Elijah Flees from Jezebel 1 WBS And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. BSB BSB: Now Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
2 WBS Then Jezebel sent a messenger to 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. BSB BSB: So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I have not made your life like the lives of those you killed!”
3 WBS And when he saw that , he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. BSB BSB: And Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,
4 WBS 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. BSB BSB: while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”
5 WBS And as he lay and slept under a juniper-tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said to him, Arise and eat. BSB BSB: Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”
6 WBS And he looked, and behold, there was a cake baked on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he ate and drank, and laid himself down again. BSB BSB: And he looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again.
7 WBS 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. BSB BSB: A second time the angel of the LORD returned and touched him, saying, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.”
8 WBS 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. BSB BSB: So he got up and ate and drank. And strengthened by that food, he walked forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
The LORD Speaks to Elijah at Horeb 9 WBS And he came thither to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, What doest thou here, Elijah? BSB BSB: There Elijah entered a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 WBS 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 thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, I only, am left; and they seek my life to take it away. BSB BSB: “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”
11 WBS 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: BSB BSB: Then the LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Behold, the LORD is about to pass by.” And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered 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.
12 WBS And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. BSB BSB: After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, small voice.
13 WBS 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 behold, there came a voice to him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? BSB BSB: When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 WBS 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 thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. BSB BSB: “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”
15 WBS And the LORD said to him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: BSB BSB: Then the LORD said to him, “Go back by the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint Hazael as king over Aram.
16 WBS And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. BSB BSB: You are also to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah to succeed you as prophet.
17 WBS 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. BSB BSB: Then Jehu will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu.
18 WBS Yet I have left to me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. BSB BSB: Nevertheless, I have reserved seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
The Call of Elisha 19 WBS 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. BSB BSB: So Elijah departed and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve teams of oxen, and he was with the twelfth team. Elijah passed by him and threw his cloak around him.
20 WBS 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 to him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? BSB BSB: So Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and then I will follow you.” “Go on back,” Elijah replied, “for what have I done to you?”
21 WBS 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 to the people, and they ate. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered to him. BSB BSB: So Elisha turned back from him, took his pair of oxen, and slaughtered them. Using the oxen’s equipment for fuel, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow and serve Elijah.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.