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 time without food was very hard 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 boss over his house. (Now Obadiah had much fear of the Lord.

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

4 F or 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.)

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 T hen 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.

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 by himself. And Obadiah went another way 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, Elijah met him. Obadiah knew who he was, and fell on his face and said, “Is it 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, “It is I. Go and tell your owner, ‘See, Elijah is here.’”

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

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

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 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.

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

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

12 A nd 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.

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 H ave 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.

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 N ow you are saying, ‘Go and tell your owner, “See, Elijah is here.”’ 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 All lives, before Whom I stand, I will 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 he saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, the one who brings trouble to Israel?”

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

18 E lijah 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.

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 S o 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

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 news among all the people of Israel. And he brought the men who speak for the false gods together 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 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.

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 am the only man left who speaks for God. But here are 450 men who speak for Baal.

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 B ring 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.

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. The God Who answers by fire, He is God.” All the people answered and said, “That is a good idea.”

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 S o 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.”

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 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.

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 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.”

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 S o 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.

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

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

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.” So all the people came near to him. And he built again the altar of the Lord which had been torn 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, 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.”

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 W ith 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.

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 T hen 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.”

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 T hen 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.

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 flowed around the altar, and filled the ditch also.

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

36 T hen 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.

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 A nswer me, O Lord. Answer me so these people may know that You, O Lord, are God. Turn their hearts to You again.”

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

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 A ll the people fell on their faces when they saw it. 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 T hen 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

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 T hen Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink. For there is the sound of much 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 drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel. He got down on the ground 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 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.”

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 T he 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.’”

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 S oon the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was much 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 hen the hand of the Lord was on Elijah. He pulled his clothing up under his belt and ran before Ahab to 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.