1 N ow it happened after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the face of the earth.”

After many days, Yahweh’s word came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show 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.

Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria.

3 A hab called Obadiah who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly;

Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly;

4 f or when Jezebel destroyed the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water.)

for when Jezebel cut off Yahweh’s prophets, Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

5 T hen 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 have to kill some of the cattle.”

Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land, to all the springs of water, and to all the brooks. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we not lose all the animals.”

6 S o they divided the land between them to survey it; Ahab went one way by himself and Obadiah went another way by himself.

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 N ow as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him, and he recognized him and fell on his face and said, “Is this you, Elijah my master?”

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

8 H e said to him, “It is I. Go, say to your master, ‘Behold, Elijah is here.’”

He answered him, “It is I. Go, tell your lord, ‘Behold, Elijah is here!’”

9 H e said, “What sin have I committed, that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab to put me to death?

He said, “How have I sinned, that you would deliver 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 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.

As Yahweh your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent to seek you. When they said, ‘He is not here,’ he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they didn’t find you.

11 A nd now you are saying, ‘Go, say to your master, “Behold, Elijah is here.”’

Now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here.”’

12 I t will come about when I leave you that the Spirit of the Lord 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 feared the Lord from my youth.

It will happen, as soon as I leave you, that Yahweh’s Spirit 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, have feared Yahweh from my youth.

13 H as it not been told to my master what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, that I hid a hundred prophets of the Lord by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water?

Wasn’t it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed Yahweh’s prophets, how I hid one hundred men of Yahweh’s prophets with fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

14 A nd now you are saying, ‘Go, say to your master, “Behold, Elijah is here ”’; he will then kill me.”

Now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, 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 him today.”

Elijah said, “As Yahweh of Armies lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show 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, “Is this you, you troubler of Israel?”

When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?”

18 H e said, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, because you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and you have followed the Baals.

He answered, “I have not troubled Israel; but you, and your father’s house, in that you have forsaken Yahweh’s commandments, and you have followed the Baals.

19 N ow then send and gather to me all Israel at Mount Carmel, together with 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.” God or Baal on Mount Carmel

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

20 S o Ahab sent a message among all the sons of Israel and brought the prophets together at Mount Carmel.

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

21 E lijah came near to all the people and said, “ How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word.

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 didn’t say a word.

22 T hen Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men.

Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left as a prophet of Yahweh; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred fifty men.

23 N ow 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.

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 it.

24 T hen you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, He is God.” And all the people said, “ That is a good idea.”

You call on the name of your god, and I will call on Yahweh’s name. The God who answers by fire, let him be God.” All the people answered, “What you say is good.”

25 S o 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.”

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 T hen they took the ox which was 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 no voice and no one answered. And they leaped about the altar which they made.

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, and nobody answered. They leaped about the altar which was made.

27 I t 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.”

At noon, Elijah mocked them, and said, “Cry aloud; for he is a god. Either he is deep in thought, or he has gone somewhere, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he sleeps and must be awakened.”

28 S o they cried with a loud voice and cut themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them.

They cried aloud, and cut themselves in their way with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.

29 W hen midday was past, they raved until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice; but there was no voice, no one answered, and no one paid attention.

When midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the evening offering; but there was no voice, no answer, and nobody paid attention.

30 T hen 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 which had been torn down.

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 had been thrown down.

31 E lijah 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.”

Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom Yahweh’s word came, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”

32 S o 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 measures of seed.

With the stones he built an altar in Yahweh’s name. He made a trench around the altar, large enough to contain two seahs of seed.

33 T hen he arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces and laid it on the wood.

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 A nd 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.

He said, “Do it a second time”; and they did it the second time. He said, “Do it a third time”; and they did it the third time.

35 T he water flowed around the altar and he also filled the trench with water. Elijah’s Prayer

The water ran 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, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have done all these things at Your word.

At the time of the evening offering, Elijah the prophet came near, and said, “Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.

37 A nswer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that You, O Lord, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.”

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 T hen the fire of the Lord 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.

Then Yahweh’s fire fell, and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and 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.”

When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces. They said, “Yahweh, he is God! Yahweh, he is God!”

40 T hen 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 slew them there.

Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let one of them escape!” They seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and killed them there.

41 N ow Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower.”

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

42 S o Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he crouched down on the earth and put his face between his knees.

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 H e 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.

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

44 I t came about at the seventh time, that he said, “Behold, a cloud as small as a man’s hand is coming up from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘ Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.’”

On the seventh time, he said, “Behold, a small cloud, like a man’s hand, is rising out of the sea.” He said, “Go up, tell Ahab, ‘Get ready and go down, so that the rain doesn’t stop you.’”

45 I n a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel.

In a little while, the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.

46 T hen the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and outran Ahab to Jezreel.

Yahweh’s hand was on Elijah; and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.