1 Kings 18

1 And it came to pass after many days, that the word of יהוה came to Elijah (Eliyahu) in the third year, saying, “Go, shew yourself unto Achav; and I will send rain upon the earth.”

2 And Elijah (Eliyahu) went to shew himself unto Achav. And there was a sore famine in Samaria (Shomeron).

3 And Achav called N58Ovadyah, who was the governor of his house. (Now Ovadyah feared יהוה greatly;

4 For it was so, when Jezebel (Iyzevel) cut off the prophets of יהוה, that Ovadyah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

5 And Achav said unto Ovadyah, “Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks; perhaps we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.”

6 So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it; Achav went one way by himself, and Ovadyah went another way by himself.

7 And as Ovadyah was on the way, behold, Elijah (Eliyahu) met him; and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, “Are you that my lord (adoni) Elijah (Eliyahu)?”

8 And he answered him, “I am; go, tell your lord (adon), ‘Behold, Elijah (Eliyahu) is here.’”

9 And he said, “What have I sinned, that you wouldest deliver your servant into the hand of Achav, to slay me?

10 As יהוה your God (Elohim) liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord (adoni) hath not sent to seek you; and when they said, ‘He is not there;’ he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found you not.

11 And now you sayest, ‘Go, tell your lord (adon), “Behold, Elijah (Eliyahu) is here”’!

12 And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of יהוה shall carry you whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Achav, and he cannot find you, he shall slay me; but I your servant fear יהוה from my youth.

13 Was it not told my lord (adoni) what I did when Jezebel (Iyzevel) slew the prophets of יהוה, how I hid a hundred men of יהוה’s prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

14 And now you sayest, ‘Go, tell your lord (adon), “Behold, Elijah (Eliyahu) is here!”’ and he shall slay me.”

15 And Elijah (Eliyahu) said, “As יהוה of hosts (YHWH Tsevaot) liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him today.”

16 So Ovadyah went to meet Achav, and told him; and Achav went to meet Elijah (Eliyahu).

17 And it came to pass, when Achav saw Elijah (Eliyahu), that Achav said unto him, “Are you he that troubleth Yisrael?”

18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Yisrael; but you, and your father’s house, in that you have forsaken the commandments of יהוה, and you have followed the Baals (Baalim).

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

20 So Achav sent unto all the children of Yisrael, and gathered the prophets together unto Mount Carmel.

21 And Elijah (Eliyahu) came unto all the people, and said, “How long halt you between two opinions? If יהוה is God (Elohim), follow Him; but if the Baal, then follow him.” And the people answered him not a word.

22 Then said Elijah (Eliyahu) unto the people, “I, even I only, remain a prophet of יהוה; but the Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

23 Let 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;

24 And call you on the name of your god (elohim) and I will call on the name of יהוה; and the God (Elohim) that answereth by fire, He is the God (Elohim). And all the people answered and said, “It is well spoken.”

25 And Elijah (Eliyahu) said unto the prophets of the Baal, “Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for you are many; and call on the name of your god (elohim), but put no fire under.

26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of the 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.

27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah (Eliyahu) mocked them, and said, “Cry aloud, for he is God (Elohim); either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or perhaps he sleepeth, and must be awakened.”

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

29 And 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.

30 And Elijah (Eliyahu) said unto all the people, “Come near unto me.” And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of יהוה that was broken down.

31 And Elijah (Eliyahu) took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob (Yaaqov), unto whom the word of יהוה came, saying, “Yisrael shall be your name.”

32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of יהוה; and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.

33 And 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.”

34 And 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.

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

36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah (Eliyahu) the prophet came near, and said, “יהוה God of (Elohei) Avraham, Isaac (Yitschaq), and of Yisrael, let it be known this day that You are God (Elohim) in Yisrael, and that I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word.

37 Hear me, O יהוה, hear me, that this people may know that You are יהוה the God (Elohim), and that You have turned their heart back again.”

38 Then the fire of יהוה 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.

39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “יהוה, He is the God (Elohim)! יהוה, He is the God (Elohim)!”

40 And Elijah (Eliyahu) said unto them, “Take the prophets of the Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they took them; and Elijah (Eliyahu) brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

41 And Elijah (Eliyahu) said unto Achav, “Get you up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.”

42 So Achav went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah (Eliyahu) went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,

43 And 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.”

44 And 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 Achav, ‘Prepare your chariot, and get you down, that the rain stops you not.’”

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

46 And the hand of יהוה was on Elijah (Eliyahu); and he girded up his loins, and ran before Achav to the entrance of Yizreel.