1 Kings 19
1 When Ahab got home, he told [his wife] Jezebel what Elijah had done. He told her that Elijah had killed all the prophets of Baal.
Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and that he had killed all the prophets of Baal with the sword.
2 So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “By this time tomorrow I will have [killed] you, just like you [killed all those prophets of Baal]. If I do not do that, I hope the gods will kill me.”
Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods do as much to me and more if by tomorrow I haven't made your life like the lives of those you killed!”
3 When Elijah received [her message], he was afraid. So [taking his servant with him], he fled in order that he would not be killed. He went [far south] to Beersheba, in Judah. He left his servant there.
Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he arrived in Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there
4 Then he went by himself further [south] into the desert. He walked all day. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that [Yahweh] would allow him to die. He said, “Yahweh, I’ve had enough. So allow me to die, because for me to live is no better than [being with] my ancestors [who have died].”
and traveled another day's journey into the desert. He sat down under a broom tree and asked to die. “I've had enough now, Lord,” he said. “Take my life! I'm no better than my forefathers.”
5 Then he lay down under the broom tree and slept. But while he was sleeping, an angel touched him and [woke him up and] said to him, “Get up and eat some food!”
He lay down and fell asleep under the broom tree. All of a sudden an angel touched him and said, “Get up, and eat.”
6 Elijah looked around and saw some bread which had been baked on hot stones, and he also saw a jar of water. So he ate some bread and drank some water and lay down [to sleep] again.
He looked around, and there beside his head was some bread baking over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and lay down again.
7 Then the angel [who had been sent by] Yahweh came again and touched him, and said, “Get up and eat some [more] food, because you need [more strength] to go on a long journey.”
The angel of the Lord returned a second time and touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.”
8 So he got up and ate and drank some more, and because of doing that, he got enough strength to enable him to travel for forty days and nights to Sinai Mountain, the mountain [that was dedicated to] God.
So he got up and ate and drank, and with the strength the food gave him he was able to walk forty days and forty nights to Mount Horeb, the mountain of God.
9 He went into a cave there and slept there that night. [The next morning, ] Yahweh said to him “Elijah, why are you here?”
There he entered a cave and spent the night. The Lord spoke to Elijah, and asked him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 Elijah replied, “I have zealously served you, Yahweh, God Almighty. But the Israeli people have broken the agreement that they made with you. They have torn down your altars, and they have killed all of your prophets. I am the only one whom they have not killed, and now they are trying to kill me, too. [So I am running away from them].”
“I have worked passionately for the Lord God Almighty,” he replied. “But the Israelites have abandoned your agreement, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I am the only one who's left, and they are trying to kill me as well.”
11 Yahweh said to him, “Go out and stand in front of me on this mountain while I pass by.” [Suddenly] a strong windstorm struck the mountain. As a result, rocks were loosened from the mountainside. But Yahweh was not in the wind. Then there was an earthquake, but Yahweh was not in the earthquake.
Then the Lord told him, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” Right then the Lord passed by. A tremendously powerful wind ripped into the mountains and smashed rocks before the Lord, but the Lord wasn't in the wind. After the wind there came an earthquake, but the Lord wasn't in the earthquake.
12 Then there was a fire, but Yahweh was not in the fire. Then there was a sound like someone whispering quietly.
After the earthquake there came a fire, but the Lord wasn't in the fire. And after the fire came a voice speaking in a gentle whisper.
13 When Elijah heard that, he wrapped his cloak around his face. He went out of the cave and stood at its entrance. And he heard Yahweh speaking to him, saying again, “Elijah, why are you here?”
When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his cloak around his face and went out and stood at the cave entrance. Immediately a voice spoke to him and asked, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 He replied again, “I have zealously served you, Yahweh, God Almighty. But the Israeli people have broken the agreement that they made with you. They have torn down your altars, and they have killed all of your prophets. I am the only one whom they have not killed, and now they are trying to kill me, too. [So I am running away from them].”
“I have worked passionately for the Lord God Almighty,” he replied. “But the Israelites have abandoned your agreement, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I am the only one who's left, and they are trying to kill me as well.”
15 Then Yahweh told him, “Go back to the desert near Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint [with olive oil] a man named Hazael, [to appoint him] to be the king of Syria.
The Lord told him, “Go back the way you came to the desert of Damascus. When you get there, go and anoint Hazael king of Aram.
16 Then anoint Jehu, the son of Nimshi, to be the king of Israel, and also anoint Elisha the son of Shaphat, from Abel-Meholah [town], to become my prophet after you are dead.
Also anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, king of Israel and Elisha, son of Shaphat, from Abel-meholah, to take over from you as prophet.
17 Hazael’s army [will kill many people, and] those who escape from [being killed by] his army will be killed by Jehu’s [army], and those who escape from [being killed by] Jehu’s army will be killed by Elisha.
Jehu will execute anyone who escapes the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will execute anyone who escapes the sword of Jehu.
18 But [you need to know that] there are still 7,000 people in Israel who have never bowed to [worship] Baal or kissed his [idol].”
I still have seven thousand left in Israel, all those who have not bowed their knees to worship and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
19 So Elijah went [to Syria] and found Elisha as he was plowing a field with a team of oxen. There were eleven other men who were in front of him, plowing with teams of oxen in the same field. Elijah went to Elisha, and took off his own coat and put it on Elisha, [to show Elisha that he wanted him to take his place as a prophet. Then he started to walk away].
So Elijah left, and went and found Elisha, son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen, and he was with the twelfth pair. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak around him.
20 Elisha left the oxen standing there and ran after Elijah, and said to him, “I will go with you, but first let me kiss my parents goodbye.” Elijah replied, “Okay, go home. But do not forget why I have [given my cloak] to you!”
Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me go and kiss my father and mother goodbye, and then I will follow you.” “Go on home,” Elijah replied. “I've never done anything for you.”
21 So Elisha went back [to his oxen]. He killed them [and cut them in pieces] and used the wood from the plow to build a fire to roast the meat. He distributed the meat to the other people [in his town], and they all ate some. Then he went with Elijah and became his helper.
Elisha left him, took his pair of oxen, and slaughtered them. Using the wood of the oxen's yoke as fuel, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate it. Then he left to follow and serve Elijah.
