1 Kings 19
Christian Standard Bible
Elijah’s Journey to Horeb
19 Ahab told Jezebel(A) everything that Elijah had done(B) and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.(C) 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods punish me and do so severely(D) if I don’t make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow!”
3 Then Elijah became afraid[a](E) and immediately ran for his life.(F) When he came to Beer-sheba(G) that belonged to Judah, he left his servant there,(H) 4 but he went on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree(I) and prayed that he might die. He said, “I have had enough! Lord, take my life,(J) for I’m no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree.
Suddenly, an angel touched him.(K) The angel told him, “Get up and eat.” 6 Then he looked, and there at his head was a loaf of bread baked over hot stones, and a jug of water.(L) So he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 Then the angel of the Lord(M) returned for a second time and touched him. He said, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.” 8 So he got up, ate, and drank. Then on the strength from that food, he walked forty days and forty nights(N) to Horeb, the mountain of God.(O) 9 He entered a cave(P) there and spent the night.
Elijah’s Encounter with the Lord
Suddenly, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (Q)
10 He replied, “I have been very zealous(R) for the Lord God of Armies, but the Israelites have abandoned your covenant,(S) torn down your altars,(T) and killed your prophets(U) with the sword. I alone am left,(V) and they are looking for me to take my life.”(W)
11 Then he said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the Lord’s presence.”(X)
At that moment, the Lord passed by.(Y) A great and mighty wind(Z) was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake,(AA) but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake there was a fire,(AB) but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper.(AC) 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle(AD) and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
Suddenly, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of Armies,” he replied, “but the Israelites have abandoned your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they’re looking for me to take my life.”(AE)
15 Then the Lord said to him, “Go and return by the way you came to the Wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint Hazael(AF) as king over Aram. 16 You are to anoint Jehu(AG) son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha(AH) son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. 17 Then Jehu will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Hazael,(AI) and Elisha will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu.(AJ) 18 But I will leave seven thousand in Israel(AK)—every knee that has not bowed to Baal(AL) and every mouth that has not kissed him.”(AM)
Elisha’s Appointment as Elijah’s Successor
19 Elijah left there and found Elisha(AN) son of Shaphat as he was plowing. Twelve teams of oxen were in front of him, and he was with the twelfth team. Elijah walked by him and threw his mantle over him.(AO) 20 Elisha left the oxen, ran to follow Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother, and then I will follow you.”(AP)
“Go on back,” he replied, “for what have I done to you?”
21 So he turned back from following him, took the team of oxen, and slaughtered[b] them. With the oxen’s wooden yoke and plow,(AQ) he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he left, followed Elijah, and served him.(AR)
1 Kings 19
King James Version
19 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant 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 Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
7 And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
10 And he said, I have been very jealous 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 brake 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 it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
14 And he said, I have been very jealous 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 unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:
16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.
17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth 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 unto Baal, and every mouth which 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 he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.
20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?
21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.
1 Kings 19
New King James Version
Elijah Escapes from Jezebel
19 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had (A)executed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, (B)“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 when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.
4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a [a]broom tree. And he (C)prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”
5 Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an [b]angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on [c]coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 And the [d]angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” 8 So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and (D)forty nights as far as (E)Horeb, the mountain of God.
9 And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 So he said, (F)“I have been very (G)zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and (H)killed Your prophets with the sword. (I)I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”
God’s Revelation to Elijah
11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand (J)on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord (K)passed by, and (L)a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces 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 [e]a still small voice.
13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that (M)he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. (N)Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 (O)And he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”
15 Then the Lord said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; (P)and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. 16 Also you shall anoint (Q)Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And (R)Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. 17 (S)It shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will (T)kill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, (U)Elisha will kill. 18 (V)Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, (W)and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
Elisha Follows Elijah
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. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his (X)mantle on him. 20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, (Y)“Please 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 So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and (Z)boiled their flesh, using the oxen’s equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant.
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 19:4 juniper
- 1 Kings 19:5 Or Angel
- 1 Kings 19:6 hot stones
- 1 Kings 19:7 Or Angel
- 1 Kings 19:12 a delicate whispering voice
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
