| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. | 1Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, including a detailed account of how he killed all the prophets with the sword. |
| 2So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them." | 2Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah with this warning, "May the gods judge me severely if by this time tomorrow I do not take your life as you did theirs!" |
| 3Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, | 3Elijah was afraid, so he got up and fled for his life to Beer Sheba in Judah. He left his servant there, |
| 4while he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." | 4while he went a day's journey into the desert. He went and sat down under a shrub and asked the LORD to take his life: "I've had enough! Now, O LORD, take my life. After all, I'm no better than my ancestors." |
| 5Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." | 5He stretched out and fell asleep under the shrub. All of a sudden an angelic messenger touched him and said, "Get up and eat." |
| 6He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. | 6He looked and right there by his head was a cake baking on hot coals and a jug of water. He ate and drank and then slept some more. |
| 7The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." | 7The LORD's angelic messenger came back again, touched him, and said, "Get up and eat, for otherwise you won't be able to make the journey." |
| 8So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. | 8So he got up and ate and drank. That meal gave him the strength to travel forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. |
| 9There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" | 9He went into a cave there and spent the night. All of a sudden the LORD spoke to him, "Why are you here, Elijah?" |
| 10He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too." | 10He answered, "I have been absolutely loyal to the LORD, the sovereign God, even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life." |
| 11The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. | 11The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Look, the LORD is ready to pass by." A very powerful wind went before the LORD, digging into the mountain and causing landslides, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the windstorm there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. |
| 12After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. | 12After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a soft whisper. |
| 13When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" | 13When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. All of a sudden a voice asked him, "Why are you here, Elijah?" |
| 14He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too." | 14He answered, "I have been absolutely loyal to the LORD, the sovereign God, even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life." |
| 15The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. | 15The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came and then head for the Desert of Damascus. Go and anoint Hazael king over Syria. |
| 16Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. | 16You must anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to take your place as prophet. |
| 17Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. | 17Jehu will kill anyone who escapes Hazael's sword, and Elisha will kill anyone who escapes Jehu's sword. |
| 18Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel--all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him." | 18I still have left in Israel seven thousand followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him." |
| 19So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. | 19Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen; he was near the twelfth pair. Elijah passed by him and threw his robe over him. |
| 20Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. "Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye," he said, "and then I will come with you." "Go back," Elijah replied. "What have I done to you?" | 20He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, "Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, then I will follow you." Elijah said to him, "Go back! Indeed, what have I done to you?" |
| 21So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant. | 21Elisha went back and took his pair of oxen and slaughtered them. He cooked the meat over a fire that he made by burning the harness and yoke. He gave the people meat and they ate. Then he got up and followed Elijah and became his assistant. |
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