Elijah had thought that he alone in Israel was a worshiper of the true God. But He who reads the hearts of all revealed to the prophet that there were many others who, through the long years of apostasy, had remained true to Him. "I have left Me," God said, "seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him."

Elias troede, at han var den eneste i hele Israel, der tilbad den sande Gud, men han, der læser alles hjerte, fortalte profeten, at der var mange andre, der var vedblevet at tjene Herren i frafaldets lange år. "Jeg vil lade syv tusinde blive tilbage i Israel," sagde Gud, "hvert knæ, der ikke har bøjet sig for Baal, og hver mund, der ikke har kysset ham."