1 Now it happened A1 Kin 17:1; Luke 4:25; James 5:17after many days that the word of the Loʀᴅ came to Elijah in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and BDeut 28:12I will send rain on the face of the earth.” 2 So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria. 3 Ahab called Obadiah A1 Kin 16:9who was over the household. (Now Obadiah 1Or reveredBNeh 7:2; Job 28:28feared the Loʀᴅ greatly; 4 for A1 Kin 18:13when Jezebel 1Lit cut offdestroyed the prophets of the Loʀᴅ, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and BMatt 10:40-42provided them with bread and water.) 5 Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys; perhaps we will find grass and keep the horses and mules alive, and not 1Lit cut offhave to kill some of the cattle.” 6 So they divided the land between them to 1Lit pass throughsurvey it; Ahab went one way by himself and Obadiah went another way by himself.

7 Now as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah 1Lit to meetmet him, A2 Kin 1:6-8and he recognized him and fell on his face and said, “Is this you, Elijah my master?” 8 He said to him, “It is I. Go, say to your master, ‘Behold, Elijah is here.’ ” 9 He said, “What 1Lit have I sinnedsin have I committed, that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab to put me to death? 10  “A1 Kin 17:1As the Loʀᴅ your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent to search for you; and when they said, ‘He is not here,’ he made the kingdom or nation swear that they could not find you. 11  “And now you are saying, ‘Go, say to your master, “Behold, Elijah is here.” ’ 12  “It will come about when I leave you A2 Kin 2:16; Ezek 3:12, 14; Acts 8:39that the Spirit of the Loʀᴅ will carry you where I do not know; so when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me, although I your servant have 1Or reveredfeared the Loʀᴅ from my youth. 13  “A1 Kin 18:4Has it not been told to my master what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Loʀᴅ, that I hid 1Lit a hundred men of the prophetsa hundred prophets of the Loʀᴅ by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water? 14  “And now you are saying, ‘Go, say to your master, “Behold, Elijah is here” ’; he will then kill me.” 15 Elijah said, “A1 Kin 17:1As the Loʀᴅ 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 When Ahab saw Elijah, AJosh 7:25; 1 Kin 21:20Ahab said to him, “Is this you, you troubler of Israel?” 18 He said, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, because A1 Kin 9:9; 2 Chr 15:2you have forsaken the commandments of the Loʀᴅ and B1 Kin 16:31; 21:25, 26you have followed the Baals. 19  “Now then send and gather to me all Israel at AJosh 19:26; 2 Kin 2:25Mount Carmel, B1 Kin 18:22together with 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of C1 Kin 16:33the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

20 So Ahab sent a message among all the sons of Israel and brought the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah came near to all the people and said, “A2 Kin 17:41; Matt 6:24How long will you 1Lit limp on the two divided opinionshesitate between two opinions? BJosh 24:15If the Loʀᴅ is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I A1 Kin 19:10, 14alone am left a prophet of the Loʀᴅ, but Baal’s prophets are B1 Kin 18:19450 men. 23  “Now let them give us two oxen; and let them choose one ox for themselves and cut it up, and place it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other ox and lay it on the wood, and I will not put a fire under it. 24  “Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Loʀᴅ, and A1 Kin 18:38the God who answers by fire, He is God.” And all the people said, “1Lit The matter is goodThat is a good idea.”

25 So Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one ox for yourselves and prepare it first for you are many, and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.” 26 Then they took the ox which 1Lit he gavewas given them and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon saying, “O Baal, answer us.” But there was APs 115:4, 5; Jer 10:5no voice and no one answered. And they 2Lit limped; i.e. a type of ceremonial danceleaped about the altar which 3So some mss and the ancient versions; M.T. hethey made. 27 It came about at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened.” 28 So they cried with a loud voice and ALev 19:28; Deut 14:1cut themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them. 29 When midday was past, they 1Lit prophesiedraved AEx 29:39, 41until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice; but there was no voice, no one answered, and no 2Lit attentivenessone paid attention.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And A1 Kin 19:10, 14; 2 Chr 33:16he repaired the altar of the Loʀᴅ which 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 Loʀᴅ had come, saying, “AGen 32:28; 35:10; 2 Kin 17:34Israel shall be your name.” 32 So with the stones he built an altar in ACol 3:17the name of the Loʀᴅ, and he made a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two 1Heb seahs; i.e. one seah equals approx 11 qtsmeasures of seed. 33 AGen 22:9; Lev 1:7, 8Then he arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces and laid it on the wood. 34 And he said, “Fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” And he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time. And 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 A1 Kin 18:29At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “BGen 28:13; Ex 3:6; 4:5; Matt 22:32O Loʀᴅ, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that C1 Kin 8:43You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and DNum 16:28-32I have done all these things at Your word. 37  “Answer me, O Loʀᴅ, answer me, that this people may know that You, O Loʀᴅ, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.” 38 Then the AGen 15:17; Lev 9:24; 10:1, 2; Judg 6:21; 2 Kin 1:12; 1 Chr 21:26; 2 Chr 7:1; Job 1:16fire of the Loʀᴅ 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 When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “A1 Kin 18:21, 24The Loʀᴅ, He is God; the Loʀᴅ, He is God.” 40 Then Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.” So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to AJudg 4:7; 5:21the brook Kishon, BDeut 13:5; 18:20; 2 Kin 10:24, 25and slew them there.

41 Now Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of A1 Kin 18:19, 20Carmel; and he BJames 5:18crouched down on the earth and put his face between his knees. 43 He said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go back” seven times. 44 It came about at the seventh time, that he said, “Behold, ALuke 12:54a cloud as small as a man’s hand is coming up from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘1Lit Tie, harnessPrepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.’ ” 45 In a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower. And Ahab rode and went to AJosh 17:16; Judg 6:33Jezreel. 46 Then A2 Kin 3:15; Is 8:11; Ezek 3:14the hand of the Loʀᴅ was on Elijah, and B2 Kin 4:29; Jer 1:17; 1 Pet 1:13he girded up his loins and 1Lit ran beforeoutran Ahab 2Lit until you are coming toto Jezreel.