1 Kings 19

1 Now Ahab [the king of Israel] told Jezebel [his evil queen] everything that Elijah [my God is Jehovah, a prophet] had done and how he had killed [slain, put to death] all the prophets [true and false spokesmen for God] with the sword [a cutting instrument]. word study 2 So Jezebel [the wife of King Ahab, a queen of Israel] sent a messenger [a representative, often of God] to Elijah [my God is Jehovah, a prophet], saying, “May the gods [Elohim, the supreme God or false deities] deal with me, and ever so severely [to the utmost extent], if by this time [at this hour] tomorrow [a future time] I do not make [to do or bring about] your life [soul, the essence of a person] like the lives [souls] of those you killed [put to death]!” word study 3 And Elijah [the prophet of God] was afraid [filled with fear, trembling] and ran [fled, took flight] for his life [soul, very being]. When he came [arrived, entered] to Beersheba [well of the sevenfold oath] in Judah [the tribe, the region], he left [abandoned, parted from] his servant [young man, attendant] there [in that place], word study 4 while he himself [traveled alone, by himself] traveled on a day’s [24-hour period, a full day] journey into the wilderness [desert, barren land]. He sat down [to rest, to dwell] under a [juniper] broom tree [broom plant, retem-tree] and prayed [requested, asked] that he might die [cease to exist, pass away]. “I have had enough [it is enough, I am at my limit], LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God],” he said [spoke, uttered]. “Take [remove, receive] my life [soul, living being], for I am no better [not superior, no more worthy] than my fathers [ancestors, forefathers].” word study 5 Then he lay down [stretched himself out, rested] under the broom tree [a juniper tree, a type of desert shrub] and fell asleep [slept soundly, was in a deep slumber]. Suddenly [behold, lo] an angel [messenger, divine representative] touched him and said, “Get up [arise, stand up] and eat [devour, consume].” word study 6 And he looked around [with careful attention, to show favor], and there by his head [resting place, position of authority] was a cake [bun, round bread] of bread baked [cooked] over hot coals [glowing stones], and a jar [flat container, cruse] of water [liquid, source of refreshment]. So he ate [devoured, consumed] and drank [from a cup, feasted] and lay down [rested, slept] again [returned, turned back]. word study 7 A second [subsequent, again] time the angel [messenger, representative] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] returned [to turn back, come again] and touched [reached, struck] him, saying, “Get up [rise, stand] and eat [devour, consume], or the journey [way, path] will be too much [great, long] for you [from your strength, beyond your ability].” word study 8 So he got up [arose, stood up] and ate [devoured, consumed] and drank [from the cup, feasted]. And strengthened [empowered, nourished] by that food [sustenance, provision], he walked [traveled, journeyed] forty [a significant period of time] days and forty [a complete cycle] nights until he reached [came to, arrived at] Horeb [Mount Sinai, the mountain of divine encounter], the mountain [hill] of God [Elohim, the supreme Creator]. word study 9 There Elijah entered a cave [a hole in the rock, a den] and spent the night [lodged, camped]. And the word [thing, matter] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] came to him, saying, “What [how, why] are you doing here [in this place, at this time], Elijah [my God is Jehovah]?” word study 10 “I have been very zealous [passionately devoted, intensely loyal] for the LORD [Yehovah, the God of covenant promise], the God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] of Hosts [armies, heavenly forces],” he replied, “but the Israelites [descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] have forsaken [abandoned, turned away from] Your covenant [agreement, promise], torn down [overthrown, destroyed] Your altars [places of sacrifice, worship], and killed [slain, murdered] Your prophets [messengers, spokespersons] with the sword [weapon, instrument of violence]. I am the only one left [remaining, surviving], and they are seeking [pursuing, attempting to take] my life [soul, very being] as well [also, in addition].” word study 11 Then the LORD [Yehovah, the national name for God] said, “Go out [come forth, depart] and stand [take your position, be stationed] on the mountain [a hill] before the LORD [in the presence of God]. Behold [look, see], the LORD [the Lord God] is about to pass by [cross over, transition].” And a great [large, immense] and mighty [strong, powerful] wind [a blast of air] tore into the mountains [hills, peaks] and shattered [broke, crushed] the rocks [craggy cliffs, strongholds] before the LORD [in God’s presence], but the LORD [God] was not in the wind [a blast of air]. After [following, subsequent to] the wind [a blast of air] there was an earthquake [quaking, shaking], but the LORD [God] was not in the earthquake [quaking, trembling]. word study 12 After [following, in the rear] the earthquake [quaking, shaking] there was a fire [burning, flame], but the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] was not [absent, none] in the fire [burning, flame]. And after [subsequent to, later] the fire came a still [silent, calm], small [thin, gentle] voice [sound, whisper]. word study 13 When Elijah [the prophet, my God is Jehovah] heard it, he wrapped [enveloped, covered] his face [presence, person] in his cloak [mantle, garment] and went out [came forth, departed] and stood [stood firm, remained] at the mouth [entrance, opening] of the cave [den, hiding place]. Suddenly [behold, lo] a voice [sound, utterance] came to him and said, “What [how, why] are you doing [standing, remaining] here [in this place, at this time], Elijah [my God is Jehovah]?” word study 14 “I have been very zealous [burning with passion, deeply committed] for the LORD [Yehovah, the God of Israel], the God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] of Hosts [armies, heavenly forces],” he replied, “but the Israelites [sons of Israel, descendants of Jacob] have forsaken [abandoned, turned away from] Your covenant [agreement, promise], torn down [overthrown, destroyed] Your altars [places of sacrifice, worship], and killed [slain, murdered] Your prophets [spokesmen, messengers] with the sword [cutting instrument, weapon]. I am the only one left [remaining, surviving], and they are seeking [searching, trying] my life [soul, existence] as well [to take it away, to destroy it].” word study 15 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to him, “Go back [return, turn back] by the way [path, journey] you came, and go to the Desert [wilderness, open field] of Damascus [the capital city of Syria]. When you arrive [come, enter], you are to anoint [rub oil on, set apart] Hazael [one who sees God] as king [royal ruler] over Aram [Syria, the region and its people]. word study 16 You are also to anoint [set apart, appoint] Jehu [the grandson of Nimshi, a future king] son of Nimshi as king [ruler, monarch] over Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, God’s chosen people] and Elisha [God is salvation, a prophet] son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah [a city in ancient Palestine, a place of prophetic calling] to succeed you as prophet [spokesperson for God, one who speaks divine truths]. word study 17 Then Jehu [the king of Israel, appointed by God] will put to death [execute, slay] whoever escapes [is delivered, slips away] the sword [cutting instrument, weapon] of Hazael [the king of Syria, a powerful enemy], and Elisha [the prophet of God, a man of faith] will put to death [kill, destroy] whoever escapes [survives, flees] the sword [weapon, judgment] of Jehu [the instrument of God’s judgment]. word study 18 Nevertheless, I have reserved [set apart, spared] seven thousand [a large] in Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people]—all [every single one] whose knees have not bowed [submitted, surrendered] to Baal [a false, pagan deity] and whose mouths [lips, voices] have not kissed [shown affection, worshiped] him [the idol, false god].” word study 19 So Elijah [the prophet of God] departed and found Elisha [God is salvation, a prophet] son of Shaphat [he who judges]. He was plowing [tilling the soil, cultivating] with twelve teams [yoke, pairs] of oxen, and he was with the twelfth [last, final] team. Elijah passed by [crossed over, went near] him and threw [cast, tossed] his cloak [mantle, outer garment] around him. word study 20 So Elisha left [abandoned, relinquished] the oxen, ran [with haste, swiftly] after Elijah, and said, “Please [I pray thee, I ask] let me kiss [show affection, bid farewell] my father [parent, ancestor] and mother [female parent, nurturer] goodbye, and then I will follow [walk after, obey] you.” “Go on back [return, turn back],” Elijah replied, “for what [on account of what, why] have I done [accomplished, acted] to you [on your behalf, for your sake]?” word study 21 So Elisha turned back [from following him, returned from after] from him, took his pair [yoke] of oxen, and slaughtered [sacrificed] them. With the oxen’s equipment [instruments, utensils], he cooked [boiled] the meat and gave it to the people [nation, crowd], and they ate [devoured, consumed]. Then he set out [arose, stood up] to follow [walk after] and serve [minister to] Elijah [my God is Jehovah]. word study