1And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, to say, “May the gods deal with me so, and more besides, if I do not make your life just like the life of one of my prophets by this time tomorrow.” 3And when he heard that, Elijah arose, and fled for his life, and went to Beer-sheba, in Judah, and he left his servant there. 4But he himself went a day's journey further into the wilderness, and sat down under a juniper tree. And he prayed that he might die: “It is enough! Now, O LORD, take my life; for I am no better than my ancestors.” 5And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, an Angel touched him, and told him, “Get up and eat.” 6And he looked, and there was a cake baked on the coals, and a jug of water at his head. And he ate and drank, and lay back down again. 7And the Angel of the LORD came a second time, and touched him, and said, “Get up and eat; because the journey ahead of you is too great (without nourishment).” 8And he arose, ate, and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.

9And he went into a cave, and lodged there; and the Word of the LORD came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10And he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts. For the children of Israel have violated Your covenant, thrown down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword; and I, I alone, am left, and they seek to take my life away.” 11And the LORD said, “Go out, and stand upon the mount before Me.” And the LORD passed by, and a great strong wind tore 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. 12And after the earthquake, a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire, a still small voice. 13And then, when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14And he repeated, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; because the children of Israel have violated Your covenant, thrown down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword; and I, I only, am left; and they seek to take my life away.” 15And the LORD said to him, “Go, return to the wilderness of Damascus; and when you get there, anoint Hazael king over Syria. 16And you shall anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, king over Israel. And then you shall also anoint Elisha, son of Shaphat, of Abel-meholah, to be My prophet in your place. 17And whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall slay; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall slay. 18And I still have seven thousand in Israel, who have not bowed their knees to Baal, nor kissed him.”

19So Elijah left there, and found Elisha, son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth pair; and Elijah came up to him, and threw his mantle upon him. 20And Elisha left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, “Let me, I pray you, kiss my father and mother goodbye, and then I will follow you.” And Elijah said, “Go back; what have I done to stop you?” 21And Elisha went back, and killed a pair of oxen, and boiled their meat using the wood from the plowing equipment for fuel, and gave it to the townspeople to eat. Then he followed Elijah, and served him.