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) 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!”

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) 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.” Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree.

Suddenly, an angel touched him.(K) The angel told him, “Get up and eat.” 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. 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.” 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)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 19:3 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg; other Hb mss read he saw

Elijah Flees to Sinai

19 When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal. So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.”

Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”

Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!” He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again.

Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.”

So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai,[a] the mountain of God.

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Footnotes

  1. 19:8 Hebrew to Horeb, another name for Sinai.