1 Kings 19 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done — how he had killed every one of the prophets of Baal with the sword.

Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah: "May the gods strike me dead and worse if I don't make your life like one of theirs by this time tomorrow."

Elijah was terrified. He got up and ran for his life. He went to Beersheba in Judah and left his servant there.

Then he went a day's journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom bush and asked to die. "I've had enough, Yahweh," he said. "Take my life — I'm no better than my ancestors."

He lay down and fell asleep under the broom bush. Then suddenly a messenger touched him and said, "Get up and eat."

He looked around, and there by his head was a loaf of bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water. He ate and drank, then lay down again.

Yahweh's messenger came back a second time, touched him, and said, "Get up and eat — the journey ahead is too much for you."

So he got up, ate, and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

He went into a cave there and spent the night. Then the word of Yahweh came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

He answered, "I've been burning with devotion for Yahweh, the God of armies. The Israelites have abandoned your covenant, torn down your altars, and murdered your prophets with the sword. I'm the only one left, and now they're trying to kill me too."

Yahweh said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in Yahweh's presence." And then — Yahweh passed by. A massive, violent wind tore through the mountains and shattered rocks in front of Yahweh, but Yahweh was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake, but Yahweh was not in the earthquake.

After the earthquake came fire, but Yahweh was not in the fire. And after the fire — a sound of thin silence.

When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak, went out, and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then a voice came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

He answered, "I've been burning with devotion for Yahweh, the God of armies. The Israelites have abandoned your covenant, torn down your altars, and murdered your prophets with the sword. I'm the only one left, and now they're trying to kill me too."

Yahweh told him, "Go back the way you came, through the wilderness to Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael as king over Aram.

Also anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-Meholah as prophet to take your place.

Anyone who escapes Hazael's sword will be killed by Jehu, and anyone who escapes Jehu's sword will be killed by Elisha."

"But I will preserve seven thousand in Israel — every knee that has not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed his idol."

So Elijah left there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve teams of oxen in front of him, and he was driving the twelfth team. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak over him.

Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, "Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and then I'll follow you." Elijah said, "Go on back — but think about what I've just done to you."

So Elisha turned back from following him. He took the team of oxen and slaughtered them. Using the plowing equipment as fuel, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he got up, followed Elijah, and served him.