1 Kings, 19

1. Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.

2. Jezebel then sent word to Elijah, "May I be cursed if by this time tomorrow I have not dealt with you as you dealt with them."

3. Elijah was scared and fled for his life. He reached Beer-sheba of Judah and left his servant there.

4. He himself disappeared into the desert going on a day's journey. Then he sat down under a broom tree and prayed to die, "That is enough, Yahweh, take away my life for I am dying."

5. He lay down and went to sleep under the broom tree. Then an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat."

6. Elijah looked and saw, at his head, a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. He ate and drank and went back to sleep.

7. The angel of Yahweh came a second time to him, saying, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too long for you."

8. He got up, ate and drank, and on the strength of that food, he traveled for forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.

9. On reaching the place, he came to the cave and stayed in it. Then the word of Yahweh came to him,"What are you doing here, Elijah?"

10. He answered, "I am burning with jealous love for Yahweh, the God of Hosts, because the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword. No one is left but myself and they are still trying to kill me as well."

11. Then Yahweh said, "Go up and stand on the mount, waiting for Yahweh." And Yahweh passed by. There was first a windstorm, wild wind which rent the mountains and broke the rocks into pieces before Yahweh, but Yahweh was not in the wind. After the storm, an earthquake, but Yahweh was not in the earthquake.

12. After the earthquake, a fire, but Yahweh was not in the fire. After the fire, the murmur of a gentle breeze.

13. When Elijah perceived it, he covered his face with his cloak, went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then he heard a voice addressing him again, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

14. He answered, "I am burning with jealous love for Yahweh, the God of hosts, because the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars and slain your prophets with the sword. No one is left but myself, yet they still seek my life to take it away."

15. Yahweh said to him, "Take the road back through the desert and go to Damascus for you must anoint Hazael as king of Syria;

16. you shall also anoint Jehu, son of Minshi, as king over Israel; and Elisha, son of Shaphat, from Abelmehrah, you shall anoint as prophet in your place.

17. Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael will be slain by Jehu and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha will let him die.

18. Yet I will spare seven thousand in Israel who have not knelt before Baal and whose lips have not kissed him."

19. So Elijah left. He found Elisha, son of Shaphat, who was plowing a field of twelve acres and was at the end of the twelfth acre. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak over him.

20. Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah and said, "Let me say goodbye to my father and mother; then I will follow you." Elijah said to him, "Return if you want, don't worry about what I did."

21. However, Elisha turned back, took the yoke of oxen and slew them. He roasted their meat on the pieces of the yoke and gave it to his people who ate of it. After this, he followed Elijah and began ministering to him.