Read the Bible

¹ AND told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had slain all the prophets of Baal and the prophets of the shrines with the sword.² Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.³ And Elijah was afraid, and he arose and fled for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his disciple there.⁴ But he himself went a days journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under an oak tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is enough for me; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.⁵ Then he lay down and slept soundly under the oak tree; and, behold, an angel touched him and said to him, Arise and eat.⁶ And he looked, and, behold, there was at his head a cake baked on the coals and a cruse of water. And he did eat and drink, and lay down again.⁷ And the angel of the LORD came again the second time and touched him and said, Arise, eat and drink; because the journey is too great for you.⁸ And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb the mount of God.

⁹ And he entered into a cave and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah?¹⁰ And he said, I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.¹¹ And he said, Go forth and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:¹² And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.¹³ And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice to him, and said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah?¹⁴ And he said, I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts, because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.¹⁵ And the LORD said to him, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; then go and anoint Hazael to be king over Aram;¹⁶ And Jehu the son of Jamshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place.¹⁷ And it shall come to pass, that him who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay; and him who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.¹⁸ Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.

¹⁹ So he departed thence and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing, and twelve ploughs were ahead of him, and he was one of the twelve; and Elijah came up to him and cast his mantle upon him.²⁰ And he left the plough and the oxen and went after Elijah and said to him, Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you. And he said to him, Go back again; for what have I done to you?²¹ And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slew them and boiled their meat with wood from the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and ministered to him.