1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and as well how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
2 Then Jezebel send 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.
3 And he was afraid, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his attendant there.
4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper-tree: and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is enough; now, O Yahweh, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
5 And he lay down and slept under a juniper-tree; and, look, an angel touched him, and said to him, Arise and eat.
6 And he looked and saw that there was at his head a cake baked on the coals, and a cruse of water. And he ate and drank, and laid down again.
7 And the angel of Yahweh came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.
8 And he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.
9 And he came there to a cave, and lodged there; and, look, the word of Yahweh came to him, and he said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah?
10 And he said, I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain your 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 on the mount before Yahweh. And, look, Yahweh passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before Yahweh; but Yahweh was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but Yahweh was not in the earthquake:
12 and after the earthquake a fire; but Yahweh was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. And, look, there came a voice to him, and said, What are you doing here, Elijah?
14 And he said, I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
15 And Yahweh said to him, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when you come, you will anoint Hazael to be king over Syria;
16 and Jehu the son of Nimshi you will anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you will anoint to be prophet in your place.
17 And it will come to pass, that he who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu will slay; and he who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha will slay.
18 Yet I will leave [me] seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which haven't bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him.
19 So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing, with twelve yoke [of oxen] before him, and he [was] with the twelfth: and Elijah passed over to him, and cast his mantle on him.
20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray you, 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 from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered to him.