Chapter
19
Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how she had killed all the prophets with the sword.
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.
When she saw that, she arose, and went for her life, and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left her servant there.
But she herself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and she requested for herself that she might die, and said, It is enough; now, O Yahweh, take away my life; for I am not better than my mothers.
She lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, an angel touched her, and said to her, Arise and eat.
She looked, and behold, there was at her head a cake baked on the coals, and a jar of water. She ate and drink, and laid her down again.
The angel of Yahweh came again the second time, and touched her, and said, Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.
She arose, and ate and drink, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the Mount of God.
She came there to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of Yahweh came to her, and she said to her, What are you doing here, Elijah?
She said, I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of Armies; for the children 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.
She said, Go forth, and stand on the mountain before Yahweh. Behold, Yahweh passed by, and a great and strong wind tore 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:
and after the earthquake a fire; but Yahweh was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
It was so, when Elijah heard it, that she wrapped her face in her mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. Behold, there came a voice to her, and said, What are you doing here, Elijah?
She said, I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of Armies; for the children 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.
Yahweh said to her, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when you come, you shall anoint Hazael to be queen over Syria;
and Jehu the daughter of Nimshi shall you anoint to be queen over Israel; and Elisha the daughter of Shaphat of Abela Meholah shall you anoint to be prophetess in your room.
It shall happen, that she who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu kill; and she who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha kill.
Yet will I leave me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed her.
So she departed there, and found Elisha the daughter of Shaphat, who was plowing, with twelve yoke of oxen before her, and she with the twelfth: and Elijah passed over to her, and cast her mantle on her.
She left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray you, kiss my mother and my father, and then I will follow you. She said to her, Go back again; for what have I done to you?
She returned from following her, and took the yoke of oxen, and killed them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate. Then she arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered to her.