Elijah went out on the mountain side to
watch.

As he stood there, a mighty wind roared among the rocks and
rent them to pieces. Then an earthquake shook the desert,
until the mountain itself trembled under the shock. Then fire
as mysterious as that which illuminated the bush in the days
of Moses, played about the lonely heights. After a pause, _"a
still, small voice"_ whispered in the ear of the solitary
watcher a revelation conveying comfort, and pointing out
further duty. Strengthened and comforted, Elijah left the
lonely mountain behind him, and shortly came across the man
who was to cheer him as a companion, and succeed him as a
prophet.

[Image: A STORM IN PALESTINE. From a photograph.]

This man was Elisha, the son of Shaphat. He was ploughing the
fields around his home with twelve yoke of oxen. As he passed
him, Elijah cast his well-known mantle upon Elisha, who
recognized in the action that from that time he was to be the
attendant and friend of the prophet. Bidding his father and
mother goodbye, Elisha followed Elijah, thus beginning a long
period of service and intercourse with him.

[Image: ELISHA WAS PLOUGHING HIS FIELDS.]

The disappearance of Elijah after his triumph over the priests
of Baal, probably caused Ahab and Jezebel to believe that they
had seen the last of the prophet. They certainly went on in
their wicked ways, for soon we read that Ahab coveted the
vineyard of a man named Naboth. This vineyard was quite near
the walls of Ahab's palace, and he wished to turn it into a
garden.

But Naboth would not sell his vineyard or exchange it for
another, because it had belonged to his family for a very long
time. His refusal made Ahab so angry and disappointed that he
threw himself upon his bed, and refused to eat or even to
speak. In this state Jezebel found him, and at once began to
comfort him, telling him he should have his vineyard.

The first thing this wicked woman did was to bribe witnesses
to say that Naboth had spoken evil of God and also of the
king. Naboth was condemned and stoned to death. Ahab then
took possession of the vineyard, and as he was walking in it
one day, he saw Elijah coming towards him. Tremblingly the
wicked king exclaimed, _"Hast thou found me, O my enemy?"_
Elijah replied that he had sought him, not because he was his
enemy, but to tell him he was to be punished, because all his
life he had done wrong.

[Image: FALSE WITNESSES TESTIFIED AGAINST NABOTH.]

Aha