A very powerful wind went before the Lord, digging into the mountain and causing landslides,¹⁷ but the Lord was not in the wind. After the windstorm there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. ^19:12After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a soft whisper.¹⁸^19:13When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. All of a sudden¹⁹ a voice asked him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” ^19:14He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal²⁰ to the Lord, the sovereign God,²¹ even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you,²² torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.”²³^19:15The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came and then head for the Desert of Damascus. Go and anoint Hazael king over Syria. ^19:16You must anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to take your place as prophet. ^19:17Jehu will kill anyone who escapes Hazael’s sword, and Elisha will kill anyone who escapes Jehu’s sword. ^19:18I still have left in Israel seven thousand followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him.”²⁴

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Footnotes

16 Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
17 Heb “tearing away the mountains and breaking the cliffs” (or perhaps, “breaking the stones”).
18 Heb “a voice, calm, soft.”
19 Heb “look.”
20 Or “very zealous.” The infinitive absolute preceding the finite verb emphasizes the degree of his zeal and allegiance.
21 Traditionally, “the God of hosts.”
22 Heb “abandoned your covenant.”
23 Heb “and they are seeking my life to take it.”
24 Heb “I have kept in Israel seven thousand, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and all the mouths that have not kissed him.”