¹⁷ Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.^{(A) 18} Mount Sinai was covered with smoke,^(B) because the Lord descended on it in fire.^(C) The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace,^(D) and the whole mountain^[a] trembled^(E) violently. ¹⁹ As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice^(F) of God answered^(G) him.^[b]

Idols and Altars

²² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven:^(A)

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

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