The Drought Ends

41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; hthen he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, 43 and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.”

So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.”

44 Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, 1‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’ ”

45 Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. 46 Then the ihand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he jgirded 2up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

Elijah Escapes from Jezebel

19 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had aexecuted all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, b“So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” 3 And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a 1broom tree. And he cprayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”

5 Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an 2angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on 3coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 And the 4angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” 8 So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and dforty nights as far as eHoreb, the mountain of God.

9 And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

10 So he said, f“I have been very gzealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and hkilled Your prophets with the sword. iI alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”

God’s Revelation to Elijah

11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand jon the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord kpassed by, and la great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire 5a still small voice.

13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that mhe wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. nSuddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

14 oAnd he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”

15 Then the Lord said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; pand when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. 16 Also you shall anoint qJehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And rElisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. 17 sIt shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will tkill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, uElisha will kill. 18 vYet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, wand every mouth that has not kissed him.”

Elisha Follows Elijah

19 So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his xmantle on him. 20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, y“Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.”

And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”

21 So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and zboiled their flesh, using the oxen’s equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant.