1 A fter 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 upon the earth.

And it came to pass after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.”

2 S o Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria.

So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab; and there was a severe famine in Samaria.

3 A nd Ahab called Obadiah, who was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly;

And Ahab had called Obadiah, who was in charge of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly.

4 F or when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water.)

For so it was, while Jezebel massacred the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and had fed them with bread and water.)

5 A nd Ahab said to Obadiah, Go into the land to all the fountains of water and to all the brooks; perhaps we may find grass to keep the horses and mules alive, that we lose none of the beasts.

And Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go into the land to all the springs of water and to all the brooks; perhaps we may find grass to keep the horses and mules alive, so that we will not have to kill any livestock.”

6 S o they divided the land between them to pass through it. Ahab went one way and Obadiah went another way, each by himself.

So they divided the land between them to explore it; Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

7 A s Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him. He recognized him and fell on his face and said, Are you my lord Elijah?

Now as Obadiah was on his way, suddenly Elijah met him; and he recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, “ Is that you, my lord Elijah?”

8 H e answered him, It is I. Go tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

And he answered him, “ It is I. Go, tell your master, ‘Elijah is here. ’”

9 A nd he said, What sin have I committed, that you would deliver your servant into the hands of Ahab to be slain?

So he said, “How have I sinned, that you are delivering your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?

10 A s the Lord 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 from the kingdom or nation that they had not found you.

As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to hunt for you; and when they said, ‘ He is not here, ’ he took an oath from the kingdom or nation that they could not find you.

11 A nd now you say, Go tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

And now you say, ‘Go, tell your master, “Elijah is here ”’!

12 A nd as soon as I have gone out from you, the Spirit of the Lord will carry you I know not where; so when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me. But I your servant have feared and revered the Lord from my youth.

And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of the Lord will carry you to a place I do not know; so when I go and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he will kill me. But I your servant have feared the Lord from my youth.

13 W as it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the Lord, how I hid a hundred men of the Lord’s prophets by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water?

Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, how I hid one hundred men of the Lord ’s prophets, fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

14 A nd now you say, Go tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here; and he will kill me.

And now you say, ‘Go, tell your master, “Elijah is here. ”’ He will kill me!”

15 E lijah said, As the Lord of hosts lives, before Whom I stand, I will surely show myself to Ahab today.

Then Elijah said, “ As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely present myself to him today.”

16 S o Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

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

17 W hen Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, Are you he who troubles Israel?

Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “ Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”

18 E lijah replied, I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father’s house, by forsaking the commandments of the Lord and by following the Baals.

And 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 have followed the Baals.

19 T herefore send and gather to me all Israel at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.

Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.” Elijah’s Mount Carmel Victory

20 S o Ahab sent to all the Israelites and assembled the prophets at Mount Carmel.

So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel.

21 E lijah came near to all the people and said, How long will you halt and limp between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him! But if Baal, then follow him. And the people did not answer him a word.

And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.

22 T hen Elijah said to the people, I, I only, remain a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men.

Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

23 L et two bulls be given us; let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood but put no fire to it. I will dress the other bull, lay it on the wood, and put no fire to it.

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

24 T hen you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the One Who answers by fire, let Him be God. And all the people answered, It is well spoken.

Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.” So all the people answered and said, “It is well spoken.”

25 E lijah 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.

Now Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull 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 S o they took the bull given them, dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, O Baal, hear and answer us! But there was no voice; no one answered. And they leaped upon or limped about the altar they had made.

So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made.

27 A t noon Elijah mocked them, saying, Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is musing, or he has gone aside, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.

And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.”

28 A nd they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with knives and lances until the blood gushed out upon them.

So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.

29 M idday passed, and they played the part of prophets until the time for offering the evening sacrifice, but there was no voice, no answer, no one who paid attention.

And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.

30 T hen Elijah said to all the people, Come near to me. And all the people came near him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been broken down.

Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.

31 T hen 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.

And 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 shall be your name.”

32 A nd with the stones Elijah built an altar in the name of the Lord. He made a trench about the altar as great as would contain two measures of seed.

Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord; and he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.

33 H e put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood and said, Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and the wood.

And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, “Fill four waterpots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood.”

34 A nd 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.

Then 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 T he water ran round about the altar, and he filled the trench also with water.

So the water ran all around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water.

36 A t the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said, O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and 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.

And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “ Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word.

37 H ear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You, the Lord, are God, and have turned their hearts back.

Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.”

38 T hen the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice and the wood and the stones and the dust, and also licked up the water that was in the trench.

Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.

39 W hen all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and they said, The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!

Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!”

40 A nd Elijah said, Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one escape. They seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

And 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 the Brook Kishon and executed them there. The Drought Ends

41 A nd Elijah said to Ahab, Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of abundance of rain.

Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.”

42 S o 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

So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees,

43 A nd said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up and looked and said, There is nothing. Elijah said, Go again seven times.

and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “ There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.”

44 A nd at the seventh time the servant said, A cloud as small as a man’s hand is arising out of the sea. And Elijah said, Go up, say to Ahab, Hitch your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.

Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’”

45 I n a little while, the heavens were black with wind-swept clouds, and there was a great rain. And Ahab went to Jezreel.

Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel.

46 T he hand of the Lord was on Elijah. He girded up his loins and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.