e
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.

8. Now there was one Naboth, of the city Izar, [Jezreel,] who had a
field adjoining to that of the king: the king would have persuaded him
to sell him that his field, which lay so near to his own lands, at what
price he pleased, that he might join them together, and make them one
farm; and if he would not accept of money for it, he gave him leave to
choose any of his other fields in its stead. But Naboth said he would
not do so, but would keep the possession of that land of his own, which
he had by inheritance from his father. Upon this the king was grieved,
as if he had received an injury, when he could not get another man's
possession, and he would neither wash himself, nor take any food: and
when Jezebel asked him what it was that troubled him, and why he would
neither wash himself, nor eat either dinner or supper, he related to
her the perverseness of Naboth, and how, when he had made use of gentle
words to him, and such as were beneath the royal authority, he had been
affronted, and had not obtained what he desired. However,