1 Kings 19

1And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.

1Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets of Baal with the sword.

2Then 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.

2Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah with a message: 'May the gods punish me severely if by this time tomorrow I don't kill you just like you killed them.'

3And 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.

3Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. He went to Beersheba in Judah and left his servant there.

4But 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 Jehovah, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

4Elijah himself walked for a whole day into the desert. He came to a broom bush, sat down in its shade, and prayed that he might die. 'I’ve had enough, Lord,' he said. 'Take my life. I am no better than my ancestors.'

5And he lay down and slept under a juniper-tree; and, behold, an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

5Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All of a sudden, an angel touched him and said, 'Get up and eat.'

6And he looked, and, behold, there was at his head a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.

6He looked around and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

7And the angel of Jehovah came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for thee.

7The angel of the Lord came back a second time, touched him, and said, 'Get up and eat, because the journey is too long for you.'

8And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

8So he got up, ate, and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

9And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of Jehovah came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

9There he went into a cave and spent the night. Then the Lord spoke to him and asked, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'

10And he said, I have been very jealous for Jehovah, the 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.

10He answered, 'I have worked very hard for the Lord God of Heaven's Armies. But the people of Israel have broken their promise to you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with swords. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.'

11And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before Jehovah. And, behold, Jehovah passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before Jehovah; but Jehovah was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but Jehovah was not in the earthquake:

11The Lord said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord.' Then the Lord passed by. A great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.

12and after the earthquake a fire; but Jehovah was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

12After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

13And 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 unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

13When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out to stand at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'

14And he said, I have been very jealous for Jehovah, the 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.

14He replied, 'I have worked very hard for the Lord God of Heaven's Armies. The people of Israel have broken their promise to you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with swords. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.'

15And Jehovah said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, thou shalt anoint Hazael to be king over Syria;

15The Lord said to him, 'Go back the way you came and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael as king over Aram.

16and 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.

16Also anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to take your place as prophet.

17And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay; and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.

17Jehu will kill anyone who escapes the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will kill anyone who escapes the sword of Jehu.

18Yet will I leave me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

18Yet I will preserve seven thousand people in Israel—all those whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed his idols.'

19So 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 over unto him, and cast his mantle upon him.

19So Elijah left and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing a field with twelve pairs of oxen, and he was taking care of the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak over him.

20And 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?

20Elisha left his oxen and ran after Elijah. 'Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,' he said, 'and then I will follow you.' 'Go ahead and go back,' Elijah replied. 'I'm not stopping you.'

21And 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 unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

21So Elisha went back. He took his pair of oxen and slaughtered them. He used the wooden plowing equipment as fuel to cook the meat and gave it to the people to eat. Then he left to follow Elijah and became his assistant.