1 Kings
Chapter 19
1 Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah did, including how he killed all the prophets with a sword.
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “I hope the gods punish me severely if I don’t make your life like one of them by this time tomorrow.”
3 Seeing that, he got up, ran for his life, and arrived at Beersheba in Judah, where he left his servant.
4 He went alone into the desert for a day, sat under a juniper tree, and wished to die, saying, “It is enough; now, God, take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.”
5 As he was sleeping under a juniper tree, an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”
6 He saw a baked cake on the coals and a jar of water by his head. He ate and drank, then lay down again.
7 The angel of God came back a second time, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, because the trip is too much for you.”
8 He got up, ate and drank, then traveled with the power from that food for forty days and nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.
9 He went to a cave to stay, and there God’s message came to him. He asked, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 He said, “I have been very loyal to God, because the people of Israel have broken your agreement, destroyed your places of worship, and killed your messengers with the sword; and I am the only one left; and now they want to kill me too.”
11 He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in front of God.” Then, as God passed by, a powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks, but God was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but God was not in the earthquake.
12 After the earthquake came a fire, but God was not in the fire; and after the fire, a quiet, gentle sound.
13 When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his cloak and went out to stand at the cave entrance. Then a voice came to him and asked, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 He said, “I have been very loyal to God because the Israelites have broken your agreement, destroyed your places of worship, and killed your messengers with the sword; now I am the only one left, and they want to kill me too.”
15 God told him, “Go back through the desert to Damascus, and when you arrive, make Hazael king over Syria.”
16 You must anoint Jehu, Nimshi’s son, to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha, Shaphat’s son from Abelmeholah, to be prophet in your place.
17 Anyone who escapes Hazael’s sword will be killed by Jehu, and anyone who escapes Jehu’s sword will be killed by Elisha.
18 Still, I have kept 7,000 people in Israel, all who have not bowed to Baal, and all whose mouths have not kissed him.
19 He left that place and found Elisha, Shaphat’s son, plowing with twelve pairs of oxen, and he was with the last pair. Elijah went by him and threw his cloak over him.
20 He left the oxen, ran to Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and then I will follow you.” Elijah replied, “Go back. What have I done to you?”
21 He went back, took a pair of oxen, killed them, cooked their meat with the oxen’s gear, and gave it to the people to eat. Then he got up, followed Elijah, and helped him.