r-Sheba on the southern border of Israel, he went a day's
journey into the wilderness. There he sat down under a juniper tree,
and for the first time his heart grew weak within him.

"It is enough," he said, "Now, O Lord, take away my life, for am I not
better than my fathers."

Perhaps he was discouraged because he was tired and hungry, for he fell
asleep, and when he awoke it was because an angel touched him, saying,
"Arise and eat," and he looked, and there was a cake just baked on the
hot coals, and a bottle of water close beside him. So he ate and
drank, but he was not yet rested, and he fell asleep again. The angel
waked him the second time telling him to eat and drink, for the journey
was too great for him. Then he ate and drank again, and went on the
strength of that food forty days and forty nights, till he came to
Horeb, the mount of God, where the Ten Commandments were given to
Moses, and there he lodged in a cave. He was still gloomy and
discouraged, and when the Lord said, "What doest thou here, Elijah?" 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."

[Illustration: Elijah and the angel]

Then the Lord told him to go out and stand on the mount before the
Lord, and he passed by. There was a great wind that split the
mountains, and broke the great rocks, but the Lord was not in the wind,
and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the
earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in
the fire; and after the fire a still, small voice.

When Elijah heard that, he wrapped his face in his mantle and stood at
the door of the cave, and the Lord asked again, "What doest thou here,
Elijah?" and Elijah answered him just as he did before.

Then the Lord told him to go back and anoint a new king over Syria,
also a new king over Israel, and Elisha to be prophet in his place.

Elijah went, and he found Elisha ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen.
He cast his mantle over Elisha, and Elisha followed him and became his
servant.

When Elijah came back to his own country he found there had been war
between Israel and Syria, and Ahab had grown hard of heart again. He
and his wicked wife Jezebel had taken the vineyard of Naboth away from
him because Ahab wanted it for a garden, and the