1 Kings 19

Elijah Flees Jezebel

1Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how ahe had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, bSo 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.” 3Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to cBeersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

4But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. dAnd 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.” 5And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6And 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. 7And 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.” 8And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food eforty days and forty nights to fHoreb, the mount of God.

The Lord Speaks to Elijah

9There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, gthe word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10He said, “I have been very hjealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, ithrown down your altars, and jkilled your prophets with the sword, kand I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 11And he said, “Go out and lstand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and ma 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 nan earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.
Or a sound, a thin silence
13And when Elijah heard it, phe wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, qthere came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14He said, r“I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, sthrown 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.” 15And 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 tAnd Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and uElisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. 17And the one who escapes from vthe sword of Hazael wshall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu xshall Elisha put to death. 18 yYet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not zkissed him.”

The Call of Elisha

19So 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 aahis cloak upon him. 20And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, ab“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?” 21And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh acwith the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him.

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