1 After a long time, in the third year, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: “Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the ground.” 2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria. 3 Ahab called Obadiah, who managed the palace. Obadiah feared the LORD greatly. 4 When Jezebel was cutting off the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in caves, fifty in each, supplying them with bread and water. 5 Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs of water and all the brooks. Perhaps we can find grass and keep the horses and mules alive, so that we do not lose the livestock.” 6 They divided the land between them to travel through it. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. 7 As Obadiah was on the road, Elijah met him. He recognized him, fell facedown, and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?” 8 He answered, “It is I. Go, tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.’ ” 9 But he said, “How have I sinned, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to have me killed? 10 As the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent to look for you. When they said, ‘He is not here,’ he made the kingdom or nation swear that they could not find you. 11 And now you say, ‘Go, tell your master, “Elijah is here.” ’ 12 When I leave you, the Spirit of the LORD will carry you somewhere I do not know. If I go and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me. Yet I, your servant, have feared the LORD from my youth. 13 Has my lord not been told what I did when Jezebel was killing the prophets of the LORD? I hid a hundred of the LORD’s prophets in caves, fifty in each, and supplied them with bread and water. 14 And now you say, ‘Go, tell your master, “Elijah is here.” ’ He will kill me!”

15 Elijah said, “As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely present myself to him today.” 16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?” 18 He answered, “I have not brought trouble on Israel. You and your father’s house have, by forsaking the LORD’s commandments, and you have followed the Baals. 19 Now send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.” 20 So Ahab sent throughout all Israel and gathered the prophets at Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you keep limping between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word. 22 Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left as a prophet of the LORD, but Baal’s prophets number four hundred fifty. 23 Let two bulls be given to us. Let them choose one bull, cut it in pieces, and place it on the wood, but set no fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood, but set no fire to it. 24 You call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The God who answers by fire is God.” All the people answered, “The proposal is good.” 25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull and prepare it first, for you are many. Call on the name of your god, but set no fire to it.” 26 They took the bull given to them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice and no answer. They limped around the altar that had been made. 27 At noon Elijah mocked them: “Cry louder, for he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or on a journey. Perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” 28 They cried aloud and cut themselves with swords and spears according to their custom, until blood flowed over them. 29 After noon passed, they continued prophesying until the time of the offering. But there was no voice, no answer, and no attention. 30 Elijah said to all the people, “Come near me.” All the people came near him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, “Israel will be your name.” 32 With the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD and made a trench around the altar with room for about 13 quarts of seed. 33 He arranged the wood, cut the bull in pieces, and placed it on the wood. 34 He said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it over the burnt offering and the wood.” Then he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time. He said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. 35 The water flowed around the altar, and he also filled the trench with water. 36 At the time of the offering, Elijah the prophet approached and said, “LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. 37 Answer me, LORD, answer me, so that these people may know that you, LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water in the trench. 39 When all the people saw it, they fell facedown and said, “The LORD, he is God! The LORD, he is God!” 40 Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!” They seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon Brook and slaughtered them there. 41 Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a downpour.” 42 Ahab went up to eat and drink. Elijah went up to the summit of Carmel, bent down to the ground, and put his face between his knees. 43 He said to his servant, “Please go up and look toward the sea.” He went up, looked, and said, “There is nothing.” “Go back,” he said seven times. 44 On the seventh time he said, “A small cloud like a man’s palm is rising from the sea.” Elijah said, “Go up and tell Ahab, ‘Harness the chariot and go down, so that the rain does not stop you.’ ” 45 Meanwhile the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. Ahab rode away to Jezreel. 46 The hand of the LORD was on Elijah. He fastened his clothing at the waist and ran ahead of Ahab as far as the entrance to Jezreel.