A great storm of rain at once came to refresh the land.
This triumph of Elijah was only a prelude. When Jezebel heard
what had happened she swore vengeance against him, and he fled for
his life to Beersheba in Judah, the sanctuary of Isaac. Wearied
to death he lay down under a juniper-bush in the wilderness, and
with the prayer, It is enough: now, O Jehovah, take away my
life, he fell asleep. Then he was strengthened with miraculous
food by a heavenly messenger, and bidden to go to Horeb, the
mount of God. He arrived there after a long journey, and withdrew
into a cave; a rushing wind sweeps past; the wind and the
earthquake and the lightning are the forerunners of Jehovah; and
after them He comes Himself in the low whispering that follows the
storm. His head covered, Elijah steps out of the cave and hears a
voice ask what ails him. Having poured out his heart, he receives
the divine consolation that his cause is by no means lost; that
the direst vengeance, the instruments of which he is himself to
summon to their task, is to go forth on all the worshippers of
Baal, and that those 7000 who have not bowed their knee to Baal
shall gain the day--"Thou shalt anoint Hazael to be King over
Damascus, and Jehu ben Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be
iiing over Israel, and Elisha ben Shaphat to be prophet in thy
room; and him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay,
and him that escapeth the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.
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