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[347]
When Jezebel, the wife of Ahab, understood what signs Elijah had
wrought, and how he had slain her prophets, she was angry, and sent messengers
to him, and by them threatened to kill him, as he had destroyed her prophets.
At this Elijah was affrighted, and fled to the city called Beersheba, which
is situate at the utmost limits of the country belonging to the tribe of
Judah, towards the land of Edom; and there he left his servant, and went
away into the desert. He prayed also that he might die, for that he was
not better than his fathers, nor need he be very desirous to live, when
they were dead; and he lay and slept under a certain tree; and when somebody
awakened him, and he was risen up, he found food set by him and water:
so when he had eaten, and recovered his strength by that his food, he came
to that mountain which is called Sinai, where it is related that Moses
received his laws from God; and finding there a certain hollow cave, he
entered into it, and continued to make his abode in it. But when a certain
voice came to him, but from whence he knew not, and asked him, why he was
come thither, and had left the city? he said, that because he had slain
the prophets of the foreign gods, and had persuaded the people that he
alone whom they had worshipped from the beginning was God, he was sought
for by the king's wife to be punished for so doing. And when he had heard
another voice, telling him that he should come out the next day into the
open air, and should thereby know what he was to do, he came out of the
cave the next day accordingly, When he both heard an earthquake, and saw
the bright splendor of a fire; and after a silence made, a Divine voice
exhorted him not to be disturbed with the circumstances he was in, for
that none of his enemies should have power over him. The voice also commanded
him to return home, and to ordain Jehu, the son of Nimshi, to be king over
their own multitude; and Hazael, of Damascus, to be over the Syrians; and
Elisha, of the city Abel, to be a prophet in his stead; and that of the
impious multitude, some should be slain by Hazael, and others by Jehu.
So Elijah, upon hearing this charge, returned into the land of the Hebrews.
And when he found Elisha, the son of Shaphat, ploughing, and certain others
with him, driving twelve yoke of oxen, he came to him, and cast his own
garment upon him; upon which Elisha began to prophesy presently, and leaving
his oxen, he followed Elijah. And when he desired leave to salute his parents,
Elijah gave him leave so to do; and when he had taken his leave of them,
he followed him, and became the disciple and the servant of Elijah all
the days of his life. And thus have I despatched the affairs in which this
prophet was concerned.
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