1 A fter 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.”

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

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

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

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

4 f or 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.)

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 hab 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.”

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 s 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?”

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

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

9 H e said, “How have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill 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 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.

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

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

12 I t 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.

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 asn’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?

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 N ow you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here”.’ He will kill me.”

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

15 E lijah said, “As Yahweh of Armies lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.”

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

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

18 H e 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.

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 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.”

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 to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together to 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 E lijah 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 Y ou 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.”

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 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.”

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 T hey 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.

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 t 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.”

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 T hey cried aloud, and cut themselves in their way with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on 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 W hen midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the evening offering; but there was no voice, no answer, and nobody paid attention.

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 E lijah 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.

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 E lijah 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.”

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 W ith 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.

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 H e 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.”

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 H e 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.

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

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

36 A t 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.

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, Yahweh, hear me, that this people may know that you, Yahweh, are God, and that you have 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 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.

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 W hen all the people saw it, they fell on their faces. They said, “Yahweh, he is God! Yahweh, he is 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 E lijah 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.

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 E lijah said to Ahab, “Get 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 much rain.”

42 S o 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.

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 H e 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.

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 O n 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.’”

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 I n a little while, the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. 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 Y ahweh’s hand was on Elijah; and he tucked his cloak into his belt 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.