After a long time , in the third year (of the drought) , the word of the LORD came to Elijah - : “ Go and present yourself to Ahab , and I will send rain upon the face of the earth. ”
So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria ,
and Ahab ... summoned Obadiah - , who was in charge of the palace. ( Now Obadiah - greatly vvv feared - the LORD ,
for when Jezebel - had slaughtered the prophets of the LORD , Obadiah - had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them , fifty men per cave , providing them with food and water. )
Then Ahab said to Obadiah - , “ Go throughout the land to every spring - and every valley. Perhaps we will find grass to keep the horses and mules alive so that we will not have to destroy any livestock. ”
So they divided - the land to explore Ahab went one way by himself , and Obadiah - went the other way by himself.
Now as Obadiah - went on (his) way , Elijah suddenly met him. When Obadiah - recognized him , he fell vvv facedown and said , “ Is it you , my lord Elijah ? ”
“ (It is) I , ” he answered “ Go tell your master , ‘ Elijah is here ! ’”
But Obadiah - replied , “ How have I sinned , that you are handing your servant over to - - Ahab to put me to death ?
As surely as the LORD your God lives , there is no nation or kingdom where my lord ... has not sent someone to search for you. When they said , ‘ (He is) not (here) , ’ he made that kingdom - or nation ... swear that they had not found you.
And now you say , ‘ Go tell your master (that) Elijah is here ! ’
- I do not know where - the Spirit of the LORD may carry you off when I leave you. Then when I go (and) tell Ahab and he does not find you , he will kill me. But I, your servant , have feared - the LORD from my youth.
Was it not reported to my lord - what I did when Jezebel - slaughtered the prophets of the LORD ? I hid a hundred prophets of the LORD , fifty ... ... men per cave , and I provided them with food and water.
And now you say , ‘ Go tell your lord that Elijah is here ! ’ He will kill me ! ”
Then Elijah said , “ As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives , before ... whom I stand , I will present myself to Ahab today. ”
So Obadiah - went to inform Ahab , (who) went to meet Elijah.
- When Ahab - saw Elijah , (he) said to him , “ Is that you , O troubler of Israel ? ”
“ I have not troubled - Israel , ” (Elijah) replied , “ but ... you and your father’s house (have) , for you have forsaken - the commandments of the LORD and have followed ... the Baals.
Now summon all Israel to meet me - on Mount Carmel , along with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table. ”
So Ahab summoned all the Israelites ... and assembled - the prophets on Mount Carmel.
Then Elijah ... approached all the people and said , “ How long ... will you waver between two opinions ? If the LORD is God , follow Him. But if Baal (is God) , follow him. ” But the people - did not answer a word.
Then Elijah said to the people , “ I am the only remaining prophet of the LORD , but Baal (has) four hundred and fifty prophets ....
Get two bulls Let (the prophets of Baal) choose one bull cut it into pieces , and place it on the wood but not light the fire. And I will prepare - the other bull and place it on the wood but not light the fire.
Then you may 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. ” And all the people answered ... , “ What you say is good. ”
Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal , “ Since you are so numerous , choose one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god , but do not light the fire. ”
And they took - the bull that was given prepared (it) , and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon , shouting , “ O Baal , answer us ! ” But there was no sound , and no one answered as they leaped around the altar - they had made.
- At noon Elijah began to taunt saying , “ Shout ... louder , for he is ... a god ! Perhaps he is deep in thought ... , or occupied - or on a journey Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened ! ”
So they shouted louder ... ... and cut themselves with knives and lances , as (was) their custom , until the blood gushed over them.
Midday passed ... , and they kept on raving until the (time) of the (evening) sacrifice. But (there was) no response ; no one answered , no one paid attention.
Then Elijah said to all the people , “ Come near to me. ” So all the people ... approached him , and he repaired - the altar of the LORD that had been torn down.
And Elijah took twelve ... stones , one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob , to whom the word of the LORD had come (and) said , “ Israel shall be your name. ”
And with the stones , (Elijah) built - an altar in the name of the LORD. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.
Next, he arranged - the wood , cut up - the bull , placed it on the wood ,
and said , “ Fill four vvv waterpots and pour (the water) on the offering and on the wood. ” “ Do (it) a second time , ” he said , and they did it a second time. “ Do (it) a third time , ” he said , and they did it a third time.
So the water ran down around the altar and even - filled the trench -.
- At the time of the evening sacrifice , Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said , “ O LORD , God of Abraham , Isaac , and Israel , let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and that I (am) Your servant and have done - all these things at Your command.
Answer me , O LORD ! Answer me , so that this people will know that You , the LORD , are God , and that You have turned - their hearts back again. ”
Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed - the sacrifice , - the wood , - the stones , - and the dust , - and it licked up the water - in the trench.
When all the people saw this , they fell facedown ... and said , “ The LORD , He is God ! The LORD , He is God ! ”
Then Elijah ordered “ Seize - the prophets of Baal ! Do not let a single one escape. ” So they seized them , and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered them there.
And Elijah said to Ahab , “ Go up , eat and drink , for there is the sound of a heavy rain. ”
So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the summit of Carmel , bent down on the ground , and put his face between his knees.
“ Go ... and look toward the sea , ” he said to his servant. So (the servant) went and looked , and he said , “ (There is) nothing there .... ” Seven times Elijah said , “ Go back. ”
- On the seventh time (the servant) reported , “ There is a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising from the sea. ” And Elijah replied , “ Go and tell ... Ahab , ‘ Prepare (your chariot) and go down before the rain ... stops you. ’”
Meanwhile ... ... ... ... , the sky grew dark with clouds and wind , and a heavy rain began to fall. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel.
And the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah , and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to ... Jezreel.