1   Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done and how he had put all the prophets to death with the sword. 2   Jezebel then sent a messenger to Elijah to say, ‘The gods do the same to me and more, unless by this time tomorrow I have taken your life as you took theirs.’ 3   He was afraid

Ahab and Elijah and fled for his life. When he reached Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there and himself went a day's journey into the wilderness. 4   He came upon a broom-bush, and sat down under it and prayed for death: ‘It is enough,’ he said; ‘now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers before me.’ 5   He lay down under the bush and, while he slept, an angel touched him and said, ‘Rise and eat.’ 6   He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a pitcher of water. 7   He ate and drank and lay down again. The angel of the Lord came again and touched him a second time, saying, ‘Rise and eat; the journey is too much for you.’ 8   He rose and ate and drank and, sustained by this food, he went on for forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God. 9   He entered a cave and there he spent the night.

Suddenly the word of the Lord came to him: ‘Why are you here, Elijah?’ 10   ‘Because of my great zeal for the Lord the God of Hosts’, he said. ‘The people of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, torn down thy altars and put thy prophets to death with the sword. I alone am left, and they seek to take my life.’ 11   The answer came: ‘Go and stand on the mount before the Lord.’ For the Lord was passing by: a great and strong wind came rending mountains and shattering rocks before him, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12   and after the earthquake fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a low murmuring sound. 13   When Elijah heard it, he muffled his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice: ‘Why are you here, Elijah?’ 14   ‘Because of my great zeal for the Lord the God of Hosts’, he said. ‘The people of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, torn down thy altars and put thy prophets to death with the sword. I alone am left, and they seek to take my life.’

15   The Lord said to him, ‘Go back by way of the wilderness of Damascus, enter the city and anoint Hazael to be king of Aram; 16   anoint Jehu son ^note of Nimshi to be king of Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah to be prophet in your place. 17   Anyone who escapes the sword of Hazael Jehu will slay, and anyone who escapes the sword of Jehu Elisha will slay. 18   But I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all who have not bent the knee to Baal, all whose lips have not kissed him.’

19   Elijah departed and found Elisha son of Shaphat ploughing; there were twelve pair of oxen ahead of him, and he himself was with the last of them. 20   As Elijah passed, he threw his cloak over him, and Elisha, leaving his oxen, ran after Elijah and said, ‘Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and then I will follow you.’ ‘Go back,’ he replied; ‘what have I done to prevent you?’ 21   He followed him no further but

Ahab and Elijah went home, took his pair of oxen, slaughtered them and burnt the wooden gear to cook the flesh, which he gave to the people to eat. Then he followed Elijah and became his disciple.

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