Elijah Hears God at Horeb

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. 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.

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.

God told Elijah to go out and stand on the mountain before him. A great, strong wind tore the mountains and broke rocks, but the Lord was not in the wind. After that came an earthquake, and the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, and the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire came a still, small voice.

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.