Elijah’s Journey to Horeb

1Ahab told Jezebela everything that Elijah had doneb and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.c 2So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods punish me and do so severelyd if I don’t make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow! ”

3Then Elijah became afraide, f and immediately ran for his life.g When he came to Beer-shebah that belonged to Judah, he left his servant there,i 4but he went on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom treej and prayed that he might die. He said, “I have had enough! LORD, take my life,k for I’m no better than my fathers.” 5Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree.

Suddenly, an angel touched him.l The angel told him, “Get up and eat.” 6Then he looked, and there at his head was a loaf of bread baked over hot stones, and a jug of water.m So he ate and drank and lay down again. 7Then the angel of the LORDn returned for a second time and touched him. He said, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.” 8So he got up, ate, and drank. Then on the strength from that food, he walked 40 days and 40 nightso to Horeb, the mountain of God.p 9He entered a caveq there and spent the night.

Elijah’s Encounter with the Lord

Then the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah? ”r

10He replied, “I have been very zealouss for the LORD God of •Hosts, but the Israelites have abandoned Your covenant,t torn down Your altars,u and killed Your prophetsv with the sword. I alone am left,w and they are looking for me to take my life.”x

11Then He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the LORD’s presence.”y

At that moment, the LORD passed by.z A great and mighty windaa was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake,ab but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12After the earthquake there was a fire,ac but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper.ad 13When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantleae and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

Suddenly, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah? ”

14“I have been very zealous for the LORD God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have abandoned Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they’re looking for me to take my life.”af

15Then the LORD said to him, “Go and return by the way you came to the Wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint Hazaelag as king over Aram. 16You are to anoint Jehuah son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elishaai son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. 17Then Jehu will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Hazael,aj and Elisha will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu.ak 18But I will leave 7,000 in Israelal — every knee that has not bowed to •Baalam and every mouth that has not kissed him.”an

Elisha’s Appointment as Elijah’s Successor

19Elijah left there and found Elishaao son of Shaphat as he was plowing. Twelve teams of oxen were in front of him, and he was with the twelfth team. Elijah walked by him and threw his mantle over him.ap 20Elisha left the oxen, ran to follow Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother, and then I will follow you.”aq

“Go on back,” he replied, “for what have I done to you? ”

21So he turned back from following him, took the team of oxen, and slaughtered them. With the oxen’s wooden yoke and plow,ar he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he left, followed Elijah, and served him.as