The First Book of the Kings

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- Chapter 19 -

Then Ahab reported to Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.

And so Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods do these things, and may they add these other things, if by this hour tomorrow I will not have made your life like the life of one of them.”

Therefore, Elijah was afraid. And rising up, he went away to wherever his will would carry him. And he arrived in Beersheba of Judah. And he dismissed his servant there.

And he continued on, into the desert, for one day’s journey. And when he had arrived, and was sitting under a juniper tree, he requested for his soul that he might die. And he said: “It is enough for me, O Lord. Take my soul. For I am no better than my fathers.”(a)

And he stretched himself out, and he slept deeply in the shadow of the juniper tree. And behold, an Angel of the Lord touched him, and said to him, “Rise up and eat.”

He looked, and behold, at his head was bread baked under ashes, and a container of water. Then he ate and drank, and again he slept deeply.

And the Angel of the Lord returned a second time, and touched him, and said to him: “Rise up, eat. For a great journey again stands before you.”

And he when he had risen up, he ate and drank. And he walked by the strength of that food for forty days and forty nights, as far as the mountain of God, Horeb.(b)

The LORD Speaks to Elijah at Horeb

And when he had arrived there, he stayed in a cave. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

And he responded: “I have been very zealous on behalf of the Lord, the God of hosts. For the sons of Israel have forsaken your covenant. They have torn down your altars. They have killed your prophets with the sword. I alone remain. And they are seeking my life, so that they may take it away.”(c)

And he said to him, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by. And there was a great and strong wind, tearing apart the mountains, and crushing the rocks before the Lord. But the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind, there was an earthquake. But the Lord was not in the earthquake.

And after the earthquake, there was a fire. But the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire, there was the whisper of a gentle breeze.

And when Elijah had heard it, he covered his face with his cloak, and going out, he stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there was a voice to him, saying: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” And he responded:

“I have been very zealous on behalf of the Lord, the God of hosts. For the sons of Israel have forsaken your covenant. They have torn down your altars. They have killed your prophets with the sword. I alone remain. And they are seeking my life, so that they may take it away.”

And the Lord said to him: “Go, and return on your way, through the desert, to Damascus. And when you have arrived there, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Syria.

And you shall anoint Jehu, the son of Nimshi, as king over Israel. But Elisha, the son of Shaphat, who is from Abelmeholah, you shall anoint to be a prophet in your place.

And this shall be: whoever will have escaped from the sword of Hazael, will be slain by Jehu. And whoever will have escaped from the sword of Jehu, will be put to death by Elisha.(d)

And I will leave for myself seven thousand men in Israel, whose knees have not been bent before Baal, and every mouth that has not adored him, kissing hands.”

The Call of Elisha

Therefore, Elijah, setting out from there, found Elisha, the son of Shaphat, plowing with twelve yoke of oxen. And he himself was one of those who were plowing with the twelve yoke of oxen. And when Elijah had gone to him, he cast his mantle over him.

And immediately, leaving behind the oxen, he ran after Elijah. And he said, “I beg you to let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him: “Go, and turn back. For what was mine to do, I have done concerning you.”

Then, turning back from him, he took a pair of oxen, and he slew them. And he cooked the flesh with the plow of the oxen. And he gave it to the people, and they ate. And rising up, he went and followed Elijah, and he ministered to him.

Footnotes

(a)19:4 That he might die:Elias requested to die, not out of impatience or pusillanimity, but out of zeal against sin; and that he might no longer be witness of the miseries of his people; and the war they were waging against God and his servants. See ver. 10.(Challoner)

(b)19:8 In the strength of that food, etc:This bread, with which Elias was fed in the wilderness, was a figure of the bread of life which we receive in the blessed sacrament; by the strength of which we are to be supported in our journey through the wilderness of this world till we come to the true mountain of God, and his vision in a happy eternity.(Challoner)

(c)19:10 I alone am left:Viz., of the prophets in the kingdom of Israel, or of the ten tribes; for in the kingdom of Juda religion was at that time in a very flourishing condition under the kings Asa and Josaphat. And even in Israel there remained several prophets, though not then known to Elias. See chap. 20.13, 28, 35.(Challoner)

(d)19:17 Shall be slain by Eliseus:Eliseus did not kill any of the idolaters with the material sword: but he is here joined with Hazael and Jehu, the great instruments of God in punishing the idolatry of Israel, because he foretold to the former his exaltation to the kingdom of Syria, and the vengeance he would execute against Israel, and anointed the latter by one of his disciples to be king of Israel, with commission to extirpate the house of Achab.(Challoner)

Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.

Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I don’t make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time!”

When he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree. Then he requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough. Now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.”

He lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat!”

He looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on the coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again.

The LORD’s angel came again the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.”

He arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, God’s Mountain.

The LORD Speaks to Elijah at Horeb

He came to a cave there, and camped there; and behold, the LORD’s word came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

He said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”

He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” Behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake.

After the earthquake a fire passed; but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a still small voice.

When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle, went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. Behold, a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

The LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.

Anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi to be king over Israel; and anoint Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah to be prophet in your place.

He who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and he who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill.

Yet I reserved seven thousand in Israel, all the knees of which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him.”

The Call of Elisha

So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. Elijah went over to him and put his mantle on him.

Elisha left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, “Let me please kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” He said to him, “Go back again; for what have I done to you?”

He returned from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, killed them, and boiled their meat with the oxen’s equipment, and gave to the people; and they ate. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and served him.