Elijah Flees to Horeb

19 Now Ahab told Jezebely everything Elijah had done and how he had killedz all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely,a if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”b

3 Elijah was afraida and ranc for his life.d When he came to Beershebae in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush,f sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life;g I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.h

All at once an angeli touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

7 The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled fortyj days and forty nights until he reached Horeb,k the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cavel and spent the night.

The Lord Appears to Elijah

And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”m

10 He replied, “I have been very zealousn for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant,o torn down your altars,p and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left,q and now they are trying to kill me too.”

11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountainr in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”s

Then a great and powerful windt tore the mountains apart and shatteredu 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,v but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.w 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his facex 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,y 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 Hazaelz king over Aram. 16 Also, anointa Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elishab son of Shaphat from Abel Meholahc to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael,d and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu.e 18 Yet I reservef seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissedg him.”

The Call of Elisha

19 So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloakh around him. 20 Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,”i he said, “and then I will come with you.”

“Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?”

21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxenj and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.k