²² Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left,^(A) but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.^(B)

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

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

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

² God did not reject his people,^(A) whom he foreknew.^(B) Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: ³ “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”^[a]?^{(C) 4} And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”^[b](D)