Study Desk

Then he came there to a cave and spent the night there; and behold, ^(C1)the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

And he said, "^(C1)I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of armies; for the sons of Israel have abandoned Your covenant, ^(C2)torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. And ^(C3)I alone am left; and they have sought to take my life."

So He said, "^(C1)Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD was passing by! And ^(C2)a great and powerful wind was tearing out the mountains and breaking the rocks in pieces before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.

And after the earthquake, a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire, ^(C1)a sound of a gentle blowing.

When Elijah heard it, ^(C1)he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, ^(C2)a voice came to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

Then he said, "^(C1)I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of armies; for the sons of Israel have abandoned Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they have sought to take my life."

The LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; and when you have arrived, ^(C1)you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram.

You shall also anoint ^(C1)Jehu the son of Nimshi king over Israel; and you shall anoint ^(C2)Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place.

"And it shall come about that the ^(C1)one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu ^(C2)shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death.

"^(C1)Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not ^(C2)kissed him."