Immerse: Kingdoms Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 227
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| 19:11–20:3
SAMUEL–KINGS
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altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and
now they are trying to kill me, too.”
“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And
as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the
mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but
the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake,
but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there
was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the
sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his
cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
He replied again, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But
the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your
altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and
now they are trying to kill me, too.”
Then the Lord told him, “Go back the same way you came, and travel
to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to
be king of Aram. Then anoint Jehu grandson of Nimshi to be king of Is
rael, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from the town of Abel-meholah
to replace you as my prophet. Anyone who escapes from Hazael will be
killed by Jehu, and those who escape Jehu will be killed by Elisha! Yet I
will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal
or kissed him!”
So Elijah went and found Elisha son of Shaphat plowing a field. There
were twelve teams of oxen in the field, and Elisha was plowing with the
twelfth team. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak across his shoulders and then walked away. Elisha left the oxen standing there, ran after
Elijah, and said to him, “First let me go and kiss my father and mother
good-bye, and then I will go with you!”
Elijah replied, “Go on back, but think about what I have done to you.”
So Elisha returned to his oxen and slaughtered them. He used the wood
from the plow to build a fire to roast their flesh. He passed around the
meat to the townspeople, and they all ate. Then he went with Elijah as
his assistant.
About that time King Ben-hadad of Aram mobilized his army, supported
by the chariots and horses of thirty-two allied kings. They went to besiege
Samaria, the capital of Israel, and launched attacks against it. Ben-hadad
sent messengers into the city to relay this message to King Ahab of Israel:
“This is what B
en-hadad says: ‘Your silver and gold are mine, and so are
your wives and the best of your children!’”