1 Kings 19

Elijah Runs Away

1 King Ahab told Jezebel every thing Elijah had done and how Elijah had killed all the prophets with a sword.

2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods punish me terribly if by this time tomorrow I don’t kill you just as you killed those prophets.”
3 When Elijah heard this, he was afraid and ran for his life, taking his servant with him. When they came to Beersheba in Judah, Elijah left his servant there.4 Then Elijah walked for a whole day into the desert. He sat down under a bush and asked to die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he prayed. “Let me die. I am no better than my ancestors.”

5 Then he lay down under the tree and slept.
Suddenly an angel came to him and touched him. “Get up and eat,” the angel said.

6 Elijah saw near his head a loaf baked over coals and a jar of water, so he ate and drank. Then he went back to sleep.
7 Later the Lord’s angel came to him a second time. The angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat. If you don’t, the journey will be too hard for you.”8 So Elijah got up and ate and drank. The food made him strong enough to walk for forty days and nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.

9 There Elijah went into a cave and stayed all night.
Then the Lord spoke his word to him: “Elijah! Why are you here?”

10 He answered, “Lord God All-Powerful, I have always served you as well as I could. But the people of Israel have broken their agreement with you, destroyed your altars, and killed your prophets with swords. I am the only prophet left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”
11 The Lord said to Elijah, “Go, stand in front of me on the mountain, and I will pass by you.” Then a very strong wind blew until it caused the mountains to fall apart and large rocks to break in front of 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.12 After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a quiet, gentle sound.

13 When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his coat and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “Elijah! Why are you here?”

14 He answered, “Lord God All-Powerful, I have always served you as well as I could. But the people of Israel have broken their agreement with you, destroyed your altars, and killed your prophets with swords. I am the only prophet left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”
15 The Lord said to him, “Go back on the road that leads to the desert around Damascus. Enter that city, and pour olive oil on Hazael to make him king over Aram.16 Then pour oil on Jehu son of Nimshi to make him king over Israel. Next, pour oil on Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to make him a prophet in your place.17 Jehu will kill anyone who escapes from Hazael’s sword, and Elisha will kill anyone who escapes from Jehu’s sword.

18 I have seven thousand people left in Israel who have never bowed down before Baal and whose mouths have never kissed his idol.”

Elisha Becomes a Prophet

19 So Elijah left that place and found Elisha son of Shaphat plowing a field with a team of oxen. He owned twelve teams of oxen and was plowing with the twelfth team. Elijah came up to Elisha, took off his coat, and put it on Elisha.

20 Then Elisha left his oxen and ran to follow Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and my mother good-bye,” Elisha said. “Then I will go with you.”
Elijah answered, “Go back. It does not matter to me.”
21 So Elisha went back and took his pair of oxen and killed them. He used their wooden yoke for a fire. Then he cooked the meat and gave it to the people. After they ate it, Elisha left and followed Elijah and became his helper.

1 Kings 19

Elijah Runs for His Life

1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, including a detailed account of how he killed all the prophets with the sword.

2 Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah with this warning,t “May the gods judge me severelyt if by this time tomorrow I do not take your life as you did theirs!”t
3 Elijah was afraid,s so he got up and fled for his life to Beer Sheba in Judah. He left his servant there,4 while he went a day’s journey into the desert. He went and sat down under a shrubt and asked the Lord to take his life:t “I’ve had enough! Now, O Lord, take my life. After all, I’m no better than my ancestors.”t5 He stretched outt and fell asleep under the shrub. All of a sudden an angelic messengert touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”6 He looked and right there by his head was a cake baking on hot coals and a jug of water. He ate and drank and then slept some more.t7 The Lord’s angelic messenger came back again, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, for otherwise you won’t be able to make the journey.”t

8 So he got up and ate and drank. That meal gave him the strength to travel forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
9 He went into a cave there and spent the night. All of a sudden the Lord spoke to him, “Why are you here, Elijah?”10 He answered, “I have been absolutely loyalt to the Lord, the sovereign God,t even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you,t torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.”t

11 The Lordt said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord. Look, the Lord is ready to pass by.”
A very powerful wind went before the Lord, digging into the mountain and causing landslides,t but the Lord was not in the wind. After the windstorm there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.12 After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a soft whisper.t13 When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. All of a suddent a voice asked him, “Why are you here, Elijah?”14 He answered, “I have been absolutely loyalt to the Lord, the sovereign God,t even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you,t torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.”t15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came and then head for the Desert of Damascus. Go and anoint Hazael king over Syria.16 You must anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to take your place as prophet.17 Jehu will kill anyone who escapes Hazael’s sword, and Elisha will kill anyone who escapes Jehu’s sword.

18 I still have left in Israel seven thousand followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him.”t
19 Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen; he was near the twelfth pair. Elijah passed by him and threw his robe over him.20 He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, then I will follow you.” Elijaht said to him, “Go back! Indeed, what have I done to you?”

21 Elishat went back and took his pair of oxen and slaughtered them. He cooked the meat over a fire that he made by burning the harness and yoke.t He gave the people meat and they ate. Then he got up and followed Elijah and became his assistant.