4 and traveled another day’s journey into the desert. He sat down under a broom tree and asked to die. "I’ve had enough now, Lord," he said. "Take my life! I’m no better than my forefathers."
5 He lay down and fell asleep under the broom tree. All of a sudden an angel touched him and said, "Get up, and eat." 6 He looked around, and there beside his head was some bread baking over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and lay down again.
7 The angel of the Lord returned a second time and touched him, and said, "Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you."
8 So he got up and ate and drank, and with the strength the food gave him he was able to walk forty days and forty nights to Mount Horeb,19:8. Another name for Mount Sinai. the mountain of God. 9 There he entered a cave and spent the night.
The Lord spoke to Elijah, and asked him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
10 "I have worked passionately for the Lord God Almighty," he replied. "But the Israelites have abandoned your agreement, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I am the only one who’s left, and they are trying to kill me as well."
11 Then the Lord told him, "Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord." Right then the Lord passed by. A tremendously powerful wind ripped into the mountains and smashed rocks before the Lord, but the Lord wasn’t in the wind. After the wind there came an earthquake, but the Lord wasn’t in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake there came a fire, but the Lord wasn’t in the fire. And after the fire came a voice speaking in a gentle whisper.