He requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough, now, Yahweh; take away my life, for I am no better than my dead ancestors.”
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 So he lay down and slept under a broom tree. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, “Get up and eat.”
Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”
6 Elijah looked, and near his head was bread that had been baked on coals and a jug of water. So he ate and drank and then lay down again.
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 The angel of Yahweh came again a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, because the journey will be too much for you.”
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 ate and drank, and he traveled in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.
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 He went to a cave there and stayed in it. Then the word of Yahweh came to him and said to him, “What are you doing 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 Elijah replied, “I have been very zealous for Yahweh, God of hosts, for the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, destroyed your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. Now I, only I, am left and they are also trying to take my life.”
“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 Yahweh replied, “Go out and stand on the mountain before me.” Then Yahweh passed by, and a very strong wind struck the mountains and broke rocks into pieces before Yahweh, but Yahweh was not in the wind. Then after the wind, an earthquake came, but Yahweh was not in the earthquake.
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 Then after the earthquake a fire came, but Yahweh was not in the fire. Then after the fire, a still small voice came.
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 When Elijah heard the voice, he wrapped his face in his cloak, went out, and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then a voice came to him that said, “What are you doing 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 Elijah replied, “I have been very zealous for Yahweh, God of hosts, because the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, destroyed your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. Now I, only I, am left and they are also trying to take my life.”
“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 Then Yahweh said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you arrive you will anoint Hazael to be king over Aram,
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 you will anoint Jehu son of Nimshi to be king over Israel, and you will anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah to be prophet in your place.
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 It will happen that Jehu will kill whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, and that Elisha will kill whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu.
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 But I will leave for myself seven thousand people in Israel, whose knees have not bent down to Baal, and whose mouths have not kissed 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 Elijah left from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he himself was plowing with the twelfth yoke. Elijah walked over to Elisha and draped his cloak on 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 Then Elisha left the oxen and ran after Elijah; he said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” Then Elijah said to him, “Go back, but think about what I have done to you.”
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 Elisha returned from Elijah and took the yoke of oxen, killed the animals, and cooked the meat with the wood from the ox yoke. Then he gave it to the people and they ate. Then he arose, went after Elijah and served 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.
