¹Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done , and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword .

²Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me , and more also , if I don’t make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time !”

³When he saw that , he arose and ran for his life , and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah , and left his servant there .

⁴But he himself went a day ’s journey into the wilderness , and came and sat down under a juniper tree . Then he requested for himself that he might die , and said, “It is enough . Now , O LORD , take away my life ; for I am not better than my fathers.”

⁵He lay down and slept under a juniper tree ; and behold , an angel touched him , and said to him , “Arise and eat!”

⁶He looked , and behold , there was at his head a cake baked on the coals , and a jar of water . He ate and drank , and lay down again .

⁷The LORD ’s angel came again the second time , and touched him , and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you .”

⁸He arose , and ate and drank , and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb , God’s Mountain .

⁹He came to a cave there , and camped there ; and behold , the LORD ’s word came to him , and he said to him , “What are you doing here , Elijah?”

¹⁰He said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD , the God of Armies ; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant , thrown down your altars , and killed your prophets with the sword . I , even I only , am left ; and they seek my life , to take it away .”

¹¹He said , “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD .”

Behold , the LORD passed by , and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces 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 .

¹²After the earthquake a fire passed ; but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a still small voice .

¹³When Elijah heard it , he wrapped his face in his mantle, went out , and stood in the entrance of the cave . Behold , a voice came to him , and said , “What are you doing here , Elijah?”

¹⁴He said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD , the God of Armies ; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant , thrown down your altars , and killed your prophets with the sword . I , even I only , am left ; and they seek my life , to take it away .”

¹⁵The LORD said to him , “Go , return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus . When you arrive, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.

¹⁶Anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi to be king over Israel ; and anoint Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah to be prophet in your place .

¹⁷He who escapes from the sword of Hazael , Jehu will kill ; and he who escapes from the sword of Jehu , Elisha will kill .

¹⁸Yet I reserved seven thousand in Israel , all the knees of which have not bowed to Baal , and every mouth which has not kissed him .”

¹⁹So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat , who was ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen before him , and he with the twelfth . Elijah went over to him and put his mantle on him .

²⁰Elisha left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, “Let me please kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you .”

He said to him , “Go back again ; for what have I done to you ?”

²¹He returned from following him , and took the yoke of oxen , killed them , and boiled their meat with the oxen ’s equipment , and gave to the people ; and they ate. Then he arose , and went after Elijah, and served him .