1 Kings 19
1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and that he had killed all the prophets of Baal with the sword.
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, So let the gods do [to me], and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to-morrow about this time.
Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods do as much to me and more if by tomorrow I haven't made 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.
Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he arrived in 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 juniper-tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I [am] not better than my fathers.
and traveled another day's journey into the desert. He sat down under a broom tree and asked to die. “I've had enough now, Lord,” he said. “Take my life! I'm no better than my forefathers.”
5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper-tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said to him, Arise [and] eat.
He lay down and fell asleep under the broom tree. All of a sudden an angel touched him and said, “Get up, and eat.”
6 And he looked, and behold, [there was] a cake baked on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he ate and drank, and laid himself down again.
He looked around, and there beside his head was some bread baking over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and lay down again.
7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise [and] eat, because the journey [is] too great for thee.
The angel of the Lord returned a second time and touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.”
8 And he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.
So he got up and ate and drank, and with the strength the food gave him he was able to walk forty days and forty nights to Mount Horeb, the mountain of God.
9 And he came thither to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD [came] to him, and he said to him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
There he entered a cave and spent the night. The Lord spoke to Elijah, and asked him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, I only, am left; and they seek my life to take it away.
“I have worked passionately for the Lord God Almighty,” he replied. “But the Israelites have abandoned your agreement, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I am the only one who's left, and they are trying to kill me as well.”
11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces 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:
Then the Lord told him, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” Right then the Lord passed by. A tremendously powerful wind ripped into the mountains and smashed rocks before the Lord, but the Lord wasn't in the wind. After the wind there came an earthquake, but the Lord wasn't in the earthquake.
12 And after the earthquake a fire; [but] the LORD [was] not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
After the earthquake there came a fire, but the Lord wasn't in the fire. And after the fire came a voice speaking in a gentle whisper.
13 And it was [so], when Elijah heard [it], that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, [there came] a voice to him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his cloak around his face and went out and stood at the cave entrance. Immediately a voice spoke to him and asked, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
“I have worked passionately for the Lord God Almighty,” he replied. “But the Israelites have abandoned your agreement, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I am the only one who's left, and they are trying to kill me as well.”
15 And the LORD said to him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael [to be] king over Syria:
The Lord told him, “Go back the way you came to the desert of Damascus. When you get there, go and anoint Hazael king of Aram.
16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint [to be] king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint [to be] prophet in thy room.
Also anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, king of Israel and Elisha, son of Shaphat, from Abel-meholah, to take over from you as prophet.
17 And it shall come to pass, [that] him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.
Jehu will execute anyone who escapes the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will execute anyone who escapes the sword of Jehu.
18 Yet I have left to [me] seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
I still have seven thousand left in Israel, all those who have not bowed their knees to worship and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who [was] plowing [with] twelve yoke [of oxen] before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.
So Elijah left, and went and found Elisha, son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen, and he was with the twelfth pair. Elijah went over to 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, and [then] I will follow thee. And he said to him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?
Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me go and kiss my father and mother goodbye, and then I will follow you.” “Go on home,” Elijah replied. “I've never done anything for you.”
21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered to him.
Elisha left him, took his pair of oxen, and slaughtered them. Using the wood of the oxen's yoke as fuel, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate it. Then he left to follow and serve Elijah.
