^{1 Ref} It happened after many days, that the word of Yahweh came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain on the earth.

^{2 Ref} Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. The famine was sore in Samaria.

^{3 Ref} Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly:

^{4 Ref} for it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Yahweh, that Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

^{5 Ref} Ahab said to Obadiah, Go through the land, to all the springs of water, and to all the brooks: peradventure we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we not lose all the animals.

^{6 Ref} So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

^{7 Ref} As Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Is it you, my lord Elijah?

^{8 Ref} He answered him, It is I: go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah [is here].

^{9 Ref} He said, Wherein have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?

^{10 Ref} As Yahweh your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom, where my lord has not sent to seek you: and when they said, He is not here, he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they didn't find you.

^{11 Ref} Now you say, Go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah [is here].

^{12 Ref} It will happen, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of Yahweh will carry you I don't know where; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he can't find you, he will kill me: but I your servant fear Yahweh from my youth.

^{13 Ref} Wasn't it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of Yahweh, how I hid one hundred men of Yahweh's prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

^{14 Ref} Now you say, Go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah [is here]; and he will kill me.

^{15 Ref} Elijah said, As Yahweh of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.

¹⁶ So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

^{17 Ref} It happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, Is it you, you troubler of Israel?

^{18 Ref} He answered, I have not troubled Israel; but you, and your father's house, in that you have forsaken the commandments of Yahweh, and you have followed the Baals.

^{19 Ref} Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred fifty, and the prophets of the Asherah four hundred, who eat at Jezebel's table.

^{20 Ref} So Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together to Mount Carmel.

^{21 Ref} Elijah came near to all the people, and said, "How long will you waver between the two sides? If Yahweh is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." The people answered him not a word.

^{22 Ref} Then Elijah said to the people, "I, even I only, am left a prophet of Yahweh; but Baal's prophets are four hundred fifty men.

²³ Let them therefore give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under; and I will dress the other bull, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under.

^{24 Ref} You call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Yahweh; and the God who answers by fire, let him be God." All the people answered, "It is well said."

²⁵ Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one bull for yourselves, and dress it first; for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it."

^{26 Ref} They took the bull which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any who answered. They leaped about the altar which was made.

^{27 Ref} It happened at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud; for he is a god: either he is musing, or he is gone aside, or he is on a journey, or peradventure he sleeps and must be awakened.

^{28 Ref} They cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.

^{29 Ref} It was so, when midday was past, that they prophesied until the time of the offering of the [evening] offering; but there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any who regarded.

^{30 Ref} Elijah said to all the people, Come near to me; and all the people came near to him. He repaired the altar of Yahweh that was thrown down.

^{31 Ref} Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of Yahweh came, saying, Israel shall be your name.

^{32 Ref} With the stones he built an altar in the name of Yahweh; and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.

^{33 Ref} He put the wood in order, and cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. He said, Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering, and on the wood.

^{34 Ref} He said, Do it the second time; and they did it the second time. He said, Do it the third time; and they did it the third time.

^{35 Ref} The water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.

^{36 Ref} It happened at the time of the offering of the [evening] offering, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of 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 Ref} Hear me, Yahweh, hear me, that this people may know that you, Yahweh, are God, and [that] you have turned their heart back again.

^{38 Ref} Then the fire of Yahweh fell, and consumed the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

^{39 Ref} When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, Yahweh, he is God; Yahweh, he is God.

^{40 Ref} and Elijah said to them, Take the prophets of Baal; don't let one of them escape. They took them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and killed them there.

^{41 Ref} Elijah said to Ahab, Get you up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.

^{42 Ref} So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down on the earth, and put his face between his knees.

^{43 Ref} He said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. He went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. He said, Go again seven times.

^{44 Ref} It happened at the seventh time, that he said, "Behold, a small cloud, like a man's hand, is rising out of the sea." He said, Go up, tell Ahab, Make ready [your chariot], and get you down, that the rain not stop you.

^{45 Ref} It happened in a little while, that the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel:

^{46 Ref} and the hand of Yahweh was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

^{1 Ref} And it came to pass after many days, that the word of Jehovah came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.

^{2 Ref} And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. And the famine was sore in Samaria.

^{3 Ref} And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared Jehovah greatly:

^{4 Ref} for it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Jehovah, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

^{5 Ref} And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go through the land, unto all the fountains of water, and unto all the brooks: peradventure we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.

^{6 Ref} So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

^{7 Ref} And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Is it thou, my lord Elijah?

^{8 Ref} And he answered him, It is I: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah `is here'.

^{9 Ref} And he said, Wherein have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

^{10 Ref} As Jehovah thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not here, he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.

^{11 Ref} And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah `is here'.

^{12 Ref} And it will come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of Jehovah will carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he will slay me: but I thy servant fear Jehovah from my youth.

^{13 Ref} Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of Jehovah, how I hid a hundred men of Jehovah's prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

^{14 Ref} And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah `is here'; and he will slay me.

^{15 Ref} And Elijah said, As Jehovah of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him to-day.

¹⁶ So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

^{17 Ref} And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Is it thou, thou troubler of Israel?

^{18 Ref} And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of Jehovah, and thou hast followed the Baalim.

^{19 Ref} Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the Asherah four hundred, that eat at Jezebel's table.

^{20 Ref} So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

^{21 Ref} And Elijah came near unto all the people, and said, How long go ye limping between the two sides? if Jehovah be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

^{22 Ref} Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, am left a prophet of Jehovah; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

²³ Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under; and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under.

^{24 Ref} And call ye on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Jehovah; and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

²⁵ And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under.

^{26 Ref} And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped about the altar which was made.

^{27 Ref} And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud; for he is a god: either he is musing, or he is gone aside, or he is on a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth and must be awaked.

^{28 Ref} And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lances, till the blood gushed out upon them.

^{29 Ref} And it was so, when midday was past, that they prophesied until the time of the offering of the `evening' oblation; but there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

^{30 Ref} And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me; and all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of Jehovah that was thrown down.

^{31 Ref} And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of Jehovah came, saying, Israel shall be thy name.

^{32 Ref} And with the stones he built an altar in the name of Jehovah; and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.

^{33 Ref} And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid it on the wood. And he said, Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt-offering, and on the wood.

^{34 Ref} And he said, Do it the second time; and they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time; and they did it the third time.

^{35 Ref} And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.

^{36 Ref} And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the `evening' oblation, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, O Jehovah, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

^{37 Ref} Hear me, O Jehovah, hear me, that this people may know that thou, Jehovah, art God, and `that' thou hast turned their heart back again.

^{38 Ref} Then the fire of Jehovah fell, and consumed the burnt-offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

^{39 Ref} And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, Jehovah, he is God; Jehovah, he is God.

^{40 Ref} and Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

^{41 Ref} And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.

^{42 Ref} So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees.

^{43 Ref} And he said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.

^{44 Ref} And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a cloud out of the sea, as small as a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Make ready `thy chariot', and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.

^{45 Ref} And it came to pass in a little while, that the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel:

^{46 Ref} and the hand of Jehovah was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

^{1 Ref} Now after a long time, the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go and let Ahab see you, so that I may send rain on the earth.

^{2 Ref} So Elijah went to let Ahab see him. Now there was no food to be had in Samaria.

^{3 Ref} And Ahab sent for Obadiah, the controller of the king's house. (Now Obadiah had the fear of the Lord before him greatly;

^{4 Ref} For when Jezebel was cutting off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred of them, and kept them secretly in a hole in the rock, fifty at a time, and gave them bread and water.)

^{5 Ref} And Ahab said to Obadiah, Come, let us go through all the country, to all the fountains of water and all the rivers, and see if there is any grass to be had for the horses and the transport beasts, so that we may be able to keep some of the beasts from destruction.

^{6 Ref} So they went through all the country, covering it between them; Ahab went in one direction by himself, and Obadiah went in another by himself.

^{7 Ref} And while Obadiah was on his way, he came face to face with Elijah; and seeing who it was, he went down on his face and said, Is it you, my lord Elijah?

^{8 Ref} And Elijah in answer said, It is I; now go and say to your lord, Elijah is here.

^{9 Ref} And he said, What sin have I done, that you would give up your servant into the hand of Ahab, and be the cause of my death?

^{10 Ref} By the life of the Lord your God, there is not a nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent in search of you; and when they said, He is not here; he made them take an oath that they had not seen you.

^{11 Ref} And now you say, Go, say to your lord, Elijah is here.

^{12 Ref} And straight away, when I have gone from you, the spirit of the Lord will take you away, I have no idea where, so that when I come and give word to Ahab, and he sees you not, he will put me to death: though I, your servant, have been a worshipper of the Lord from my earliest years.

^{13 Ref} Has my lord not had word of what I did when Jezebel was putting the Lord's prophets to death? how I kept a hundred of them in a secret hole in the rock, fifty at a time, and gave them bread and water?

^{14 Ref} And now you say, Go and say to your Lord, Elijah is here; and he will put me to death.

^{15 Ref} And Elijah said, By the life of the Lord of armies, whose servant I am, I will certainly let him see me today.

¹⁶ So Obadiah went to Ahab and gave him the news; and Ahab went to see Elijah.

^{17 Ref} And when he saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, Is it you, you troubler of Israel?

^{18 Ref} Then he said in answer, I have not been troubling Israel, but you and your family; because, turning away from the orders of the Lord, you have gone after the Baals.

^{19 Ref} Now send, and get Israel together before me at Mount Carmel, with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal who get their food at Jezebel's table.

^{20 Ref} So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and got the prophets together at Mount Carmel.

^{21 Ref} And Elijah came near to all the people and said, How long will you go on balancing between two opinions? if the Lord is God, then give worship to him; but if Baal, give worship to him. And the people said not a word in answer.

^{22 Ref} Then Elijah said to the people, I, even I, am the only living prophet of the Lord; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

²³ Now, let them give us two oxen; and let them take one for themselves, and have it cut up, and put it on the wood, but put no fire under it; I will get the other ox ready, and put it on the wood, and put no fire under it.

^{24 Ref} And do you make prayers to your god, and I will make a prayer to the Lord: and it will be clear that the one who gives an answer by fire is God. And all the people in answer said, It is well said.

²⁵ Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, Take one ox for yourselves and get it ready first, for there are more of you; and make your prayers to your god, but put no fire under.

^{26 Ref} So they took the ox which was given them, and made it ready, crying out to Baal from morning till the middle of the day, and saying, O Baal, give ear to us. But there was no voice and no answer. And they were jumping up and down before the altar they had made.

^{27 Ref} And in the middle of the day, Elijah made sport of them, saying, Give louder cries, for he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or he may have gone away for some purpose, or he may be on a journey, or by chance he is sleeping and has to be made awake.

^{28 Ref} So they gave loud cries, cutting themselves with knives and swords, as was their way, till the blood came streaming out all over them.

^{29 Ref} And from the middle of the day they went on with their prayers till the time of the offering; but there was no voice, or any answer, or any who gave attention to them.

^{30 Ref} Then Elijah said to all the people, Come near to me; and all the people came near. And he put up again the altar of the Lord which had been broken down.

^{31 Ref} And Elijah took twelve stones, the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the Lord had said, Israel will be your name:

^{32 Ref} And with the stones he made an altar to the name of the Lord; and he made a deep drain all round the altar, great enough to take two measures of seed.

^{33 Ref} And he put the wood in order, and, cutting up the ox, put it on the wood. Then he said, Get four vessels full of water and put it on the burned offering and on the wood. And he said, Do it a second time, and they did it a second time;

^{34 Ref} And he said, Do it a third time, and they did it a third time.

^{35 Ref} And the water went all round the altar, till the drain was full.

^{36 Ref} Then at the time of the offering, Elijah the prophet came near and said, O Lord, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be seen this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things by your order.

^{37 Ref} Give me an answer, O Lord, give me an answer, so that this people may see that you are God, and that you have made their hearts come back again.

^{38 Ref} Then the fire of the Lord came down, burning up the offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and drinking up the water in the drain.

^{39 Ref} And when the people saw it, they all went down on their faces, and said, The Lord, he is God, the Lord, he is God.

^{40 Ref} And Elijah said to them, Take the prophets of Baal, let not one of them get away. So they took them, and Elijah made them go down to the stream Kishon, and put them to death there.

^{41 Ref} Then Elijah said to Ahab, Up! take food and drink, for there is a sound of much rain.

^{42 Ref} So Ahab went up to have food and drink, while Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he went down on the earth, putting his face between his knees.

^{43 Ref} And he said to his servant, Go now, and take a look in the direction of the sea. And he went up, and after looking said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times; and he went seven times.

^{44 Ref} And the seventh time he said, I see a cloud coming up out of the sea, as small as a man's hand. Then he said, Go up and say to Ahab, Get your carriage ready and go down or the rain will keep you back.

^{45 Ref} And after a very little time, the heaven became black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab went in his carriage to Jezreel.

^{46 Ref} And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he made himself strong, and went running before Ahab till they came to Jezreel.