19 5 Elijah fleeing from Jezebel, is nourished by the Angel of God. 15 He is commanded to anoint Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha.

Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had slain all the [a]prophets with the sword.

Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, [b]The gods do so to me and more also, if I make not thy life like one of their lives by tomorrow this time.

¶ When he saw that, he arose, and went [c]for his life, and came to Beersheba, which is in Judah, and left his servant there.

But he went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a Juniper tree, and desired that he might die, and said, It is now enough: O Lord, [d]take my soul, for I am no better than my fathers.

And as he lay and slept under the Juniper tree, behold now, an Angel touched him, and said unto him, Up, and eat.

And when he looked about, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a pot of water at his head: so he did eat and drink, and returned and slept.

And the Angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Up, and eat: for [e]thou hast a great journey.

¶ Then he arose, and did eat and drink, and walked in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights, unto Horeb the mount of God.

And there he entered into a cave, and lodged there: and behold, the Lord spake to him, and said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

10 And he answered, I have [f]been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, broken down thine altars, and slain thy Prophets with the sword, (A)and I only am left, and they seek my life to take it away.

11 And he said, Come out, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And behold, the Lord went by, and a mighty strong wind rent the mountains, and brake the rocks before the Lord: but the Lord was [g]not in the wind: and after the wind came an earthquake: but the Lord was not in the earthquake:

12 And after the earthquake came fire: but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire came a still and soft voice.

13 And when Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering of the cave: and behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

14 And he answered, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts, [h]because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, cast down thine altars, and slain thy Prophets with the sword, and I only am left, and they seek my life to take it away.

15 And the Lord said unto him, Go, return by the wilderness unto Damascus, and when thou comest there, anoint Hazael king over [i]Aram.

16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint King over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah shalt thou anoint to be Prophet in thy room.

17 And (B)him that escapeth from the sword of Hazael, shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu, shall Elisha slay.

18 Yet will (C)I leave seven thousand in Israel: even [j]all the knees that have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth that hath not kissed him.

19 ¶ So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and was with the twelfth: and Elijah went towards him, and cast his mantel upon him.

20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, [k]Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. Who answered him, Go, return: for what have I done to thee?

21 And when he went back again from him, he took a couple of oxen, and slew them, and sod their flesh with the [l]instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat: then he arose and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 19:1 To wit, of Baal.
  2. 1 Kings 19:2 Though the wicked rage against God’s children, yet he holdeth them back that they cannot execute their malice.
  3. 1 Kings 19:3 Or, whither his mind led him.
  4. 1 Kings 19:4 So hard a thing it is to bridle our impatience in affliction, that the Saints could not overcome the same.
  5. 1 Kings 19:7 He declareth that except God had nourished him miraculously, it had not been possible for him to have gone this journey.
  6. 1 Kings 19:10 He complaineth that the more zealous that he showed himself to maintain God’s glory, the more cruelly was he persecuted.
  7. 1 Kings 19:11 For the nature of man is not able to come near unto God, if he should appear in his strength and full majesty, and therefore of his mercy he submitteth himself to our capacity.
  8. 1 Kings 19:14 We ought not to depend on the multitude in maintaining God’s glory, but because our duty so requireth, we ought to do it.
  9. 1 Kings 19:15 Or, Syria.
  10. 1 Kings 19:18 He declareth that wicked dissemblers and idolaters are not his.
  11. 1 Kings 19:20 Though this natural affection is not to be contemned, yet it ought not to move us when God calleth us to serve him.
  12. 1 Kings 19:21 He would not stay till wood was brought, so great was his desire to follow his vocation.

Elijah Flees to Horeb

19 Now Ahab told Jezebel(A) everything Elijah had done and how he had killed(B) all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely,(C) if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”(D)

Elijah was afraid[a] and ran(E) for his life.(F) When he came to Beersheba(G) in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush,(H) sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life;(I) I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.(J)

All at once an angel(K) touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He 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.

The 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.” So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty(L) days and forty nights until he reached Horeb,(M) the mountain of God. There he went into a cave(N) and spent the night.

The Lord Appears to Elijah

And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”(O)

10 He replied, “I have been very zealous(P) for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant,(Q) torn down your altars,(R) and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left,(S) and now they are trying to kill me too.”

11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain(T) in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”(U)

Then a great and powerful wind(V) tore the mountains apart and shattered(W) 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. 12 After the earthquake came a fire,(X) but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.(Y) 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face(Z) and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

14 He 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,(AA) and now they are trying to kill me too.”

15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael(AB) king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint(AC) Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha(AD) son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah(AE) to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael,(AF) and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu.(AG) 18 Yet I reserve(AH) seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed(AI) him.”

The Call of Elisha

19 So 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(AJ) around him. 20 Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,”(AK) he said, “and then I will come with you.”

“Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?”

21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen(AL) 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.(AM)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 19:3 Or Elijah saw