4 The has “and he saw,” but some medieval Hebrew as well as several ancient versions support the reading “he was afraid.” The consonantal text (וַיַּרְא, vayyar’) is ambiguous and can be vocalized וַיַּרְא (from רָאָה, ra’ah, “to see”) or וַיִּרָא (vayyira’, from יָרֵא, yare’, “to fear”).

In other versions

Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,

Then Elijah became afraid and immediately ran for his life. When he came to Beer-sheba that belonged to Judah, he left his servant there,

Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there.

Then he became afraid, got up, and fled for his life. He came to Beersheba which belongs to Judah, and he left his servant there.

And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.

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