Elijah Flees Jezebel
1
Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how 1he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
2
Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, 2"So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow."
3
Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to 3Beersheba, which belongs 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 broom tree. 4And he asked that he might die, saying, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers."
5
And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, "Arise and eat."
6
And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again.
7
And the angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, "Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you."
8
And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food 5forty days and forty nights to 6Horeb, the mount of God.
The Lord Speaks to Elijah
9
There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, 7the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
10
He said, "I have been very 8jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, 9thrown down your altars, and 10killed your prophets with the sword, 11and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away."
11
And he said, "Go out and 12stand on the mount before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and 13a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind 14an 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 the sound of a low whisper.a
13
And when Elijah heard it, 15he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, 16there came a voice to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
14
He said, 17"I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, 18thrown down your altars, and killed your 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 to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.
16
19And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and 20Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place.
17
And the one who escapes from 21the sword of Hazael 22shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu 23shall Elisha put to death.
18
24Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not 25kissed him."
The Call of Elisha
19
So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast 26his cloak upon him.
20
And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, 27"Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." And he said to him, "Go back again, for what have I done to you?"
21
And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh 28with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)