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JUNE 5

19:3 he saw. His hope shattered, Elijah fled as 19:11 the LORD passed by.The 3 phenomena,
a prophet, broken by Jezebel’s threats (v. 2), wind, earthquake, and fire, announced the
her unrepentant Baalism, and her continuing imminent arrival of the Lord (Ex. 19:16–19; Ps.
power over Israel. Elijah expected Jezebel to 18:7–15; Hab. 3:3–6). The Lord’s self-revelation
surrender. When she did not capitulate, he to Elijah came in a faint, whispering voice (v.
became a discouraged man (vv. 4,10,14). 12). The lesson for Elijah was that Almighty
God was quietly, sometimes imperceptibly,
19:4 broom tree. A desert bush that grew to doing His work in Israel (v. 18).
a height of 10 feet. It had slender branches
featuring small leaves and fragrant blossoms.
take my life. Since Israelites believed that sui- 14 And he said, “I have been very zealous for
cide was an affront to the Lord, it was not an the LORD God of hosts; because the children of
option, whatever the distress. So Elijah asked Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn
the Lord for death (Jon. 4:3,8) because he down Your altars, and killed Your prophets
viewed the situation as hopeless. Job (Job
6:8,9), Moses (Num. 11:10–15), and Jeremiah with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek
(Jer.20:14–18) had also reacted in similar fash- to take my life.”
15 Then the LORD said to him: “Go, return on
ion during their ministries.
your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and
when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over
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5 Then as he lay and slept under a broom Syria. Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of
tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son
to him, “Arise and eat.” Then he looked, and of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as
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there by his head was a cake baked on coals, prophet in your place. It shall be that whoever
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and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and
down again. And the angel of the LORD came whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will
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back the second time, and touched him, and kill. Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Is-
said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too rael, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal,
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great for you.” So he arose, and ate and and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
drank; and he went in the strength of that food 19 So he departed from there, and found
forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing
mountain of God. with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he
9 And there he went into a cave, and spent was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by
the night in that place; and behold, the word of him and threw his mantle on him. And he left
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the LORD came to him, and He said to him,
“What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 So he said, “I have been very zealous for the
LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel 19:19 Elisha.This name means “my God is sal-
have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your vation” and belonged to Elisha, the successor
altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. to Elijah (2 Kin.2:9–15).It was a common prac-
I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” tice for several teams of oxen, each with his
11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the own plow and driver, to work together in a
mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the row. After letting the others pass, Elijah threw
LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind his mantle around the last man, Elisha, thus
tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in designating him as his successor.
pieces 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; and the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, “Please
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after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was let me kiss my father and my mother, and then
not in the fire; and after the fire a still small I will follow you.”
voice. And he said to him, “Go back again, for
13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he what have I done to you?”
wrapped his face in his mantle and went out 21 So Elisha turned back from him, and took
and stood in the entrance of the cave. Sud- a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and
denly a voice came to him, and said, “What are boiled their flesh, using the oxen’s equipment,
you doing here, Elijah?” and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then

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