Proper 14A (usually 10th Sunday after Pentecost), Year A
1 Kings 19.9-18
This has been prepared for two readers, e.g. on a single Zoom screen, but might be easily altered for three readers, separating the voices of the Storyteller or Narrator and that of Elijah.
Voice 1:
This is a reading from the first book of Kings, when Elijah reaches Horeb, the mountain of God. It is written:
Elijah came to a cave, and spent the night there. Then the word of YAHWEH came to Elijah, saying,
Voice 2: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Voice 1:
Elijah answered, “I have been very zealous for YAHWEH, the God of hosts. For the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.” Then it was spoken:
Voice 2: “Go out and stand on the mountain before YAHWEH, for YAHWEH is about to pass by.”
Voice 1:
Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before YAHWEH, but YAHWEH was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but YAHWEH was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but YAHWEH was not in the fire. And after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said,
Voice 2: What are you doing here, Elijah?
Voice 1:
Elijah answered, ‘I have been very zealous for YAHWEH, the God of hosts. For the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.’
Then YAHWEH said to Elijah,
Voice 2:
Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus.
When you arrive, you shall anoint Haza-el as king over Aram. Also, you shall anoint Je-hu son of Nim-shi as king over Israel. And you shall anoint Elisha son of Sha-phat of Abel-me-ho-lah as prophet in your place. Whoever escapes from the sword of Haza-el, Jehu shall kill. And whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. Yet, I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed Baal.”
Voice 1: Here ends the reading. May our hearing be blessed with understanding.
This drama relies on the text from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.
