1 Kings 19
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 19
Elijah Flees to Horeb.[a] 1 Now Ahab told Jezebel about everything that Elijah had done, and all about how he had killed all of the prophets by the sword. 2 Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah saying, “May the gods do this to me and more if by this time tomorrow I have not made your life like their lives.”
3 He rose up and fled for his life, going to Beer-sheba in Judah, and he left his servant there. 4 He went a day’s journey off into the desert. He came to a broom tree and sat down under it, and he asked to die. He said, “It is enough, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”
5 As he lay there, he fell asleep under the broom tree, and, behold, an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat!” 6 He looked around, and by his head there was a piece of bread that had been cooked on coals and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and then he laid down again.
7 The angel of the Lord touched him a second time and said, “Get up and eat, because the journey is too difficult for you.” 8 He got up, and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled for forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God, Horeb. 9 He entered a cave and spent the night there. The word of the Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He answered, “I have been zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts, for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant and torn down your altars and killed your prophets by the sword. I am the only survivor, and they are seeking to take my life away.”
11 He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord will pass by.” There was a powerful, strong wind that tore the mountain apart and shattered 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. 12 After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a tiny whisper.
13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. The voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He answered, “I have been zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts, for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant and torn down your altars and killed your prophets by the sword. I am the only survivor, and they are seeking to take my life away.”
15 The Lord said to him, “Go, return to the Desert of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael as the king of Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu, the son of Nimshi, as the king of Israel, and anoint Elisha, the son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah as prophet in your stead. 17 Jehu will put to death those who escape from the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death those who escape from the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet, I have prepared a remnant in Israel of seven thousand,[b] none of whom have bent their knees to Baal nor have any of their mouths kissed him.”
19 Elisha Follows Elijah. So Elijah left that place and found the son of Shaphat who was plowing with twelve yokes of oxen preceding him (he was driving the twelfth pair himself), and he tossed his mantle on him. 20 Elisha left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother good-bye and then I will follow you.” But he said, “Go back, what have I done to you?”
21 He went back, and took a yoke of oxen and killed them. He used the oxen’s equipment to boil their meat, and he gave it to the people to eat. He then got up and followed Elijah, ministering to him.[c]
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 19:1 Threatened with death, the prophet Elijah must flee and experiences a real agony that recalls that of Moses (Num 11); it also reminds us of the agony of Jesus, and like Jesus Elijah is strengthened by an angel. He then journeys to the mountain of the covenant. Here the Lord shows himself to be the supreme God by means of impressive phenomena, but he also shows himself to be close to his servant in the form of a light breeze; he strengthens Elijah and reconfirms him in his mission as defender of the faith. The forty-day journey of Elijah to Horeb has a place in the Lenten liturgy, as do Moses’ forty days on Horeb.
- 1 Kings 19:18 Seven thousand is symbolic, indicating a large number. Kissed, in a literal sense, signifies “adore.” “Adore” (Latin, ad os, meaning “to the mouth”) derives from the practice of bringing another’s hand to one’s mouth as a sign of worship.
- 1 Kings 19:21 Elisha demonstrates his commitment to be Elijah’s successor by killing his oxen (i.e., destroying his livelihood as a farmer).
