1 Kings 19

Elijah Flees from Jezebel

1Now Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.

1And Ahab declared to Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and also all that he had killed—all the prophets—with the sword.

2So 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!”

2And Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “Thus may do the gods, and thus may they add, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life as the life of one of them.”

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

3And he feared, and he arose, and ran for his life, and he came to Beersheba, which is unto Judah, and he left his servant there.

4while 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.”

4And he went into the wilderness a journey of a day, and he came and sat down under a certain broom tree, and he prayed for himself that he might die, and he said, “Enough now, YHWH, take my life; for I am no better than my fathers.”

5Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep.

Suddenly an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”

5And he lay down and slept under a certain broom tree. And behold this, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.”

6And 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.

6And he looked, and behold, by his head was a cake of glowing coals, and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and returned and lay down.

7A 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.”

7And the angel of YHWH came back the second time, and he touched him and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.”

8So 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.

8And he arose and ate and drank, and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights, as far as the mountain of God—Horeb.

The LORD Speaks to Elijah at Horeb

9There Elijah entered a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

9And he went there into a cave and spent the night in that place. And behold, the word of YHWH came to him, and He said to him, “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.”

10And he said, “I have been extremely zealous for YHWH, God of Hosts. For the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant; they have torn down Your altars and have killed Your prophets with the sword, and I am left alone, and they are seeking my life, to take it.”

11Then 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.

11And He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the face of YHWH, and behold, YHWH is about to pass by.” And a wind great and mighty tore into the mountains, and broke in pieces the cliffs before the face of YHWH—YHWH was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake—YHWH was not in the earthquake.

12After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire.

And after the fire came a still, small voice.

12And after the earthquake a fire—YHWH was not in the fire. And after the fire a still small voice.

13When 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?”

13And it came to pass when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, to him was a voice, and it 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.”

14And he said, “I have been extremely zealous for YHWH, God of Hosts, for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant. They have torn down Your altars and have killed Your prophets with the sword. And I am left alone, and they are seeking my life to take it.”

15Then 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.

15And YHWH said to him, “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus. And When you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Aram.

16You 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.

16And Jehu son of Nimshi you shall anoint as king over Israel. And Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.

17Then Jehu will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu.

17And it shall come to pass that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu will be killed by Elisha.

18Nevertheless, I have reserved seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

18And I have reserved in Israel seven thousand—all the knees that have not bowed to the Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

The Call of Elisha

19So 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.

19And he departed from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat, and he was plowing with twelve yoke before his face, and he was with the twelfth. And Elijah passed by him and threw his cloak on him.

20So 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?”

20And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and he said, “Let me kiss, please, my father and my mother, and I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go, turn back, for what have I done to you?”

21So 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.

21And he turned back from him and took the yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. And with the instruments of oxen he cooked their flesh and gave it to the people, and they ate. And he arose and followed after Elijah and became his servant.