1 A nd it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.

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 upon the earth.”

2 A nd Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.

So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the time without food was very hard in Samaria.

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

And Ahab called Obadiah who was the boss over his house. (Now Obadiah had much fear of the Lord.

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

For when Jezebel destroyed the men who spoke for the Lord, Obadiah took 100 of these men and hid them by fifties in a cave. And he fed them with bread and water.)

5 A nd Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.

Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the wells of water and to all the valleys. It may be that we will find grass and keep the horses and donkeys alive, and not lose some of the animals.

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

So they divided the land between them to pass through it. Ahab went one way by himself. And Obadiah went another way by himself.

7 A nd as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah?

As Obadiah was on the way, Elijah met him. Obadiah knew who he was, and fell on his face and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?”

8 A nd he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

He answered, “It is I. Go and tell your owner, ‘See, Elijah is here.’”

9 A nd he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

Obadiah said, “What sin have I done? Why are you giving your servant into the hand of Ahab to be killed?

10 A s the Lord 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 there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.

As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation where the king has not sent men to look for you. And when they said, ‘He is not here,’ he made the nation prove that they could not find you.

11 A nd now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

Now you are saying, ‘Go, say to your owner, “See, Elijah is here.” ‘

12 A nd it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the Lord shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth.

And after I have left you, the Spirit of the Lord will carry you where I do not know. So I will go and tell Ahab, and he will not be able to find you. Then he will kill me. But I your servant have honored the Lord since I was young.

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

Have you not been told what I did when Jezebel killed the men who spoke for the Lord? I hid 100 men of the Lord by fifties in a cave. And I gave them bread and water.

14 A nd now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me.

Now you are saying, ‘Go and tell your owner, “See, Elijah is here.”’ He will kill me.”

15 A nd Elijah said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day.

Elijah said, “As the Lord of All lives, before Whom I stand, I will show myself to Ahab 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 A nd it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?

When he saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, the one who brings trouble to Israel?”

18 A nd he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.

Elijah said, “I have not brought trouble to Israel. But you and your father’s house have. Because you have turned away from the laws of the Lord, and have followed the false gods of Baal.

19 N ow 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 groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table.

So now call together all Israel to me at Mount Carmel. And gather together 450 men who speak for Baal and 400 men who speak for the false goddess Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.” Elijah on Mount Carmel

20 S o Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

So Ahab sent news among all the people of Israel. And he brought the men who speak for the false gods together at Mount Carmel.

21 A nd Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

Elijah came near all the people and said, “How long will you be divided between two ways of thinking? If the Lord is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, then follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word.

22 T hen said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

Then Elijah said to the people, “I am the only man left who speaks for God. But here are 450 men who speak for Baal.

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

Bring two bulls to us. Let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it up and put it on the wood. But put no fire under it. I will make the other bull ready and lay it on the wood. And I will put no fire under it.

24 A nd call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The God Who answers by fire, He is God.” All the people answered and said, “That is a good idea.”

25 A nd 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 gods, but put no fire under.

So Elijah said to the men who spoke for Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves and make it ready first. For there are many of you. Then call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.”

26 A nd 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 upon the altar which was made.

So they took the bull which was given to them and made it ready. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us.” But there was no voice. No one answered. They jumped and danced around the altar they had made.

27 A nd it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

At noon Elijah made fun of them. He said, “Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god. It might be that he is in deep thought or has turned away. He could be away traveling. Or it may be that he is asleep and needs to have someone wake him.”

28 A nd they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

So they cried with a loud voice. They cut themselves as they had done in the past, with swords and spears until blood poured out on them.

29 A nd it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

When noon passed, they cried out until the time for giving the evening gift. But there was no voice. No one answered. No one listened.

30 A nd Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.

Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he built again the altar of the Lord which had been torn down.

31 A nd Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:

Then Elijah took twelve stones, by the number of the families of Jacob’s sons. The word of the Lord had come to Jacob’s sons, saying, “Israel will be your name.”

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

With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a ditch around the altar, big enough to hold twenty-two jars of seed.

33 A nd he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

Then he set the wood in place. He cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt gift 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. He said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time.

35 A nd the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.

The water flowed around the altar, and filled the ditch also.

36 A nd 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 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.

Then the time came for giving the evening gift. Elijah the man who spoke for God came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that You are God in Israel. Let it be known that I am Your servant, and have done all these things at Your word.

37 H ear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

Answer me, O Lord. Answer me so these people may know that You, O Lord, are God. Turn their hearts 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 licked up the water that was in the trench.

Then the fire of the Lord fell. It burned up the burnt gift, the wood, the stones and the dust. And it picked up the water that was in the ditch.

39 A nd when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.

All the people fell on their faces when they saw it. They said, “The Lord, He is God. The Lord, He is God.”

40 A nd 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.

Then Elijah said to them, “Take hold of the men who speak for Baal. Do not let one of them get away.” So they took hold of them. And Elijah brought them down to the river Kishon, and killed them there. The Rains Come

41 A nd Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.

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

42 S o Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,

So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel. He got 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. And he said, Go again seven times.

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

44 A nd it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down that the rain stop thee not.

The seventh time, he said, “I see a cloud as small as a man’s hand coming up from the sea.” Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Make your war-wagon ready and go down, so that the rain does not stop you.’”

45 A nd it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.

Soon the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was much rain. And Ahab went to Jezreel.

46 A nd the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

Then the hand of the Lord was on Elijah. He pulled his clothing up under his belt and ran before Ahab to Jezreel.