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1 Kings

Starts with King Solomon's reign, his wisdom, and building the temple, then the kingdom dividing into Israel and Judah.

Chapter 19

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1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.

*And Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah did, including how he killed all the prophets using a sword.

2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.

*Then Jezebel sent a message to Elijah, saying, If I don't make your life like theirs by tomorrow, may the gods do even worse to me.

3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.

*When he noticed this, he got up and fled for his safety. He went to Beersheba, a place in Judah's territory, 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.

*But he walked deep into the desert, stopping to sit under a juniper tree. He desperately wanted to die and told God it was enough. He asked God to end his life because he didn't feel any better than his ancestors.

5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

*While he rested under a small tree, an angel suddenly woke him up and told him to get up and eat something.

6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.

*He looked and saw a cooked cake on the fire, and a jar of water next to him. He ate and drank, then lay back down.

7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.

*The angel appeared a second time, touched him, and said, "Get up and eat, as your journey is too long for you."

8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

*He got up, ate and drank, and with the energy from the food, he traveled for 40 days and 40 nights to Horeb, which is a mountain dedicated to God.

9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

*He went to a cave and stayed there. Then, God spoke to him and asked, "Elijah, why are you here?"

10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

*He said, "I've been very jealous for God because the people of Israel have abandoned their agreement, destroyed your altars, and killed your prophets. Only I am left now, and they want to kill me too."

11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake 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:

*He told him to go stand on a mountain in front of God. Then a powerful wind came, tearing apart the mountains and breaking rocks, but God wasn't in the wind. After that, there was an earthquake, but again, God wasn't in it.

12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

*After the earthquake, there was a fire, but God wasn't in the fire. Then, after the fire, a very quiet voice could be heard.

13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

*Then, when Elijah heard the voice, he covered his face with his cloak and left, standing at the entrance of the cave. Suddenly, a voice spoke to him, asking, "Elijah, why are you here?"

14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

*He said, "I've been very jealous for God because Israel abandoned their agreement, destroyed His altars, and killed His prophets. Now, I'm the only one left, and they want to kill me too."

15 And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:

*And God told him, "Go back to the desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael as the king of Syria."

16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

*Anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, as king over Israel and Elisha, son of Shaphat from Abelmeholah, as a prophet to replace you.

17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.

*Then, the one who avoids Hazael's sword will be killed by Jehu, and the one who escapes Jehu's sword will be killed by Elisha.

18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

*"However, I still have 7,000 people in Israel who haven't worshipped Baal, and whose mouths haven't shown loyalty to him."

19 So he departed thence, 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.

*So, he left that place and found Elisha, the son of Shaphat, who was working with twelve teams of oxen. Elisha was leading the twelfth team, and Elijah walked by him, then put his cloak on Elisha.

20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?

*He left the cows and chased Elijah, asking to quickly say goodbye to his dad and mom, then follow. Elijah told him to go back, wondering what he had done to deserve this.

21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

*He went away from that person and got two oxen, killed them, cooked their meat using the oxen's tools, and gave it to the people who ate it. Afterward, he got up and followed Elijah, helping him.

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