
1 Kings 19:9-18
Proper 14A
9 At that place he came to a cave,A and spent the nightB there. CThen the wordD of the LordE came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”F
10 He answered, “I have been very zealousG for the Lord, the GodH of hosts;I
for the IsraelitesJ have forsakenK your covenant,L thrown downM your altars,N
and killedO your prophetsP with the sword.Q I aloneR am left,S and they are seekingT my life,U to take it away.”
11 He said, “Go out and standV on the mountain beforeW the Lord,X for the Lord is about to pass by.”Y
Now there was a greatZ wind,AA so strongBB that it was splittingCC mountains and breaking rocksDD in piecesEE before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake,FF 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 soundGG of sheerHH silence.II 13 When Elijah heardJJ it, he wrapped his face in his mantleKK and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
LLThen there came a voiceMM to him that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 He answered, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.”
15 Then the Lord said to him, “Go, returnNN on your wayOO to the wildernessPP of Damascus;QQ when you arrive, you shall anointRR HazaelSS as king over Aram.TT
16 Also you shall anoint JehuUU son of NimshiVV as king over Israel; and you shall anoint ElishaWW son of ShaphatXX of Abel-meholahYY as prophet in your place.
17 Whoever escapesZZ from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. 18 Yet I will leave sevenAAA thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowedBBB to Baal,CCC and every mouth that has not kissedDDD him.”
Image credit: “Elijah, a Prophet and a Miracle Worker” from the Gračanica monastery.