1 Kings 18

Revised Geneva Translation

18 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 And Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. and a great famine was in Samaria.

³ And Ahab called Obadiah, the governor of his House. And Obadiah feared God greatly.

⁴ For when Jezebel destroyed the Prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took a hundred Prophets and hid them in a cave, by fifties. And he fed them with bread and water.

⁵ And Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go into the land, to all the fountains of water, and to all the rivers, if so be that we may find grass to save the horses and the mules alive, lest we deprive the land of the beasts.”

⁶ And so, they divided the land between them, to walk through it. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

⁷ And as Obadiah was on the road, behold, Elijah met him. And he knew him and fell on his face, and said, “Are not you my lord, Elijah?”

⁸ And he answered him, “Yes. Go tell your lord, ‘Behold, Elijah.’”

⁹ And he said, “What have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?

¹⁰ “As the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent to seek you. And when they said, ‘He is not here,’ he took an oath of the kingdom or nation that they had not found you.

¹¹ “And now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah.”’

¹² “And when I have gone from you, the Spirit of the LORD shall carry you into some place that I do not know. So, when I come and tell Ahab, if he cannot find you, then he will kill me! But I, your servant, fear the LORD from my youth.

¹³ “Was it not told to my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the Prophets of the LORD? How I hid a hundred men of the LORD’s Prophets by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water?

¹⁴ “And now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah,”’ so that he may kill me.’

¹⁵ And Elijah said, “As the LORD of Hosts lives, before Whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him this day.”

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

¹⁷ And when Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Are you he who troubles Israel?”

¹⁸ And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but rather you and your father’s House, in that you have forsaken the Commandments of the LORD, and you have followed Baal.

¹⁹ “Now, therefore, send and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and the four hundred fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of the groves who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

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

²¹ And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is, then go after him.” And the people did not answer him a word.

²² Then Elijah said to the people, “I only remain as a Prophet of the LORD! But Baal’s prophets are four hundred fifty men!

²³ “Let them, therefore, give us two bulls! And let them choose one, and cut him in pieces, and lay him on the wood! But put no fire! And I will prepare the other bull, and lay him on the wood, and will put no fire!

²⁴ “Then you call on the name of your god! And I will call on the Name of the LORD! And then the God Who answers by fire, let him be God!” And all the people answered, and said, “It is well spoken!”

²⁵ And Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose a bull for yourselves, and prepare him first (for you are many) and call on the name of your gods. But put no fire.”

²⁶ So, they took the one bull that was given to them. And they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning to noon, saying, “O Baal! Hear us!” But there was no voice, nor anyone to answer. And they leapt upon the altar that was made.

²⁷ And at noon, Elijah mocked them, and said, “Cry aloud. For he is a god. Either he talks or pursues or is on a journey. Or it may be that he sleeps, and must be awakened?”

²⁸ And they cried loudly and cut themselves (as their manner was) with knives and lancers, until the blood gushed out upon them.

²⁹ And when midday had passed, and they had prophesied until the offering of the sacrifice, there was neither voice nor one to answer nor any who paid attention.

³⁰ And Elijah said to all the people, “Come to me!” And all the people came to him. And he repaired the Altar of the LORD that had broken down.

³¹ And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob (to whom the Word of the LORD came, saying, “Israel shall be your name”).

³² And with the stones he built an Altar in the Name of the LORD. And he made a ditch all around the Altar, as great as could contain two seahs of seed.

³³ And he put the wood in order, and cut the bull in pieces, and laid him on the wood,

³⁴ and said, “Fill four barrels with water and pour it upon the Burnt Offering and on the wood.” Again, he said, “Do so again.” And they did so a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time.

³⁵ And the water ran all around the Altar. And he filled the ditch with water also.

³⁶ And when they were to offer the sacrifice, Elijah the Prophet came and said, “LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel! Let it be known this day, that You are the God of Israel, and that I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your Commandment!

³⁷ “Hear me, O LORD, hear me! And let this people know that You are the LORD God! And that You have turned their hearts back again!”

³⁸ Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the Burnt Offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the ditch.

³⁹ And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces, and said, “The LORD is God! The LORD is God!”

⁴⁰ And Elijah said to them, “Take the prophets of Baal! Do not let a man of them escape!” And they took them. And Elijah brought them to the brook Kishon and killed them there.

⁴¹ And Elijah said to Ahab, “Get up. Eat and drink. For there is a sound of much rain.”

⁴² So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel. And he crouched to the earth, and put his face between his knees,

⁴³ and said to his servant, “Go up, now, and look toward the way of the sea.” And he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” Again, he said, “Go back seven times.”

⁴⁴ And on the seventh time, he said, “Behold, there arises a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand.” Then he said, “Up! And say to Ahab, ‘Make ready. And get yourself down, so that the rain does not stop you.’”

⁴⁵ And in the meantime, the sky was black with clouds and wind. And there was a heavy rain. Then Ahab went up and came to Jezreel.

⁴⁶ And the Hand of the LORD was on Elijah. And he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab until he came to Jezreel.