Elijah Escapes from Jezebel
1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he hadexecuted all the prophets with the sword.
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying,“So let the gods dotome,and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.”
3 And when he sawthat,he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, whichbelongsto 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. And heprayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now,Lord, take my life, for Iamno better than my fathers!”
5 Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Ariseandeat.”
6 Then he looked, and there by his headwasa cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again.
7 And the angel of theLordcame back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Ariseandeat, because the journeyistoo great for you.”
8 So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days andforty nights as far asHoreb, the mountain of God.
9 And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of theLordcameto him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 So he said,“I have been veryzealous for theLordGod of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, andkilled Your prophets with the sword.I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”
God’s Revelation to Elijah
11 Then He said, “Go out, and standon the mountain before theLord.” And behold, theLordpassed by, anda great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before theLord,buttheLordwasnot in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake,buttheLordwasnot in the earthquake;
12 and after the earthquake a fire,buttheLordwasnot in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
13 So it was, when Elijah heardit,that hewrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave.Suddenly a voicecameto him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 And he said, “I have been very zealous for theLordGod of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”
15 Then theLordsaid to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus;and when you arrive, anoint Hazaelasking over Syria.
16 Also you shall anointJehu the son of Nimshiasking over Israel. AndElisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anointasprophet in your place.
17 It shall bethatwhoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu willkill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu,Elisha will kill.
18 Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal,and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
Elisha Follows Elijah
19 So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, whowasplowingwithtwelve yokeofoxenbefore him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw hismantle on him.
20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said,“Please let me kiss my father and my mother, andthenI will follow you.”
And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”
21 SoElishaturned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them andboiled their flesh, using the oxen’s equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant.