Chapter 19

1And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and all that he had killed all of the prophets with the sword.   אוַיַּגֵּ֚ד אַחְאָב֙ לְאִיזֶ֔בֶל אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֹ֖ה אֵלִיָּ֑הוּ וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָרַ֛ג אֶת־כָּל־הַנְּבִיאִ֖ים בֶּחָֽרֶב:
2Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah saying, "So may the gods do and so may they continue unless at this time tomorrow, I will make your life like the life of one of them.   בוַתִּשְׁלַ֚ח אִיזֶ֙בֶל֙ מַלְאָ֔ךְ אֶל־אֵלִיָּ֖הוּ לֵאמֹ֑ר כֹּֽה־יַעֲשֹ֚וּן אֱלֹהִים֙ וְכֹ֣ה יוֹסִפ֔וּן כִּֽי־כָעֵ֚ת מָחָר֙ אָשִֹ֣ים אֶֽת־נַפְשְׁךָ֔ כְּנֶ֖פֶשׁ אַחַ֥ד מֵהֶֽם:
So may the gods do: as you have done to the prophets of the Baal.   כֹּה יַעֲשׂוּן אֱלֹהִים: כְּמוֹ שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ לִנְבִיאֵי הַבַּעַל.
3And he saw, and he arose and went for his life, and he came to Beer Sheba which belonged to Judah. And he left his servant there.   גוַיַּ֗רְא וַיָּ֙קָם֙ וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אֶל־נַפְשׁ֔וֹ וַיָּ֕בֹא בְּאֵ֥ר שֶׁ֖בַע אֲשֶׁ֣ר לִֽיהוּדָ֑ה וַיַּנַּ֥ח אֶֽת־נַעֲר֖וֹ שָֽׁם:
4He went to the desert, a distance of one day's travel, and he came and sat under a juniper and requested that his soul die, he said, "Enough, now Lord take my soul as I am not better than my forefathers."   דוְהֽוּא־הָלַ֚ךְ בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ י֔וֹם וַיָּבֹ֕א וַיֵּ֕שֶׁב תַּ֖חַת רֹ֣תֶם אֶחָ֑ד (כתיב אֶחָ֑ת) וַיִּשְׁאַ֚ל אֶת־נַפְשׁוֹ֙ לָמ֔וּת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | רַ֗ב עַתָּ֚ה יְהֹוָה֙ קַ֣ח נַפְשִׁ֔י כִּֽי־לֹא־ט֥וֹב אָנֹכִ֖י מֵאֲבֹתָֽי:
genevrier: or genievre in French, a juniper tree.   רֹתֶם: ייניבר"א בְּלַעַ"ז (עַרְעָר קוֹצָנִי).
and requested that his soul die: He said, "Enough. My long life is enough. Until when will I be confused like this?"   וַיֹּאמֶר רַב: (תַּרְגּוּם:) סַגִּי לִי אַרְכָּא, עַד אֵימָתַי אֲנָא מַטְרַף כְּדֵין.
5He lay and slept underneath one juniper, and behold! An angel touched him and said to him: "rise and eat."   הוַיִּשְׁכַּב֙ וַיִּישַׁ֔ן תַּ֖חַת רֹ֣תֶם אֶחָ֑ד וְהִנֵּֽה־זֶ֚ה מַלְאָךְ֙ נֹגֵ֣עַ בּ֔וֹ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹ ק֥וּם אֱכֽוֹל:
6And he looked, and at his head there was a cake baked on hot coals, and a flask of water. He ate and drank and again he lay down.   ווַיַּבֵּ֕ט וְהִנֵּ֧ה מְרַאֲשֹׁתָ֛יו עֻגַ֥ת רְצָפִ֖ים וְצַפַּ֣חַת מָ֑יִם וַיֹּ֣אכַל וַיֵּ֔שְׁתְּ וַיָּ֖שָׁב וַיִּשְׁכָּֽב:
coals: Heb. רצפים, charcoal, and similarly, (Isaiah 6: 6) “and in his hand was a coal (רצפה).”   רְצָפִים: פֶּחָמִים, וְכֵן: וּבְיָדוֹ רִצְפָּה.
7And the angel of the Lord returned to him again and touched him and said, "Arise and eat as the journey is too much for you."   זוַיָּשָׁב֩ מַלְאַ֨ךְ יְהֹוָ֚ה | שֵׁנִית֙ וַיִּגַּע־בּ֔וֹ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר ק֣וּם אֱכֹ֑ל כִּ֛י רַ֥ב מִמְּךָ֖ הַדָּֽרֶךְ:
8And he arose and ate and drank, and he went with the strength of this meal forty days and forty nights up to the mountain of the Lord, Horeb.   חוַיָּ֖קָם וַיֹּ֣אכַל וַיִּשְׁתֶּ֑ה וַיֵּ֜לֶךְ בְּכֹ֣חַ | הָאֲכִילָ֣ה הַהִ֗יא אַרְבָּעִ֥ים יוֹם֙ וְאַרְבָּעִ֣ים לַ֔יְלָה עַ֛ד הַ֥ר הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים חֹרֵֽב:
9And he came there to the cave, and he lodged there. And behold! The word of the Lord came to him. And He said to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"   טוַיָּבֹא־שָׁ֥ם אֶל־הַמְּעָרָ֖ה וַיָּ֣לֶן שָׁ֑ם וְהִנֵּ֚ה דְבַר־יְהֹוָה֙ אֵלָ֔יו וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ מַה־לְּךָ֥ פֹ֖ה אֵלִיָּֽהוּ:
to the cave: That is the cleft of the rock where Moses stood (Ex. 33:22).   אֶל הַמְּעָרָה: הִיא נִקְרַת צוּר שֶׁעָמַד בָּהּ משֶׁה.
10And he said: "I have been zealous for the Lord, the God of Hosts, for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant. They have torn down Your altars and they have killed Your prophets by the sword, and I have remained alone, and they seek my life to take it.   יוַיֹּאמֶר֩ קַנֹּ֨א קִנֵּ֜אתִי לַיהֹוָ֣ה | אֱלֹהֵ֣י צְבָא֗וֹת כִּֽי־עָזְב֚וּ בְרִֽיתְךָ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־מִזְבְּחֹתֶ֣יךָ הָרָ֔סוּ וְאֶת־נְבִיאֶ֖יךָ הָרְג֣וּ בֶחָ֑רֶב וָֽאִוָּתֵ֚ר אֲנִי֙ לְבַדִּ֔י וַיְבַקְשׁ֥וּ אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י לְקַחְתָּֽהּ:
They have torn down Your altars: The private high places that were built in the Name of Heaven, for the altar of the Temple was in Jerusalem.   אֶת מִזְבְּחֹתֶיךָ הָרָסוּ: בָּמוֹת יָחִיד הַנַּעֲשׂוֹת לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, שֶׁהֲרֵי מִזְבַּח בֵּית הַבְּחִירָה בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם הָיָה.
11And He said: "Go out and stand in the mountain before the Lord, behold! The Lord passes, and a great and strong wind splitting mountains and shattering boulders before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake-not in the earthquake was the Lord.   יאוַיֹּ֗אמֶר צֵ֣א וְעָמַדְתָּ֣ בָהָר֘ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָה֒ וְהִנֵּ֧ה יְהֹוָ֣ה עֹבֵ֗ר וְר֣וּחַ גְּדוֹלָ֡ה וְחָזָ֞ק מְפָרֵק֩ הָרִ֨ים וּמְשַׁבֵּ֚ר סְלָעִים֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה לֹ֥א בָר֖וּחַ יְהֹוָ֑ה וְאַחַ֚ר הָר֙וּחַ֙ רַ֔עַשׁ לֹ֥א בָרַ֖עַשׁ יְהֹוָֽה:
and a great… wind: A camp of angels of the wind.   וְרוּחַ גְּדוֹלָה: (תַּרְגּוּם:) מַשִּׁרְיַת מַלְאֲכֵי רוּחָא.
an earthquake: A camp of angels of earthquake.   בְּרַעַשׁ: (תַּרְגּוּם:) מַשִּׁרְיַת מַלְאֲכֵי זִיעָא.
12After the earthquake fire, not in the fire was the Lord, and after the fire a still small sound.   יבוְאַחַ֚ר הָרַ֙עַשׁ֙ אֵ֔שׁ לֹ֥א בָאֵ֖שׁ יְהֹוָ֑ה וְאַחַ֣ר הָאֵ֔שׁ ק֖וֹל דְּמָמָ֥ה דַקָּֽה:
a fire: A camp of angels of fire.   אֵשׁ: (תַּרְגּוּם:) מַשִּׁרְיַת מַלְאֲכֵי אֶשָּׁתָא.
a still small sound: A voice of those praising quietly, but concerning the prophets of the nations, Scripture states: (Job 4:16) “Silence and a voice I hear”; there was silence to the praising, but I heard the voice coming out of the silence, retentissement in O.F., resounding, but no one heard the voice itself.   קוֹל דְּמָמָה דַקָּה: (תַּרְגּוּם:) קָל דִּמְשַׁבְּחִין בַּחֲשַׁאי, אֲבָל בִּנְבִיאֵי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם אוֹמֵר: דְּמָמָה וְקוֹל אֶשְׁמַע, דְּמָמָה הָיְתָה לְשַׁבֵּחַ. וַאֲנִי שָׁמַעְתִּי קוֹל הַבָּא מִתּוֹךְ הַדְּמָמָה, דטינטישמנ"ט בְּלַעַ"ז (הֵד), וְאֵין שׁוֹמְעִין הַקּוֹל מַמָּשׁ.
13And as Elijah heard, he wrapped his face in his mantle, and he went out and stood at the entrance to the cave, and behold a voice came to him and said: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"   יגוַיְהִ֣י | כִּשְׁמֹ֣עַ אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ וַיָּ֚לֶט פָּנָיו֙ בְּאַדַּרְתּ֔וֹ וַיֵּצֵ֕א וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הַמְּעָרָ֑ה וְהִנֵּ֚ה אֵלָיו֙ ק֔וֹל וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מַה־לְּךָ֥ פֹ֖ה אֵלִיָּֽהוּ:
he wrapped his face: Jonathan renders: כריך אפוהי, and so Scripture says: “wrapped in a garment (לוטה בשמלה)” (I Sam. 21:10).   וַיָּלֶט פָּנָיו: (תַּרְגּוּם:) וְכָרִיךְ אַפּוֹהִי, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר: לוּטָה בַשִּׂמְלָה.
14And he said, "I have been zealous for the Lord, the God of Hosts, for the Children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, they have torn down Your altars, and they have killed Your prophets by the sword, and I alone remain, and they seek my soul to take it."   ידוַיֹּאמֶר֩ קַנֹּ֨א קִנֵּ֜אתִי לַיהֹוָ֣ה | אֱלֹהֵ֣י צְבָא֗וֹת כִּֽי־עָזְב֚וּ בְרִֽיתְךָ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־מִזְבְּחֹתֶ֣יךָ הָרָ֔סוּ וְאֶת־נְבִיאֶ֖יךָ הָרְג֣וּ בֶחָ֑רֶב וָאִוָּתֵ֚ר אֲנִי֙ לְבַדִּ֔י וַיְבַקְשׁ֥וּ אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י לְקַחְתָּֽהּ:
15And the Lord said to him: "Go, return to your way to the desert of Damascus and you shall come and anoint Hazael to be king over Aram.   טווַיֹּ֚אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֵלָ֔יו לֵ֛ךְ שׁ֥וּב לְדַרְכְּךָ֖ מִדְבַּ֣רָה דַמָּ֑שֶׂק וּבָ֗אתָ וּמָשַׁחְתָּ֧ אֶת־חֲזָאֵ֛ל לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־אֲרָֽם:
16And Jehu, the son of Nimshi, you shall anoint as king over Israel, and Elisha, the son of Shafat from Abel Meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your stead."   טזוְאֵת֙ יֵה֣וּא בֶן־נִמְשִׁ֔י תִּמְשַׁ֥ח לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְאֶת־אֱלִישָׁ֚ע בֶּן־שָׁפָט֙ מֵאָבֵ֣ל מְחוֹלָ֔ה תִּמְשַׁ֥ח לְנָבִ֖יא תַּחְתֶּֽיךָ:
you shall anoint to be prophet in your stead: I do not want your prophecy since you plead for the prosecution of My children.   תִּמְשַׁח לְנָבִיא תַּחְתֶּיךָ: אִי אֶפְשִׁי בִּנְבִיאוּתְךָ, מֵאַחַר שֶׁאַתָּה מְלַמֵּד קָטֵּיגוֹרְיָא עַל בָּנַי.
17And it will be, those who escape the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill, and those who escape the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill.   יזוְהָיָ֗ה הַנִּמְלָ֛ט מֵחֶ֥רֶב חֲזָאֵ֖ל יָמִ֣ית יֵה֑וּא וְהַנִּמְלָ֛ט מֵחֶ֥רֶב יֵה֖וּא יָמִ֥ית אֱלִישָֽׁע:
Elisha will kill: We do not find that Elisha killed anyone except the forty-two children through the bears in Jericho (II Kings 2:24).   יָמִית אֱלִישָׁע: לֹא מָצִינוּ שֶׁהֵמִית אֶלָּא אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁנַיִם יְלָדִים עַל יְדֵי הַדֻּבִּים בִּירִיחוֹ.
18And I will leave over in Israel seven thousand, all the knees that did not kneel to the Baal and every mouth that did not kiss him."   יחוְהִשְׁאַרְתִּ֥י בְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל שִׁבְעַ֣ת אֲלָפִ֑ים כָּל־הַבִּרְכַּ֗יִם אֲשֶׁ֚ר לֹֽא־כָֽרְעוּ֙ לַבַּ֔עַל וְכָ֨ל־הַפֶּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־נָשַׁ֖ק לֽוֹ:
19And he went from there, and he found Elisha, the son of Shafat, as he was plowing; twelve yoke were before him and he was with the twelfth, and Elijah went over to him and threw his mantle over him.   יטוַיֵּ֣לֶךְ מִ֠שָּׁם וַיִּמְצָ֞א אֶת־אֱלִישָׁ֚ע בֶּן־שָׁפָט֙ וְה֣וּא חֹרֵ֔שׁ שְׁנֵים־עָשָֹ֚ר צְמָדִים֙ לְפָנָ֔יו וְה֖וּא בִּשְׁנֵ֣ים הֶעָשָֹ֑ר וַיַּעֲבֹ֚ר אֵלִיָּ֙הוּ֙ אֵלָ֔יו וַיַּשְׁלֵ֥ךְ אַדַּרְתּ֖וֹ אֵלָֽיו:
20And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said: "Let me, please, kiss my father and my mother, and I will go after you," and he said to him, "Go, return, for what have I done to you?"   כוַיַּעֲזֹ֣ב אֶת־הַבָּקָ֗ר וַיָּ֙רָץ֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י אֵֽלִיָּ֔הוּ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֶשֳּׁקָה־נָּא֙ לְאָבִ֣י וּלְאִמִּ֔י וְאֵלְכָ֖ה אַחֲרֶ֑יךָ וַיֹּ֚אמֶר לוֹ֙ לֵ֣ךְ שׁ֔וּב כִּ֥י מֶה־עָשִֹ֖יתִי לָֽךְ:
Go, return: from following me.   לֵךְ שׁוּב: מֵאַחֲרַי.
for what have I done to you: that you should follow me.   כִּי מֶה עָשִׂיתִי לָךְ: שֶׁתָּבוֹא אַחֲרַי.
21And he returned from after him, and he took the yoke of oxen and slaughtered them, and with the gear of the oxen he cooked the meat for them, and he gave the people and they ate, and he rose and followed Elijah and ministered to him.   כאוַיָּ֨שָׁב מֵאַחֲרָ֜יו וַיִּקַּ֣ח אֶת־צֶ֧מֶד הַבָּקָ֣ר וַיִּזְבָּחֵ֗הוּ וּבִכְלִ֚י הַבָּקָר֙ בִּשְּׁלָ֣ם הַבָּשָֹ֔ר וַיִּתֵּ֥ן לָעָ֖ם וַיֹּאכֵ֑לוּ וַיָּ֗קָם וַיֵּ֛לֶךְ אַחֲרֵ֥י אֵלִיָּ֖הוּ וַיְשָׁרְתֵֽהוּ:
he cooked the meat for them: Heb. בִּשְׁלָם הַבָּשָׂר. The mem of bishelam [is usually indicative of the direct object, to be rendered,] he cooked them. [In this case, however, since the object is] habassar, [the meat, we render:] he cooked for them the meat, so Dunash and Menahem (Machbereth Menahem, p. 48) explain, and so did Jonathan render this in two words. [‘bashilu lehon,’ he cooked for them.] I say, however, that it is unnecessary to divide it into two words [i.e., to add the preposition to]. Now what is the meaning of בִּשְׁלָם הַבָּשָׂר? He cooked the two oxen, their flesh; [i.e., he cooked them, viz. their flesh.] For the yoke is no fewer than two. [Therefore the plural suffix is used.]   בִּשְּׁלָם הַבָּשָׂר: בִּשֵּׁל לָהֶם אֶת הַבָּשָׂר, כָּךְ פֵּרְשׁוּ דוֹנַ"שׁ וּמְנַחֵם, וְכֵן תִּרְגְּמוֹ יוֹנָתָן בִּשְׁתֵּי תֵבוֹת (בָּשִׁיל לְהוֹן). וַאֲנִי אוֹמֵר, אֵין צָרִיךְ לְחַלְּקוֹ לִשְׁתֵּי תֵבוֹת, וּמַהוּ בִּשְּׁלָם הַבָּשָׂר, בִּשְּׁלָם לִשְׁנֵי הַשְּׁוָרִים אֶת הַבָּשָׂר שֶׁלָּהֶם, שֶׁהַצֶּמֶד אֵין פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁנַיִם.
and he gave the people: Out of great joy, he made a feast.   וַיִּתֵּן לָעָם: מֵרֹב שִׂמְחָה עָשָׂה מִשְׁתֶּה.