1 Kings 19

1Ahab reported to Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including how he had put all the prophets to death with the sword.

2Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah with the words, “May the gods do so to me and add still more, if by this hour tomorrow I have not made your life like that of one of them.”

3Seeing this, he rose and fled to save himself. He reached Beersheba, in Judah’s territory, and left his servant there.

4He himself went a day’s walk into the wilderness, where he came to a broom tree and sat down under it. He asked for death: “Enough! Now, Yahweh, take my life, since I am no better than my ancestors.”

5He lay down and slept under the broom tree, and there was an angel, touching him and saying to him, “Get up and eat.”

6He looked around, and near his head was a flatbread baked on hot stones, with a jug of water. After eating and drinking, he lay down once more.

7Then the angel of Yahweh returned a second time, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, because the road ahead is more than you can manage.”

8He got up, ate, and drank, and on the strength of that meal he walked forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.

9There he went into the cave and stayed the night. Then the word of Yahweh came to him, and Yahweh said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

10He said, “I have been very zealous for Yahweh, the God of Armies. The Israelites have abandoned your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.”

11He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before Yahweh.” Then Yahweh went by. A huge, violent wind split the mountains and smashed the rocks before Yahweh, but Yahweh was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but Yahweh was not in the earthquake.

12After the earthquake there was a fire, but Yahweh was not in the fire. After the fire there was the sound of a thin silence.

13As soon as Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his cloak, went out, and stood at the mouth of the cave. And there was a voice speaking to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

14He said, “I have been very zealous for Yahweh, the God of Armies. The Israelites have abandoned your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.”

15Yahweh said to him, “Go, take the road back to the wilderness of Damascus. Once you are there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram.

16You are also to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi to be king of Israel, and to anoint Elisha son of Shaphat, of Abel-meholah, to take your place as prophet.

17Anyone who gets away from Hazael’s sword, Jehu will kill, and anyone who gets away from Jehu’s sword, Elisha will kill.

18Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

19Elijah left that place and came upon Elisha son of Shaphat as he was plowing. Twelve pairs of oxen were in front of him, and he was with the last of the twelve. Elijah crossed over to him and tossed his cloak over him.

20Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and after that I will go with you.” Elijah answered him, “Go on back, for what have I done to you?”

21Elisha turned back from following him, took the pair of oxen, and slaughtered them. Using the oxen’s equipment as fuel, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he rose, went after Elijah, and became his attendant.