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

2 And Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah saying, So do the gods {to me}, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to-morrow about this time!

3 And when he saw {that}, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

4 And he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a certain broom-bush, and requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough: now, Jehovah, take my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

5 And he lay down and slept under the broom-bush. And behold, an angel touched him, and said to him, Arise, eat!

6 And he looked, and behold, at his head was a cake, baked on hot stones, and a cruse of water. And he ate and drank, and lay down again.

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

8 And he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.

9 And there he went into a cave, and lodged there. And behold, the word of Jehovah {came} to him, and he said to him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

10 And 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 am left, I alone, and they seek my life, to take it away.

11 And 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 broke in pieces the rocks before Jehovah: Jehovah was not in the wind. And after the wind, an earthquake: Jehovah was not in the earthquake.

12 And after the earthquake, a fire: Jehovah was not in the fire. And after the fire, a soft gentle voice.

13 And it came to pass, 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, a voice {came} to him and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

14 And 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 am left, I alone, and they seek my life, to take it away.

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

16 and Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint prophet in thy stead.

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

18 Yet I have left {myself} seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth that hath not kissed him.

19 And he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was ploughing {with} twelve yokes before him, and he with the twelfth; and Elijah went over to him, and cast his mantle on him.

20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and I will follow thee. And he said to him, Go back again; for what have I done to thee?

21 And he returned back from him, and took the yoke of oxen, and killed them, and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate. And he arose and went after Elijah, and ministered to him.

1 亚哈把以利亚所行的一切， 和他用刀杀死众先知的一切事， 都告诉了耶洗别。

2 耶洗别就差派一个使者去见以利亚说： "明天这个时候， 如果我不使你的性命， 像那些人一样， 愿神明惩罚我， 并且加倍惩罚我。"

3 以利亚害怕， 就起来， 逃命去了。他到了犹大的别是巴， 就把自己的仆人留在那里。

4 他自己却在旷野走了一天的路， 来到一棵罗腾树下， 就坐在那里求死， 说： "耶和华啊， 现在已经够了， 求你取我的性命吧， 因为我并不比我的列祖好。"

5 他躺在那棵罗腾树下， 睡着了。忽然有一位天使拍他， 说： "起来， 吃吧！ "

6 他张眼一看， 只见头旁有用炭火烤的饼和一瓶水。他就起来吃喝， 然后又躺下去。

7 耶和华的使者第二次回来拍他， 说： "起来吃吧！ 因为你要走的路程太远了。"

8 于是他起来吃喝， 靠着那食物的力量， 他走了四十昼夜， 直走到 神的山， 就是何烈山。

9 他在那里进了一个洞， 就在洞里过夜。耶和华的话临到他， 说： "以利亚啊， 你在这里干什么？"

10 他说： "我为耶和华万军的 神大发热心， 因为以色列人背弃了你的约， 拆毁了你的祭坛， 用刀杀死了你的众先知， 只剩下我一个人， 他们还在寻索， 要取去我的性命。"

11 耶和华说： "你出来站在山上， 在我耶和华面前。"那时， 耶和华从那里经过。在耶和华面前有强烈的大风， 山崩石碎， 但耶和华不在风中； 风过以后有地震， 但耶和华也不在地震中；

12 地震过后有火， 耶和华也不在火中； 火后有低微柔和的声音。

13 以利亚听见了， 就用自己的外衣蒙着脸， 走出来， 站在洞口。忽然有声音向他说： "以利亚啊， 你在这里干什么？"

14 以利亚说： "我为耶和华万军的 神大发热心， 因为以色列人背弃了你的约， 拆毁了你的祭坛， 用刀杀了你的众先知， 只剩下我一个人， 他们还在寻索， 要取去我的性命。"

15 耶和华对他说： "你离去吧， 从你来的路回到大马士革的旷野去。你到了那里， 就要膏哈薛作亚兰王。

16 又要膏宁示的孙子耶户作以色列王， 还要膏亚伯．米何拉人沙法的儿子以利沙接续你作先知。

17 将来逃得过哈薛的刀的， 必被耶户杀死； 逃得过耶户的刀的， 必被以利沙杀死。

18 但我在以色列人中留下七千人， 他们全是未曾向巴力屈过膝的， 也未曾与巴力亲过嘴的。"

19 于是以利亚离开那里去了。他遇见沙法的儿子以利沙正在耕田。在他面前有十二对牛， 他自己正在赶着第十二对牛。以利亚走过他那里去， 把自己的外衣披在以利沙身上。

20 以利沙就撇下那些牛， 跑在以利亚的后面， 说： "请你允许我与父母亲吻别， 然后我就跟随你。"以利亚对他说： "你回去吧！ 我向你作了什么呢？"

21 以利沙就离开他回去了。他牵了一对牛来宰了， 用套牛的器具把牛煮熟， 就分给众人， 他们都吃了。然后以利沙就起来， 跟随以利亚， 服事他。