1 Kings 19
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Elijah Flees from Jezebel
19 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.(A) 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.”(B) 3 Then he was afraid;[a] he got up and fled for his life and came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah; he left his servant there.
4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.”(C) 5 Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. He ate and drank and lay down again. 7 The angel of the Lord came a second time, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.” 8 He got up and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.(D) 9 At that place he came to a cave and spent the night there.
Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He answered, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts, for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.”(E)
Elijah Meets God at Horeb
11 He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces 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,(F) 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire, and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”(G) 14 He answered, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts, for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.”(H) 15 Then the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram.(I) 16 Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel, and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place.(J) 17 Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill, and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill.(K) 18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”(L)
Elisha Becomes Elijah’s Disciple
19 So he set out from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was plowing. There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle over him.(M) 20 He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” Then Elijah[b] said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”(N) 21 He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them; using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out and followed Elijah and became his servant.(O)
1 Kings 19
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Elijah’s Journey to Horeb
19 Ahab told Jezebel(A) everything that Elijah had done(B) and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.(C) 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods punish me and do so severely(D) if I don’t make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow!”
3 Then Elijah became afraid[a](E) and immediately ran for his life.(F) When he came to Beer-sheba(G) that belonged to Judah, he left his servant there,(H) 4 but he went on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree(I) and prayed that he might die. He said, “I have had enough! Lord, take my life,(J) for I’m no better than my fathers.” 5 Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree.
Suddenly, an angel touched him.(K) The angel told him, “Get up and eat.” 6 Then he looked, and there at his head was a loaf of bread baked over hot stones, and a jug of water.(L) So he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 Then the angel of the Lord(M) returned for a second time and touched him. He said, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.” 8 So he got up, ate, and drank. Then on the strength from that food, he walked 40 days and 40 nights(N) to Horeb, the mountain of God.(O) 9 He entered a cave(P) there and spent the night.
Elijah’s Encounter with the Lord
Then the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”(Q)
10 He replied, “I have been very zealous(R) for the Lord God of Hosts, but the Israelites have abandoned Your covenant,(S) torn down Your altars,(T) and killed Your prophets(U) with the sword. I alone am left,(V) and they are looking for me to take my life.”(W)
11 Then He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the Lord’s presence.”(X)
At that moment, the Lord passed by.(Y) A great and mighty wind(Z) was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake,(AA) but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake there was a fire,(AB) but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper.(AC) 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle(AD) and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
Suddenly, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have abandoned Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they’re looking for me to take my life.”(AE)
15 Then the Lord said to him, “Go and return by the way you came to the Wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint Hazael(AF) as king over Aram. 16 You are to anoint Jehu(AG) son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha(AH) son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. 17 Then Jehu will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Hazael,(AI) and Elisha will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu.(AJ) 18 But I will leave 7,000 in Israel(AK)—every knee that has not bowed to Baal(AL) and every mouth that has not kissed him.”(AM)
Elisha’s Appointment as Elijah’s Successor
19 Elijah left there and found Elisha(AN) son of Shaphat as he was plowing. Twelve teams of oxen were in front of him, and he was with the twelfth team. Elijah walked by him and threw his mantle over him.(AO) 20 Elisha left the oxen, ran to follow Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother, and then I will follow you.”(AP)
“Go on back,” he replied, “for what have I done to you?”
21 So he turned back from following him, took the team of oxen, and slaughtered them. With the oxen’s wooden yoke and plow,(AQ) he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he left, followed Elijah, and served him.(AR)
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 19:3 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg; other Hb mss read he saw
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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