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Elijah at Mount Sinai

19 King Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done. Ahab told her how Elijah had killed all the prophets with a sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah. Jezebel said, “By this time tomorrow I will kill you. I will kill you as you killed those prophets. If I don’t succeed, may the gods punish me terribly.”

When Elijah heard this, he was afraid. So he ran away to save his life. He took his servant with him. When they came to Beersheba in Judah, Elijah left his servant there. Then Elijah walked for a whole day into the desert. He sat down under a bush and asked to die. Elijah prayed, “I have had enough, Lord. Let me die. I am no better than my ancestors.” Then Elijah lay down under the tree and slept.

Suddenly an angel came to him and touched him. The angel said, “Get up and eat.” 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.

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.” So Elijah got up and ate and drank. The food made him strong enough to walk for 40 days and nights. He walked to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God. There Elijah went into a cave and stayed all night.

Then the Lord spoke his word to him: “Elijah! Why are you here?”

10 Elijah answered, “Lord, God of heaven’s armies, I have always served you the best I could. But the people of Israel have broken their agreement with you. They have destroyed your altars. They have killed your prophets with swords. I am the only prophet left. And now they are trying to kill me, too!”

11 Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go. Stand in front of me on the mountain. I will pass by you.” Then a very strong wind blew. It caused the mountains to break apart. It broke apart large rocks 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 voice. 13 When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his coat. He went out and stood at the entrance to the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “Elijah! Why are you here?”

14 Elijah answered, “Lord, God of heaven’s armies, I have always served you the best I could. But the people of Israel have broken their agreement with you. They have destroyed your altars. They have 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. There 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. He will be 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 But I have left 7,000 people living in Israel. Those 7,000 have never bowed down before Baal. Their mouths have never kissed his idol.”

Elisha Becomes a Prophet

19 So Elijah left there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing a field with a team of oxen. There were 11 teams ahead of him. Elisha was plowing with the twelfth team of oxen. Elijah came up to Elisha. Elijah took off his coat and put it on Elisha. 20 Then Elisha left his oxen and ran to follow Elijah. Elisha said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother good-bye. Then I will go with you.”

Elijah answered, “That is fine. Go back. I won’t stop you.”

21 So Elisha went back. He took his pair of oxen and killed them. He used the wooden yoke for the fire. Then he cooked the meat and gave it to the people. And they ate it. Then Elisha went and followed Elijah and became his helper.

Elijah Flees to Horeb

19 Now Ahab told Jezebel(A) everything Elijah had done and how he had killed(B) all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely,(C) if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”(D)

Elijah was afraid[a] and ran(E) for his life.(F) When he came to Beersheba(G) in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush,(H) sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life;(I) I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.(J)

All at once an angel(K) touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He 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.

The 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.” So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty(L) days and forty nights until he reached Horeb,(M) the mountain of God. There he went into a cave(N) and spent the night.

The Lord Appears to Elijah

And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”(O)

10 He replied, “I have been very zealous(P) for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant,(Q) torn down your altars,(R) and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left,(S) and now they are trying to kill me too.”

11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain(T) in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”(U)

Then a great and powerful wind(V) tore the mountains apart and shattered(W) 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. 12 After the earthquake came a fire,(X) but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.(Y) 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face(Z) and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

14 He 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,(AA) and now they are trying to kill me too.”

15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael(AB) king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint(AC) Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha(AD) son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah(AE) to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael,(AF) and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu.(AG) 18 Yet I reserve(AH) seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed(AI) him.”

The Call of Elisha

19 So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak(AJ) around him. 20 Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,”(AK) he said, “and then I will come with you.”

“Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?”

21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen(AL) and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing 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.(AM)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 19:3 Or Elijah saw