1 Kings 19
Open in the reader1Now Father's-Brother told Jezebel everything that My-God-Is-He-Who-Is had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
2So Jezebel sent a messenger to My-God-Is-He-Who-Is, saying, “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I have not made your life like the lives of those you killed!”
3And My-God-Is-He-Who-Is was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Well-of-Oath in Praised, he left his servant there,
4while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, He-Who-Is,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”
5Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly a messenger touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”
6And he looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again.
7A second time the messenger of He-Who-Is returned and touched him, saying, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.”
8So he got up and ate and drank. And strengthened by that food, he walked forty days and forty nights until he reached Desolate, the mountain of God.
9There My-God-Is-He-Who-Is entered a cave and spent the night. And the word of He-Who-Is came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, My-God-Is-He-Who-Is?”
10“I have been very zealous for He-Who-Is, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the children of Strives-with-God have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”
11Then He-Who-Is said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before He-Who-Is. Behold, He-Who-Is is about to pass by.” And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before He-Who-Is, but He-Who-Is was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but He-Who-Is was not in the earthquake.
12After the earthquake there was a fire, but He-Who-Is was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, small voice.
13When My-God-Is-He-Who-Is heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, My-God-Is-He-Who-Is?”
14“I have been very zealous for He-Who-Is, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the children of Strives-with-God have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”
15Then He-Who-Is said to him, “Go back by the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint God-Has-Seen as king over Highland.
16You are also to anoint He-Who-Is-He son of Drawn-Out as king over Strives-with-God and My-God-Is-Salvation son of He-Has-Judged from Meadow-of-Dancing to succeed you as prophet.
17Then He-Who-Is-He will put to death whoever escapes the sword of God-Has-Seen, and My-God-Is-Salvation will put to death whoever escapes the sword of He-Who-Is-He.
18Nevertheless, I have reserved seven thousand in Strives-with-God—all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
19So My-God-Is-He-Who-Is departed and found My-God-Is-Salvation son of He-Has-Judged. He was plowing with twelve teams of oxen, and he was with the twelfth team. My-God-Is-He-Who-Is passed by him and threw his cloak around him.
20So My-God-Is-Salvation left the oxen, ran after My-God-Is-He-Who-Is, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and then I will follow you.” “Go on back,” My-God-Is-He-Who-Is replied, “for what have I done to you?”
21So My-God-Is-Salvation turned back from him, took his pair of oxen, and slaughtered them. Using the oxen’s equipment for fuel, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow and serve My-God-Is-He-Who-Is.