1 Kings 19

1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed 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 have not made your life like the lives of those you killed!”

3 And Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,

4 while he himself went 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 Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said, “Get up and 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.

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.”

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.

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?”

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.”

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.

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.

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?”

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.”

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.

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.

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.

18 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 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 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 turned back from him, took his pair of oxen, and slaughtered them. Using the oxen’s equipment for fuel, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow and serve Elijah.

1 ¶ And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.

2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto 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.

3 And when he saw [that], he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which [belongeth] to Judah, and 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.

5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise [and] eat.

6 And he looked, and, behold, [there was] a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him 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.

8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

9 ¶ And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD [came] to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou 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 thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, [even] I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

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 brake 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:

12 And after the earthquake a fire; [but] the LORD [was] not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

13 And it was [so], when Elijah heard [it], that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, [there came] a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou 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 thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, [even] I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

15 And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael [to be] king over Syria:

16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint [to be] king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint [to be] prophet in thy room.

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.

18 Yet I have left [me] seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath 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.

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 unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?

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 unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had slain all the prophets of Baal with the sword.

2 And Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, The gods do this to me, and that to me, if I do not do to thy soul this time to morrow, as one of these souls.

3 And when he saw it, he arose, and went whithersoever he would, and came to Beer-sheba in Judah, and left his lad there.

4 And he went into the wilderness one day's journey, and came in, and sat down under a juniper, and prayed that his soul might die, saying, It is enough; now therefore, O LORD, take my soul. I am no better than my fathers.

5 And he lay down, and slept under the juniper. And, behold, the angel stirred him, and said unto him, Arise, and eat.

6 And he looked round about, and, behold, there was at his head a loaf of toasted bread, and a pitcher of water. And when he had eaten and drunk, he lay down again to sleep.

7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and stirred him, saying, Arise, and eat: for thou hast a great way to go.

8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went by the strength of the same meat forty days and forty nights unto mount Horeb.

9 And there he entered into a cave, and lodged there overnight. And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, What doest thou here, Elijah?

10 And he said: I have been jealous for the LORD God of Zeboath: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, and broken down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I alone am left, and they seek to take away my life.

11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mountain before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks, before the LORD: but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind there was an earthquake: but the LORD was not in the earthquake.

12 And after the earthquake there was a fire: but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, gentle whirring.

13 And when Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his mantle, and went out, and entered into the door of the cave. And, behold, a voice came unto him, saying, What hast thou to do here, Elijah?

14 And he said: I have been jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, they have broken down thine altars, they have slain thy prophets with the sword; and I alone am left, and they seek to take away my life.

15 And the LORD said unto him, Go thy way again through the wilderness unto Damascus, and go in, and anoint Hazael king over Syria.

16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat, of Abel- meholah, a prophet in thy stead.

17 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall escape the sword of Hazael shall slay Jehu; and whosoever shall escape the sword of Jehu shall slay Elisha.

18 And I will leave seven thousand in Israel, every knee that hath not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that hath not kissed him.

19 And he went from thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat ploughing with twelve yokes before him: and he himself was of the twelve. And Elijah went unto him, and cast his mantle upon him.

20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me kiss my father and my mother, and I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go thy way, and come again: for I have business with thee.

21 And he ran again from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and offered them; and boiled the flesh with the wood of the oxen, and gave it to the people to eat. And he arose, and followed Elijah, and ministered unto him.