Single lesson
Elijah Hears God at Horeb
1 Kings 19:1–18
After running in fear into the wilderness, Elijah is fed by God and meets him at Horeb in a quiet, searching moment.
Before you teach
After Ahab told Jezebel what Elijah had done, and how he had killed the prophets, she sent a message threatening his life. Elijah ran for his life to Beersheba in Judah and left his servant there. Then he went a day into the wilderness, sat under a juniper tree, and asked God to let him die. Elijah lay down and slept under the tree. An angel touched him and told him to get up and eat. At his head were a cake baked on coals and a jar of water.…
Explain the central teaching of Elijah Hears God at Horeb, using two details from the reading. After running in fear into the wilderness, Elijah is fed by God and meets him at Horeb in a quiet, searching moment.
Welcome: Elijah Hears God at Horeb
5 minIntroduce “Elijah Hears God at Horeb” and locate 1 Kings 19:1–18. After running in fear into the wilderness, Elijah is fed by God and meets him at Horeb in a quiet, searching moment. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for.
1 Kings 19:1, 1 Kings 19:10, 1 Kings 19:18
Read and explain the passage
12 minAfter Ahab told Jezebel what Elijah had done, and how he had killed the prophets, she sent a message threatening his life. Elijah ran for his life to Beersheba in Judah and left his servant there. Then he went a day into the wilderness, sat under a juniper tree, and asked God to let him die.
Strengthened by that food, Elijah travelled for forty days and forty nights to Horeb, God’s mountain. There he came to a cave and stayed there. The word of the Lord came to him with a question: what was he doing there? Elijah answered that he had been very zealous for the Lord, but the people of Israel had broken God’s covenant, torn down his altars, and killed his prophets. Elijah said he was the only one left, and now they wanted his life too.
When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and stood at the cave entrance. Again God asked why he was there, and Elijah gave the same answer. Then God sent him back with work to do: to anoint Hazael king over Syria, Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat as prophet in his place. God also said he had kept seven thousand in Israel who had not bowed to Baal or kissed him.
Read the selected verses together, pausing at “Elijah Hears God at Horeb”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.
1 Kings 19:4, 1 Kings 19:1, 1 Kings 19:3, 1 Kings 19:10, 1 Kings 19:14, 1 Kings 19:8, 1 Kings 19:16, 1 Kings 19:13, 1 Kings 19:18
Discuss the details and their meaning
8 minUse the three questions below. Begin with ““Elijah lay down and slept under the tree.” Which details explain how the account reaches this point?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. After running in fear into the wilderness, Elijah is fed by God and meets him at Horeb in a quiet, searching moment. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.
1 Kings 19:7, 1 Kings 19:6, 1 Kings 19:5, 1 Kings 19:10, 1 Kings 19:14, 1 Kings 19:8, 1 Kings 19:16, 1 Kings 19:13, 1 Kings 19:18
Make and respond: Choices and outcomes evidence map
12 minWork on “Elijah Hears God at Horeb: Choices and outcomes evidence map”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “Elijah Hears God at Horeb” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.
1 Kings 19:1, 1 Kings 19:10, 1 Kings 19:18
Closing: return to Elijah Hears God at Horeb
3 minRevisit 1 Kings 19:1–18. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about Elijah Hears God at Horeb and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.
1 Kings 19:1, 1 Kings 19:10, 1 Kings 19:18
Questions to explore
“Elijah lay down and slept under the tree.” Which details explain how the account reaches this point?
Elijah lay down and slept under the tree. An angel touched him and told him to get up and eat. At his head were a cake baked on coals and a jar of water. He ate, drank, and lay down again. Then the angel came a second time and told him to eat, because the journey was too great for him.
1 Kings 19:7, 1 Kings 19:6, 1 Kings 19:5
How does this moment affect the rest of the account: “Strengthened by that food, Elijah travelled for forty days and forty nights to Horeb, God’s mountain.”?
Strengthened by that food, Elijah travelled for forty days and forty nights to Horeb, God’s mountain. There he came to a cave and stayed there. The word of the Lord came to him with a question: what was he doing there? Elijah answered that he had been very zealous for the Lord, but the people of Israel had broken God’s covenant, torn down his altars,…
1 Kings 19:10, 1 Kings 19:14, 1 Kings 19:8
“When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and stood at the cave entrance.” How does this ending connect with the beginning?
When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and stood at the cave entrance. Again God asked why he was there, and Elijah gave the same answer. Then God sent him back with work to do: to anoint Hazael king over Syria, Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat as prophet in his place. God also said…
1 Kings 19:16, 1 Kings 19:13, 1 Kings 19:18
Make, think or respond
Elijah Hears God at Horeb: Choices and outcomes evidence map
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or pens
- a Bible or the source reading on this page
Try it together
- Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “Words or actions”, “What happens next”, “Verse reference”.
- Read 1 Kings 19:1–18. Use “Elijah Hears God at Horeb” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
- Compare your notes with a partner. Check that every quotation is accurate and every conclusion has support in the passage.
- Compare two actions or statements in the account and explain their different outcomes.
The finished sheet keeps the details of Elijah Hears God at Horeb connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.
Adapt for your group
- For learners who need more support, prepare the reading headings “Elijah Hears God at Horeb” and let them match short quotations to the correct heading.
- For confident readers, compare two sections of 1 Kings 19:1–18. Ask for a written explanation with two supporting references and one question that the text leaves open.
An optional closing prayer
“God, help us listen carefully as we read 1 Kings 19:1–18. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
1 Kings 19
1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
2 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!”
3 When he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.
4 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 Yahweh, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.”
5 He lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat!”
6 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.
7 Yahweh’s angel came again the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.”
8 He arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, God’s Mountain.
9 He came to a cave there, and camped there; and behold, Yahweh’s word came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 He said, “I have been very jealous for Yahweh, 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.”
11 He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before Yahweh.” Behold, Yahweh passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before Yahweh; but Yahweh was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake; but Yahweh was not in the earthquake.
12 After the earthquake a fire passed; but Yahweh was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a still small voice.
13 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?”
14 He said, “I have been very jealous for Yahweh, 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.”
15 Yahweh said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.
16 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.
17 He who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and he who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill.
18 Yet I reserved seven thousand in Israel, all the knees of which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.
Source passages
Something to make together
These activities connect with the passage. Choose one that suits your group and the time you have.
