 1 After many days the Word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year saying, Go, show yourself to Ahab. And I will send rain on the earth. 2 Elijah went to be seen himself to Ahab. And there was a great famine in Samaria. 3 Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the house. And Obadiah feared the Lord greatly, 4 for when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took 100 prophets and hid them by 50 in a cave, and fed them with bread and water. 5 Ahab said to Obadiah, Go into the land, to all fountains of water, and to all the rivers. Perhaps we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, so that we do not lose all the animals. 6 They divided the land between them to pass throughout it. Ahab went one way by himself and Obadiah went another way by himself. 7 As Obadiah was on the way, Elijah met him, recognized him, and fell on his face and said, Are you my lord Elijah? 8 He answered, I am. Go. Tell your lord behold, Elijah is here. 9 He said, What have I sinned that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab to kill me? 10 As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation nor kingdom where my lord has not sent to seek you. And when they said, He is not there, he took an oath of the kingdom and nation that they did not find you. 11 Now you say, Go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here. 12 As soon as I have gone from you, the Spirit of the Lord will carry you where I know not. When I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared the Lord from my youth. 13 Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, how I hid 100 men of the Lord's prophets by 50 in a cave and fed them with bread and water? 14 Now you say, Go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah. And he will kill me. 15 Elijah said, As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely be seen by him today. 16 Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him. And Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, Are you one who troubles Israel? 18 He answered, I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and you have followed the Baals. 19 Now send and gather to me all Israel to mount Carmel, and 450 of the prophets of Baal, and 400 of the prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table. 20 Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together to mount Carmel. 21 Elijah came to all the people and said, How long are you limping over two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, then follow him. And the people did not answer him a word. 22 Elijah said to the people, I, I alone, remain a prophet of the Lord. But Baal's prophets are 450 men. 23 Let them give us two bulls, and let them choose one bull for themselves, and cut it in pieces and lay it on wood. But place no fire. And I will dress the other bull and lay it on wood, and place no fire. 24 Call on the name of your gods and I will call on the name of the Lord. This will determine the one that answers with fire is truly God. All the people said, This word is good. 25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, Choose one bull for yourselves, and prepare first, for you are many. And call on the name of your god, but place no fire. 26 They took the bull that was given them and they dressed and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon saying, O Baal hear us. But there was no voice nor any who answered. So they leaped on the altar that was made. 27 At noon Elijah mocked them and said, Cry with a great voice for he is a god. Either he is meditating or he is pursuing or he is on a journey. Perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened. 28 They cried out with a loud voice and cut themselves with knives and spears until the blood gushed out on them, as is their way. 29 When midday was past, and when they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor anyone who paid attention. 30 Elijah said to all the people, Come near to me. Then all the people came near him and he repaired the broken down altar of the Lord. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the Word of the Lord came saying, Israel shall be your name. 32 With stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench around the altar big enough to contain two measures of seed. 33 He arranged the wood, cut the bull in pieces, placed it on the wood, and said, Fill four water jars with water and pour on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood. 34 Then he said, Do it a second time. So they did it a second time. Then he said, Do it a third time. So they did it a third time. 35 The water ran all around the altar and he filled the trench also with water. 36 At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and that I have done all these things at your word. 37 Hear me O Lord. Hear me so that this people may know that you are the Lord God and that you have turned their heart back again. 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the burnt sacrifice and the wood and the stones and the dust and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 When all the people saw this, they fell on their faces and said, The Lord is God. The Lord is God. 40 Elijah said to them, Take the prophets of Baal. Do not let one of them escape. They took them. Then Elijah brought them down to the river Kishon and killed them there. 41 Elijah said to Ahab, Go up. Eat and drink. Because of the sound of plenty of rain. 42 So Ahab went to eat and to drink and Elijah went to the top of Carmel, threw himself down on the earth, and put his face between his knees. 43 He said to his servant, Go now. Look toward the sea. He looked and said, Nothing. He said, Go again seven times. 44 On the seventh time he said, Behold, a little cloud rises out of the sea like a man's hand. He said, Go and say to Ahab, Bind up and go down so that the rain does not stop you. 45 In the meantime the heavens were black with clouds and wind and there was great rain. Then Ahab rose and went to Jezreel. 46 The hand of the Lord was on Elijah and he dressed+ and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
|