Elijah, threatened by Jezebel, flees to Beer-sheba, 1-3. In the wilderness, being weary of his life, he is comforted by an angel, 4-8. At Horeb God appears to him, sending him to anoint Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha, 9-18. Elisha, taking leave of his friends, follows Elijah, 19-21.
1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done and how he had slain 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 do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time." 3 And when he saw that, he arose and went for his life and came to Beer-sheba, 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. 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." 5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper-tree, behold, then an angel touched him and said to him, "Arise and eat." 6 And he looked, and behold, there was a cake baked on the coals and a cruse of water at his head. And he ate and drank and laid himself down again. 7 And the angel of the LORD came back the second time and touched him and said, "Arise and eat because the journey is too great for you." 8 And he arose and ate and drank and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.
9 And he came to a cave there and lodged there. And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 10 And he said, "I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts, for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword. And I, only I, am left. And they seek my life to take it away."
11 And he said, "Go forth and stand upon the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and broke 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. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire a still small voice. 13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 14 And he said, "I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts because the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword. And I, only I, am left. And they seek my life to take it away."
15 And the LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you come, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your stead. 17 And it shall come to pass, that he who escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall slay. And he who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall slay. 18 Yet I have left for myself seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him."
19 So he departed from there 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. 20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, "Let me, I pray you, kiss my father and my mother and then I will follow you." And he said to him, "Go back again. For what have I done to you?" 21 And he returned from following him, took a yoke of oxen, slew them, boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate. Then he arose, went after Elijah, and ministered to him.
Matthew Henry Commentary - 1st Kings, Chapter 19[➚]
[v.10] - Quoted in Romans 11:3. Also said in verse 14.
[v.18] - Quoted in Romans 11:4.