1 Kings 19:1-8

Elijah Runs Away to Mount Horeb

1 Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done. He told her how Elijah had killed all of the prophets with his sword.

2 So Jezebel sent a message to Elijah. She said, "You can be sure that I will kill you, just as I killed the other prophets. I'll do it by this time tomorrow. If I don't, may the gods punish me greatly."

3 Elijah was afraid. So he ran for his life. He came to Beersheba in Judah. He left his servant there.

4 Then he traveled for one day into the desert. He came to a small tree. He sat down under it. He prayed that he would die. "Lord, I've had enough," he said. "Take my life. I'm no better than my people of long ago."

5 Then he lay down under the tree. And he fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him. The angel said, "Get up and eat."

6 Elijah looked around. Near his head he saw a flat cake of bread. It had been baked over hot coals. A jar of water was also there. So Elijah ate and drank. Then he lay down again.

7 The angel of the LORD came to him a second time. He touched him and said, "Get up and eat. Your journey will be long and hard."

8 So he got up. He ate and drank. The food gave him new strength. He traveled for 40 days and 40 nights. He kept going until he arrived at Horeb. It was the mountain of God.

1 Kings 19:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 19

This chapter gives us a further account of Elijah, of his being obliged to flee for his life through the threats of Jezebel, 1Ki 19:1-4, of the care the Lord took of him, providing food for him, in the strength of which he went to Horeb, 1Ki 19:5-8, of the Lord's appearance to him there, and conversation with him, 1Ki 19:9-14, of some instructions he gave him to anoint a king over Syria, another over Israel, and a prophet in his room, 1Ki 19:15-18, and of his finding Elisha, and throwing his mantle over him, who left his secular employment, and followed him, and became his servant, 1Ki 19:19-21.