1Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. (1Ki 18:40)2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So 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.” (Ru 1:17; 1Ki 20:10)3Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. (Ge 21:31)4But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And 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.” (Nu 11:15; Jon 4:3; Jon 4:8)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 forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God. (Ex 3:1; Ex 24:18; Ex 34:28; De 9:9; De 9:18; Mt 4:2; Mr 1:13; Lu 4:2)
The Lord Speaks to Elijah
9There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1Ki 19:13)10He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown 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.” (Nu 25:11; Nu 25:13; 1Ki 18:4; 1Ki 18:22; 1Ki 18:30; Ro 11:3)11And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a 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 an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. (Ex 24:12; Ex 34:2; Eze 1:4; Eze 37:7)12And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.[1]13And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (Ex 3:6; 1Ki 19:9)14He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown 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.” (1Ki 19:10)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.16And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. (1Ki 19:19; 2Ki 2:9; 2Ki 2:15; 2Ki 9:1)17And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. (2Ki 8:12; 2Ki 13:3; 2Ki 13:22; Ho 6:5)18Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” (Ho 13:2; Ro 11:4)
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 his cloak upon him. (2Ki 2:8)20And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “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?” (Mt 8:21; Lu 9:61)21And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him. (2Sa 24:22)
1Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.2So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, ‘May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.’3Elijah was afraid[1] and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,4while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, Lord,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’5Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’6He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.7The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.’8So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he travelled for forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
The Lord appears to Elijah
9There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’10He replied, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.’11The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart 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.12After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.13When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’14He replied, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.’15The Lord said to him, ‘Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram.16Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.17Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu.18Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel – all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.’
The call of Elisha
19So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him.20Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. ‘Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,’ he said, ‘and then I will come with you.’ ‘Go back,’ Elijah replied. ‘What have I done to you?’21So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the ploughing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.
1 Kings 19
King James Version
1And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.2Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me , and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.3And when he saw that , he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.4But he himself went a day' journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.5And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.6And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.7And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.8And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.9And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?10And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.11And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an 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 a still small voice.13And it was so , when Elijah heard it , that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?14And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.15And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:16And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.17And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.18Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.19So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.20And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?21And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.
1Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done. He told her how Elijah had killed all the prophets of Baal with his sword.2So Jezebel sent a message to Elijah. She said, ‘You can be sure that I will kill you, just as I killed the other prophets. I’ll do it by this time tomorrow. If I don’t, may the gods punish me greatly.’3Elijah was afraid. So he ran for his life. He came to Beersheba in Judah. He left his servant there.4Then he travelled for one day into the desert. He came to a small bush. He sat down under it. He prayed that he would die. ‘LORD, I’ve had enough,’ he said. ‘Take my life. I’m no better than my people of long ago.’5Then he lay down under the bush. And he fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him. The angel said, ‘Get up and eat.’6Elijah looked around. Near his head he saw some bread. It had been baked over hot coals. A jar of water was also there. So Elijah ate and drank. Then he lay down again.7The angel of the LORD came to him a second time. He touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat. Your journey will be long and hard.’8So he got up. He ate and drank. The food gave him new strength. He travelled for 40 days and 40 nights. He kept going until he arrived at Horeb. It was the mountain of God.
The Lord appears to Elijah
9There he went into a cave and spent the night. A message came to Elijah from the LORD. He said, ‘Elijah, what are you doing here?’10He replied, ‘LORD God who rules over all, I’ve been very committed to you. The Israelites have turned their backs on your covenant. They have torn down your altars. They’ve put your prophets to death with their swords. I’m the only one left. And they are trying to kill me.’11The LORD said, ‘Go out. Stand on the mountain in front of me. I am going to pass by.’ As the LORD approached, a very powerful wind tore the mountains apart. It broke up the rocks. But the LORD wasn’t in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake. But the LORD wasn’t in the earthquake.12After the earthquake a fire came. But the LORD wasn’t in the fire. And after the fire there was only a gentle whisper.13When Elijah heard it, he pulled his coat over his face. He went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. Then a voice said to him, ‘Elijah, what are you doing here?’14He replied, ‘LORD God who rules over all, I’ve been very committed to you. The Israelites have turned their backs on your covenant. They have torn down your altars. They’ve put your prophets to death with their swords. I’m the only one left. And they are trying to kill me.’15The LORD said to him, ‘Go back the way you came. Go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael as king over Aram.16Also anoint Jehu as king over Israel. He is the son of Nimshi. And anoint Elisha from Abel Meholah as the next prophet after you. He is the son of Shaphat.17Jehu will put to death anyone who escapes Hazael’s sword. And Elisha will put to death anyone who escapes Jehu’s sword.18But I will keep 7,000 people in Israel for myself. They have not bowed down to Baal. And they have not kissed him.’
The Lord chooses Elisha
19Elijah left Mount Horeb. He saw Elisha, the son of Shaphat. Elisha was ploughing in a field. He was driving the last of 12 pairs of oxen. Elijah went up to him. He threw his coat around him.20Then Elisha left his oxen. He ran after Elijah. ‘Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,’ he said. ‘Then I’ll come with you.’ ‘Go back’, Elijah replied. ‘What have I done to you?’21So Elisha left him and went back. He got his two oxen and killed them. He burned the plough to cook the meat. He gave it to the people, and they ate it. Then he started to follow Elijah. He became Elijah’s servant.