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The Histories · Old Testament

1 Kings 19

1 Kings 19: Elijah at Horeb and the call of Elisha

General context

Jezebel threatens Elijah's life after hearing what happened to Baal's prophets. He flees to Beersheba, then goes into the wilderness and asks the Lord to let him die. An angel gives him food and water, and he travels forty days and nights to Horeb. There Elijah repeats his complaint that Israel has forsaken the covenant and that he alone remains. Wind, earthquake and fire pass, followed by the still small voice. The Lord gives instructions concerning Hazael, Jehu and Elisha and speaks of seven thousand in Israel who have not bowed to Baal. Elijah finds Elisha plowing and casts his mantle over him. Elisha prepares a meal from his oxen and then follows Elijah to serve him.

Cited passages: 1 Kings 19:1, 1 Kings 19:2, 1 Kings 19:3, 1 Kings 19:4, 1 Kings 19:5, 1 Kings 19:6, 1 Kings 19:7, 1 Kings 19:8, 1 Kings 19:9, 1 Kings 19:10, 1 Kings 19:11, 1 Kings 19:12, 1 Kings 19:13, 1 Kings 19:14, 1 Kings 19:15, 1 Kings 19:16, 1 Kings 19:17, 1 Kings 19:18, 1 Kings 19:19, 1 Kings 19:20, 1 Kings 19:21

1 Kings 19 (KJV)

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

2Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.

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

4But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and 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.

5And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

6And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.

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

8And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

9And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

10And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord 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, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

11And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:

12And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

13And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

14And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

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

16And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

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

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

19So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

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

21And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

This page shows the King James Version. In the app, reading opens in the Berean Standard Bible unless you have chosen another translation. The reader includes five translations: the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), the King James Version (KJV), the World English Bible (WEB), the Bible in Basic English (BBE), and the American Standard Version (ASV). Search covers three of them: Berean Standard, King James, and World English. Basic English and American Standard readers search the King James words.

Historical context

The chapter narrates the threat against Elijah, his flight, request for death, sleep, food and journey without supplying a modern clinical diagnosis. His assertion that he alone remains is his own speech, set beside the Lord's statement about seven thousand. The passage expressly says the Lord is not in the wind, earthquake or fire. KJV and ASV then describe a still small voice, while BBE uses the sound of a soft breath. Hazael, Jehu and Elisha appear in the commission; only the encounter with Elisha is carried out within this chapter.

Cited passages: 1 Kings 19:2, 1 Kings 19:3, 1 Kings 19:4, 1 Kings 19:5, 1 Kings 19:6, 1 Kings 19:7, 1 Kings 19:8, 1 Kings 19:9, 1 Kings 19:10, 1 Kings 19:11, 1 Kings 19:12, 1 Kings 19:13, 1 Kings 19:14, 1 Kings 19:15, 1 Kings 19:16, 1 Kings 19:17, 1 Kings 19:18, 1 Kings 19:19, 1 Kings 19:20, 1 Kings 19:21

Literary context

Food and rest precede the journey and the renewed commission. The repeated question and Elijah's repeated answer preserve his complaint within the encounter, while the word about seven thousand challenges his account of being alone. The mantle links the scene at the cave with the meeting in the field. Elisha's meal and departure close the chapter with a new servant accompanying the prophet who has spoken of isolation.

Cited passages: 1 Kings 19:5, 1 Kings 19:6, 1 Kings 19:7, 1 Kings 19:8, 1 Kings 19:9, 1 Kings 19:10, 1 Kings 19:11, 1 Kings 19:12, 1 Kings 19:13, 1 Kings 19:14, 1 Kings 19:15, 1 Kings 19:16, 1 Kings 19:17, 1 Kings 19:18, 1 Kings 19:19, 1 Kings 19:20, 1 Kings 19:21

Key moments

  1. Elijah asks to die (1 Kings 19:4). In the wilderness Elijah tells the Lord that he has had enough and asks for death.
  2. Food for the journey (1 Kings 19:7). The angel tells Elijah to eat because the journey is too great for him.
  3. The quiet sound (1 Kings 19:12). After wind, earthquake and fire, the account describes a still small voice.
  4. Others remain faithful (1 Kings 19:18). The Lord speaks of seven thousand in Israel who have not bowed to Baal.
  5. The mantle cast on Elisha (1 Kings 19:19). Elijah finds Elisha plowing and casts his mantle over him.
  6. Elisha follows (1 Kings 19:21). Elisha feeds the people and then follows Elijah to serve him.

For reflection

How does the word about seven thousand change the way Elijah's repeated claim to be alone is heard?

People in this chapter

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