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18 And it came to pass after yamim rabbim, that the Devar Hashem came to Eliyahu in the shanah hashlishit, saying, Go, show thyself unto Ach’av; and I will send matar upon the face of ha’adamah.

And Eliyahu went to show himself unto Ach’av. And there was a ra’av chazak (strong famine) in Shomron.

And Ach’av summoned Ovadyah, who was in charge of the Bayit (Palace)—now Ovadyah feared Hashem me’od (greatly);

For it was so, when Izevel cut off the Nevi’im of Hashem, that Ovadyah took a hundred Nevi’im, and hid them by fifty in a me’arah (cave), and fed them with lechem and mayim—

And Ach’av said unto Ovadyah, Go into HaAretz unto all springs of mayim, and unto all brooks; perhaps we may find khatzir (grass) to save the sus (horse) and pered (mules) alive, that we not be dispossessed of all the behemah.

So they divided ha’aretz between them to pass throughout it; Ach’av went derech echad by himself, and Ovadyah went derech echad by himself.

And as Ovadyah was baderech (on the way, road), hinei, Eliyahu met him; and he recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, Is it you, adoni Eliyahu?

And he answered him, I am; go, tell adoneicha, Hinei, Eliyahu!

And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy eved into the yad Ach’av to slay me?

10 As Hashem Eloheicha liveth, there is no goy (nation) or mamlachah (kingdom), to where adoni hath not sent to seek thee there: and when they said, He is not there, he had the mamlachah and goy swear, that they found thee not.

11 And now thou sayest, Go, tell adoneicha, Hinei, Eliyahu!

12 And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Ruach [Hakodesh] of Hashem shall carry thee to where I know not; and so when I come and tell Ach’av, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me; but I thy eved fear Hashem from my youth.

13 Was it not told to adoni what I did when Izevel slaughtered the Nevi’im of Hashem, how I hid a hundred ish of Hashem’s Nevi’im by fifty in a me’arah, and fed them with lechem and mayim?

14 And now thou sayest, Go, tell adoneicha, Hinei, Eliyahu! And he shall slay me.

15 And Eliyahu said, As Hashem Tzva’os liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him today.

16 So Ovadyah went to meet Ach’av, and told him; and Ach’av went to meet Eliyahu.

17 And it came to pass, when Ach’av saw Eliyahu, that Ach’av said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Yisroel?

18 And he answered, I have not troubled Yisroel; but thou, and the Bais Avicha, in that ye have forsaken the Mitzvot Hashem, and thou hast followed after the Ba’alim.

19 Now therefore summon, and gather to me kol Yisroel unto Har HaCarmel and the nevi’im of Ba’al four hundred and fifty, and the nevi’im haAsherah four hundred, which eat at shulchan Izevel.

20 So Ach’av sent unto kol Bnei Yisroel, and gathered the Nevi’im together unto Har HaCarmel.

21 And Eliyahu came unto kol haAm, and said, Ad Mosai (how long) ye be polekhim (limping ones, dancing ones) between two se’ipim (opinions)? If Hashem be HaElohim, follow after him; but if HaBa’al, then follow after him. And HaAm answered him not a word.

22 Then said Eliyahu unto HaAm, I, even I only, am left a navi of Hashem; but Ba’al’s nevi’im are four hundred and fifty ish.

23 Let them therefore give us two parim (bulls); and let them choose one bull for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no eish under it; and I will dress the other bull, and lay it on wood, and put no eish under it;

24 And call ye on the shem eloheichem, and I will call on the Shem of Hashem; and haelohim that answereth by eish, let him be HaElohim. And kol haAm answered and said, Tov hadavar!

25 And Eliyahu said unto the nevi’im of Ba’al, Choose you one bull for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are rabbim (many); and call on the shem eloheichem, but put no eish under it.

26 And they took the bull which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the shem of Ba’al from boker even until tzohorayim (noon), saying, O Ba’al, answer us. But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they danced [same word used in verse 21] around the mizbe’ach which had been made.

27 And it came to pass at tzohorayim, that Eliyahu mocked them, taunting, saying, Shout with a kol gadol (loud voice); for he is a g-d; either he is meditating, or he is pursuing [something], or ki derech lo (perhaps he had to travel, he’s relieving himself), or perhaps he sleepeth and must be awakened.

28 And they shouted with a kol gadol, and cut themselves after their mishpat (custom) with charavot (swords) and lances, till the dahm gushed out upon them.

29 And it came to pass, when tzohorayim was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the minchah (evening sacrifice), that there was neither kol (voice), nor any oneh (responder) nor any attender.

30 And Eliyahu said unto kol HaAm, Come near unto me. And kol HaAm came near unto him. And he repaired the Mizbe’ach Hashem that was in ruins.

31 And Eliyahu took twelve avanim (stones), according to the mispar (number) of the Shivtei Bnei Ya’akov, unto whom the Devar Hashem came, saying, Yisroel shall be Shemecha;

32 And with the avanim (stones) he built a Mizbe’ach in the Shem of Hashem; and he made a te’alah (trench) around the Mizbe’ach, as the space of two seahs of zera (seed).

33 And he laid the wood in order, and cut up the bull, and laid it on the wood, and said, Fill four jugs with mayim, and pour it on the olah and on the wood.

34 And Eliyahu 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 mayim ran around about the Mizbe’ach; and even filled the te’alah (trench) also with mayim.

36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the minchah (evening sacrifice), that Eliyahu HaNavi came near, and said, Hashem Elohei Avraham, Yitzchak and of Yisroel, let it be known this day that Thou art Elohim in Yisroel, and that I am Thy Eved, and that I have done all these things at Thy Davar.

37 Answer me, Hashem, answer me, that HaAm Hazeh may know that Thou art Hashem HaElohim, and that Thou hast turned back their lev.

38 Then the Eish of Hashem fell, and consumed the olah and the wood, and the avanim, and the aphar, and licked up the mayim that was in the te’alah (trench).

39 And when kol HaAm saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, Hashem hu HaElohim; Hashem hu HaElohim.

40 And Eliyahu said unto them, Seize the nevi’im of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them; and Eliyahu brought them down to the Brook Kishon, and slaughtered them there.

41 And Eliyahu said unto Ach’av, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a kol hamon hageshem (sound of rushing rain, sound of rain coming).

42 So Ach’av went up to eat and to drink. But Eliyahu climbed up to Rosh HaCarmel (top of Carmel); and he cast himself down upon the ground, and put his face between his birkayim (knees),

43 And said to his eved, Go up now, look toward the yam. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again sheva pe’amim (seven times).

44 And it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, Hinei, there ariseth a little cloud out of the yam, as small as kaf ish (a man’s palm). And he said, Go, say unto Ach’av, Harness up [thy merkavah] and get thee down that the geshem stop thee not.

45 And it came to pass in the meanwhile, that the Shomayim grew black with clouds and ruach, and there was a geshem gadol. And Ach’av rode, and went to Yizre’el [Jezreel].

46 And the Yad Hashem was on Eliyahu; and he girded up his loins, and ran ahead of Ach’av to the entrance of Yizre’el.

Elijah and Obadiah

18 After a long time, in the third(A) year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go and present(B) yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain(C) on the land.” So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab.

Now the famine was severe(D) in Samaria, and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his palace administrator.(E) (Obadiah was a devout believer(F) in the Lord. While Jezebel(G) was killing off the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden(H) them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied(I) them with food and water.) Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs(J) and valleys. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive so we will not have to kill any of our animals.”(K) So they divided the land they were to cover, Ahab going in one direction and Obadiah in another.

As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized(L) him, bowed down to the ground, and said, “Is it really you, my lord Elijah?”

“Yes,” he replied. “Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.’”

“What have I done wrong,” asked Obadiah, “that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to be put to death? 10 As surely as the Lord your God lives, there is not a nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to look(M) for you. And whenever a nation or kingdom claimed you were not there, he made them swear they could not find you. 11 But now you tell me to go to my master and say, ‘Elijah is here.’ 12 I don’t know where the Spirit(N) of the Lord may carry you when I leave you. If I go and tell Ahab and he doesn’t find you, he will kill me. Yet I your servant have worshiped the Lord since my youth. 13 Haven’t you heard, my lord, what I did while Jezebel was killing the prophets of the Lord? I hid a hundred of the Lord’s prophets in two caves, fifty in each, and supplied them with food and water. 14 And now you tell me to go to my master and say, ‘Elijah is here.’ He will kill me!”

15 Elijah said, “As the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, I will surely present(O) myself to Ahab today.”

Elijah on Mount Carmel

16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler(P) of Israel?”

18 “I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you(Q) and your father’s family have. You have abandoned(R) the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals. 19 Now summon(S) the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel.(T) And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”(U)

20 So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel.(V) 21 Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver(W) between two opinions? If the Lord(X) is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”

But the people said nothing.

22 Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left,(Y) but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.(Z) 23 Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. 24 Then you call(AA) on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord.(AB) The god who answers by fire(AC)—he is God.”

Then all the people said, “What you say is good.”

25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.” 26 So they took the bull given them and prepared it.

Then they called(AD) on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response;(AE) no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.

27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.”(AF) 28 So they shouted louder and slashed(AG) themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. 29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice.(AH) But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.(AI)

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar(AJ) of the Lord, which had been torn down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.”(AK) 32 With the stones he built an altar in the name(AL) of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs[a] of seed. 33 He arranged(AM) the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.”

34 “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again.

“Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35 The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.

36 At the time(AN) of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham,(AO) Isaac and Israel, let it be known(AP) today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command.(AQ) 37 Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know(AR) that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”

38 Then the fire(AS) of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.

39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate(AT) and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!”(AU)

40 Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!” They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley(AV) and slaughtered(AW) there.

41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” 42 So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees.(AX)

43 “Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked.

“There is nothing there,” he said.

Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”

44 The seventh time(AY) the servant reported, “A cloud(AZ) as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.”

So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”

45 Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain(BA) started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel.(BB) 46 The power(BC) of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt,(BD) he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 18:32 That is, probably about 24 pounds or about 11 kilograms

18 And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.

And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.

And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly:

For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.

So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah?

And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

10 As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.

11 And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

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

13 Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the Lord, how I hid an hundred men of the Lord's prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

14 And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me.

15 And Elijah said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day.

16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?

18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.

19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table.

20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but 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 ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, 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 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 mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

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 said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.

31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:

32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord: 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 the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

38 Then the fire of the Lord 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, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.

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

41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.

42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah 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 Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down that the rain stop thee 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 Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.

46 And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.