1 Kings 19  New English Translation

Elijah Runs for His Life

19 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,^[a] “May the gods judge me severely^[b] if by this time tomorrow I do not take your life as you did theirs!”^[c]

³ Elijah was afraid,^[d] 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 wilderness. He went and sat down under a shrub^[e] and asked the Lord to take his life:^[f] “I’ve had enough! Now, O Lord, take my life. After all, I’m no better than my ancestors.”^{[g] 5} He stretched out^[h] and fell asleep under the shrub. Suddenly an angelic messenger^[i] 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.^{[j] 7} The angel of the Lord came back again, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, for otherwise you won’t be able to make the journey.”^{[k] 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. Suddenly the Lord’s message came to him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” ¹⁰ He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal^[l] to the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies,^[m] even though the Israelites have abandoned the covenant they made with you,^[n] torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.”^{[o] 11} The Lord^[p] 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,^[q] 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.^{[r] 13} When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. Suddenly^[s] a voice asked him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” ¹⁴ He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal^[t] to the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies,^[u] even though the Israelites have abandoned the covenant they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.”^{[v] 15} The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came and then head for the wilderness 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 7,000 followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him.”^[w]

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.” Elijah^[x] said to him, “Go back! Indeed, what have I done to you?” ²¹ Elisha^[y] 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.^[z] He gave the people meat and they ate. Then he got up and followed Elijah and became his assistant.