There he went into a cave(A) and spent the night.

The Lord Appears to Elijah

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

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

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

Then a great and powerful wind(I) tore the mountains apart and shattered(J) 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,(K) but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.(L) 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face(M) 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,(N) 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(O) king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint(P) Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha(Q) son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah(R) to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael,(S) and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu.(T) 18 Yet I reserve(U) seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed(V) him.”

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And 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?

10 And 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.

11 And 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:

12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

13 And 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?

14 And 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.

15 And 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:

16 And 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.

17 And 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.

18 Yet 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.

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