Chapter 19

And Ahab told⁵⁵ Jezebel all that Elijah had done,¹ and withal how he had slain¹ all the prophets with the sword.

Then Jezebel sent⁴ a messenger unto Elijah, saying,² So let the gods do⁴ [to me], and more⁵⁵ also, if I make⁴ not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.

And when he saw⁴ [that], he arose,⁴ and went⁴ for his life, and came⁴ to Beersheba, which [belongeth] to Judah, and left⁵⁵ his servant there.

But he himself went¹ a day's journey into the wilderness, and came⁴ and sat down⁴ under a juniper tree: and he requested⁴ for himself that he might die;² and said,⁴ It is enough; now, O LORD, take away³ my life; for I [am] not better than my fathers.

And as he lay⁴ and slept⁴ under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched⁶ him, and said⁴ unto him, Arise³ [and] eat.³

And he looked,⁵⁵ and, behold, [there was] a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat⁴ and drink,⁴ and laid him down⁴ again.⁴

And the angel of the LORD came again⁴ the second time, and touched⁴ him, and said,⁴ Arise³ [and] eat;³ because the journey [is] too great for thee.

And he arose,⁴ and did eat⁴ and drink,⁴ and went⁴ in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

And he came⁴ thither unto a cave, and lodged⁴ there; and, behold, the word of the LORD [came] to him, and he said⁴ unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

And he said,⁴ I have been very¹⁵ jealous¹⁴ for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken¹ thy covenant, thrown down¹ thine altars, and slain¹ thy prophets with the sword; and I, [even] I only, am left;¹¹ and they seek¹⁷ my life, to take it away.²

And he said,⁴ Go forth,³ and stand¹ upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by,⁶ and a great and strong wind rent¹⁸ the mountains, and brake in pieces¹⁸ 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:

And after the earthquake a fire; [but] the LORD [was] not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

And it was [so], when Elijah heard² [it], that he wrapped⁵⁵ his face in his mantle, and went out,⁴ and stood⁴ in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, [there came] a voice unto him, and said,⁴ What doest thou here, Elijah?

And he said,⁴ I have been very¹⁵ jealous¹⁴ for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken¹ thy covenant, thrown down¹ thine altars, and slain¹ thy prophets with the sword; and I, [even] I only, am left;¹¹ and they seek¹⁷ my life, to take it away.²

And the LORD said⁴ unto him, Go,³ return³ on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest,¹ anoint¹ Hazael [to be] king over Syria:

And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint⁴ [to be] king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint⁴ [to be] prophet in thy room.

And it shall come to pass, [that] him that escapeth¹² the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay:⁵⁵ and him that escapeth¹² from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.⁵⁵

Yet I have left⁵² [me] seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed¹ unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed¹ him.

So he departed⁴ thence, and found⁴ Elisha the son of Shaphat, who [was] plowing⁶ [with] twelve ⁶²⁴⁰ yoke [of oxen] before him, and he with the twelfth: ⁶²⁴⁰ and Elijah passed by⁴ him, and cast⁵⁵ his mantle upon him.

And he left⁴ the oxen, and ran⁴ after Elijah, and said,⁴ Let me, I pray thee, kiss⁴ my father and my mother, and [then] I will follow^{4 310} thee. And he said⁴ unto him, Go³ back again:³ for what have I done¹ to thee?

And he returned back⁴ from him, and took⁴ a yoke of oxen, and slew⁴ them, and boiled¹⁴ their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave⁴ unto the people, and they did eat.⁴ Then he arose,⁴ and went⁴ after Elijah, and ministered¹⁷ unto him.