Elijah Flees from Jezebel

1Now Ahab tolde Iezebel all that Eliiah had done, and how he had slaine all the prophets with the sword. 2Then Iezebel sent a messenger vnto Eliiah, saying, The gods doe so to me and more also, if I make not thy life like one of their liues by to morowe this time. 3When he sawe that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which is in Iudah, and left his seruant there. 4But he went a dayes iourney into the wildernesse, and came and sate downe vnder a iuniper tree, and desired that he might die, and sayde, It is now ynough: O Lord, take my soule, for I am no better then my fathers. 5And as he lay and slept vnder the iuniper tree, behold now, an Angel touched him, and said vnto him, Vp, and eate. 6And when he looked about, behold, there was a cake baken on the coles, and a pot of water at his head: so he did eate and drinke, and returned and slept. 7And the Angel of the Lorde came againe the second time, and touched him, and sayd, Vp, and eate: for thou hast a great iourney. 8Then he arose, and did eate and drinke, and walked in the strength of that meate fourtie dayes and fourtie nights, vnto Horeb the mount of God.

The LORD Speaks to Elijah at Horeb

9And there he entred into a caue, & lodged there: and beholde, the Lorde spake to him, and said vnto him, What doest thou here, Eliiah? 10And he answered, I haue bene very ielous for the Lord God of hostes: for the children of Israel haue forsaken thy couenant, broken downe thine altars, and slayne thy Prophets with the sword, and I onely am left, and they seeke my life to take it away.

11And he saide, Come out, and stand vpon the mount before the Lorde; beholde, the Lorde went by, and a mightie strong winde rent the mountaines, and brake the rockes before the Lord: but the Lord was not in the winde: and after the wind came an earthquake: but the Lord was not in the earthquake: 12And after the earthquake came fire: but the Lorde was not in the fire: and after the fire came a still and soft voyce. 13And when Eliiah heard it, he couered his face with his mantel, and went out, and stoode in the entring in of ye caue: and behold, there came a voyce vnto him, and sayd, What doest thou here, Eliiah? 14And he answered, I haue bene very ielous for the Lord God of hostes, because the children of Israel haue forsaken thy couenant, cast downe thine altars, and slayne thy Prophets with the sworde, and I onely am left, and they seeke my life to take it away.

15And the Lord said vnto him, Goe, returne by the wildernes vnto Damascus, and when thou commest there, anoint Hazael King ouer Aram. 16And Iehu the sonne of Nimshi shalt thou anoynt King ouer Israel: and Elisha the sonne of Shaphat of Abel Meholah shalt thou anoynt to be Prophet in thy roume. 17And him that escapeth from the sworde of Hazael, shall Iehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Iehu, shall Elisha slay. 18Yet wil I leaue seuen thousand in Israel, euen all the knees that haue not bowed vnto Baal, and euery mouth that hath not kissed him.

The Call of Elisha

19So he departed thence, and found Elisha the sonne of Shaphat who was plowing with twelue yoke of oxen before him, and was with the twelft: & Eliiah went towards him, and cast his mantel vpon him. 20And he left the oxen, and ran after Eliiah, and sayde, Let mee, I pray thee, kisse my father and my mother, and then I wil follow thee. Who answered him, Go, returne: for what haue I done to thee? 21And whe he went backe againe from him, he tooke a couple of oxen, and slewe them, and sod their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gaue vnto the people, and they did eate: then he arose and went after Eliiah, and ministred vnto him.