Midrash su I Re 19:8

(Devarim 1:2) "Eleven days from Chorev by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea": In eleven days they went from Chorev to Kivroth Hata'avah and from Kivroth Hata'avah to Chatzeroth and from Chatzeroth to the desert of Paran.

If Israel had been meritorious, then in eleven days they would have entered Eretz Yisrael, but because they corrupted their ways, the L-rd stretched it into forty years, as it is written (Bamidbar 14:34) "According to the number of days that you spied out the land, forty days — a day for a year, a day for a year — shall you bear your sins." R. Yehudah says: Now did it take them eleven days? Did it not take them only three days? As it is written (Ibid. 10:33) "And they traveled from the mountain of the L-rd a journey of three days." (The intent is that) in three days Israel traveled an eleven-day distance. If Israel had been meritorious, they would have entered Eretz Yisrael in three days. As it is written (Ibid.) "And the ark of the covenant of the L-rd preceded them, a distance of three days to look out a resting place for them," "a resting place" being Eretz Yisrael, as it is written (Devarim 12:9) "For you will not yet have come to the rest and to the inheritance that the L-rd your G-d gives you." They said to him: Was it an eleven-day distance? Was it not a forty-day distance, as it is written of Eliyahu (I Kings 19:8) "And he arose and ate and drank, and he walked on the strength of that meal for forty days and forty nights (until the mountain of G-d, Chorev")? … R. B'na'ah says: If Israel had been meritorious, they would have entered Eretz Yisrael in one day, as it is written (Shemoth 13:4-5) "This day you go out, in the month of spring," immediately (followed by) "And it shall be, when the L-rd brings you to the land of Canaan." Abba Yossi b. Chanan says in the name of Cohein Bardela: If Israel had been meritorious, as soon as their horses' hooves ascended from the sea, they would have entered Eretz Yisrael, as it is written (Devarim 1:21) "Go up (from the sea) and possess (the land) as the L-rd, the G-d of your fathers has spoken to you."

(Exod. 3:1, cont.:) AND HE CAME TO HOREB, THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD. R. Simeon ben Jose ben Leqonya said: Moses' flock went forty days without eating and without tasting anything, just as Elijah, of blessed memory, did. [It is so stated (in I Kings 19:8): ARISING, HE ATE AND DRANK. THEN ON THE STRENGTH OF THAT FOOD HE WENT FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS UNTO HOREB, THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD.]

And came to the mountain of God, unto Horeb (Exod. 3:1). R. Simeon the son of Yosé maintained that Moses’ flock roamed about for forty days, and that, like Elijah of blessed memory, he tasted no food (during this time), as it is said: And he arose, and he did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meal forty days and forty nights (I Kings 19:8). And he led the flock to the farthest end of the wilderness (Exod. 3:1). This informed him that (the older generation of) Israel, which was called the flock, would perish in the wilderness.

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "Art thou better than thy fathers?" Esau sought to slay Jacob, but he fled before him, as it is said, "And Jacob fled into the field of Aram" (Hos. 12:12). Pharaoh sought to slay Moses, who fled before him and he was saved, as it is said, "Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. And Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh" (Ex. 2:15). Saul sought to slay David, who fled before him and was saved, as it is said, "If thou save not thy life to-night, to-morrow thou shalt be slain" (1 Sam. 19:11). Another text says, "And David fled and escaped" (1 Sam. 19:18). Learn that everyone, who flees, is saved. Elijah, may he be remembered for good, arose and fled from the land of Israel, || and he betook himself to Mount Horeb, as it is said, "And he arose, and did eat and drink" (1 Kings 19:8). There the Holy One, blessed be He, was revealed unto him, and He said to him: "What doest thou here, Elijah?" (1 Kings 19:9). He answered Him, saying: "I have been very zealous" (1 Kings 19:10). (The Holy One, blessed be) He, said to him: Thou art always zealous ! Thou wast zealous in Shittim on account of the immorality. Because it is said, "Phineas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, in that he was zealous with my zeal among them" (Num. 25:11). Here also art thou zealous. By thy life ! They shall not observe the covenant of circumcision until thou seest it (done) with thine eyes.