1 N ow Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.

Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done. He told her how Elijah had killed with the sword all the men who spoke for Baal.

2 T hen Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “ So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.”

Then Jezebel sent news to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.”

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

Elijah was afraid. He got up and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba of Judah, he left his servant there.

4 B ut he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers.”

But he himself traveled for a day into the desert. He came and sat down under a juniper tree. There he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough now, O Lord. Take my life. For I am not better than my fathers.”

5 H e lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, there was an angel touching him, and he said to him, “Arise, eat.”

When he lay down and slept under the juniper tree, an angel touched him. The angel said to him, “Get up and eat.”

6 T hen he looked and behold, there was at his head a bread cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again.

Then Elijah looked and saw by his head a loaf of bread made ready on hot stones, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again.

7 T he angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise, eat, because the journey is too great for you.”

The angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him, and said, “Get up and eat. Because this traveling is too hard for you.”

8 S o he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God. Elijah at Horeb

So he got up and ate and drank. And he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.

9 T hen he came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

He came to a cave, and stayed there. The word of the Lord came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

10 H e said, “ I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”

Elijah said, “I have been very careful to serve the Lord, the God of All. For the people of Israel have turned away from Your agreement. They have torn down Your altars and have killed with the sword the men who speak for You. Only I am left, and they want to kill me.” God Speaks to Elijah

11 S o He said, “ Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks 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.

So the angel said, “Go and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And the Lord passed by. A strong wind tore through the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord. But the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind the earth shook. But the Lord was not in the shaking of the earth.

12 A fter the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing.

After the earth shook, a fire came. But the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a sound of gentle blowing.

13 W hen Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

When Elijah heard it, he put his coat over his face, and went out and stood at the opening of the hole. Then a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

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

He said, “I have been very careful to serve the Lord, the God of All. For the people of Israel have turned away from Your agreement. They have torn down Your altars. And they have killed with the sword the men who speak for You. Only I am left, and they want to kill me.”

15 T he Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram;

The Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the desert of Damascus. When you get there, set apart Hazael to be the king of Syria.

16 a nd Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.

Set apart Nimshi’s son Jehu to be the king of Israel. And set apart Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah to speak for God in your place.

17 I t shall come about, the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death.

Jehu will kill the one who gets away from the sword of Hazael. Elisha will kill the one who gets away from the sword of Jehu.

18 Y et I will leave 7, 000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

But I will leave 7, 000 in Israel whose knees have not bowed down in front of Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.” God Calls Elisha

19 S o he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. And Elijah passed over to him and threw his mantle on him.

So Elijah left there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat. Elisha was plowing with twenty-four bulls, and was with the last two. Elijah passed by him and threw his coat on him.

20 H e left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”

And he left the bulls and ran after Elijah and said, “Let me kiss my father and mother. Then I will follow you.” And Elijah said to him, “Return. For what have I done to you?”

21 S o he returned from following him, and took the pair of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen, and gave it to the people and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah and ministered to him.

So Elisha returned from following him. He took his two bulls and killed them. Then he boiled their flesh over a fire, burning the wood cross-pieces the bulls used to pull the load. And he gave the meat to the people, and they ate. Then Elisha got up and followed Elijah and served him.