Chapter 18

And it came to pass [after] many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying,² Go,³ shew¹⁰ thyself unto Ahab; and I will send⁴ rain upon the earth.

And Elijah went⁴ to shew⁹ himself unto Ahab. And [there was] a sore famine in Samaria.

And Ahab called⁴ Obadiah, which [was] the governor of [his] house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:

For it was [so], when Jezebel cut off⁵³ the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took⁴ an hundred prophets, and hid⁵⁵ them by fifty ²⁵⁷² in a cave, and fed⁴³ them with bread and water.)

And Ahab said⁴ unto Obadiah, Go³ into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find⁴ grass to save the horses and mules alive,¹⁷ that we lose⁵⁵ not all the beasts.

So they divided¹⁷ the land between them to pass² throughout it: Ahab went¹ one way by himself, and Obadiah went¹ another way by himself.

And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met² him: and he knew⁵⁵ him, and fell⁴ on his face, and said,⁴ [Art] thou that my lord Elijah?

And he answered⁴ him, I [am]: go,³ tell³ thy lord, Behold, Elijah [is here].

And he said,⁴ What have I sinned,¹ that thou wouldest deliver⁶ thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay⁵³ me?

[As] the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent¹ to seek¹⁵ thee: and when they said,¹ [He is] not [there]; he took an oath⁵² of the kingdom and nation, that they found⁴ thee not.

And now thou sayest,⁶ Go,³ tell³ thy lord, Behold, Elijah [is here].

And it shall come to pass, [as soon as] I am gone⁴ from thee, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry⁴ thee whither I know⁴ not; and [so] when I come¹ and tell⁵³ Ahab, and he cannot find⁴ thee, he shall slay¹ me: but I thy servant fear¹ the LORD from my youth.

Was it not told⁹⁰ my lord what I did¹ when Jezebel slew² the prophets of the LORD, how I hid⁵⁵ an hundred men of the LORD'S prophets by fifty ^{2572 376} in a cave, and fed⁴⁶ them with bread and water?

And now thou sayest,⁶ Go,³ tell³ thy lord, Behold, Elijah [is here]: and he shall slay¹ me.

And Elijah said,⁴ [As] the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand,¹ I will surely shew¹¹ myself unto him to day.

So Obadiah went⁴ to meet² Ahab, and told⁵⁵ him: and Ahab went⁴ to meet² Elijah.

And it came to pass, when Ahab saw² Elijah, that Ahab said⁴ unto him, [Art] thou he that troubleth⁶ Israel?

And he answered,⁴ I have not troubled¹ Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken² the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed^{4 310} Baalim.

Now therefore send,³ [and] gather³ 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 eat⁶ at Jezebel's table.

So Ahab sent⁴ unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together⁴ unto mount Carmel.

And Elijah came⁴ unto all the people, and said,⁴ How long halt⁶ ye between two opinions? if the LORD [be] God, follow^{3 310} him: but if Baal, [then] follow^{3 310} him. And the people answered¹ him not a word.

Then said⁴ Elijah unto the people, I, [even] I only, remain⁸ a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets [are] four hundred and fifty men.

Let them therefore give⁴ us two bullocks; and let them choose⁴ one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces,¹⁷ and lay⁴ [it] on wood, and put⁴ no fire [under]: and I will dress⁴ the other bullock, and lay¹ [it] on wood, and put⁴ no fire [under]:

And call¹ ye on the name of your gods, and I will call⁴ on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth⁴ by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered⁴ and said,⁴ It is well spoken.

And Elijah said⁴ unto the prophets of Baal, Choose³ you one bullock for yourselves, and dress³ [it] first; for ye [are] many; and call³ on the name of your gods, but put⁴ no fire [under].

And they took⁴ the bullock which was given¹ them, and they dressed⁴ [it], and called⁴ on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying,² O Baal, hear³ us. But [there was] no voice, nor any that answered.⁶ And they leaped¹⁷ upon the altar which was made.¹

And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked¹⁷ them, and said,⁴ Cry³ aloud: ⁶⁹⁶³ 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.⁴

And they cried⁴ aloud, ¹⁴¹⁹ and cut¹⁰⁸ themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out² upon them.

And it came to pass, when midday was past,² and they prophesied¹⁰¹ until the [time] of the offering² of the [evening] sacrifice, that [there was] neither voice, nor any to answer,⁶ nor any that regarded.

And Elijah said⁴ unto all the people, Come near³ unto me. And all the people came near⁴ unto him. And he repaired¹⁷ the altar of the LORD [that was] broken down.⁷

And Elijah took⁴ twelve ⁶²⁴⁰ stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying,² Israel shall be thy name:

And with the stones he built⁴ an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made⁴ a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.

And he put the wood in order,⁴ and cut the bullock in pieces,¹⁷ and laid⁴ [him] on the wood, and said,⁴ Fill³ four barrels with water, and pour³ [it] on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

And he said,⁴ Do [it] the second time.³ And they did [it] the second time.⁴ And he said,⁴ Do [it] the third time.¹⁶ And they did [it] the third time.¹⁷

And the water ran⁴ round about the altar; and he filled¹⁴ the trench also with water.

And it came to pass at [the time of] the offering² of the [evening] sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near,⁴ and said,⁴ LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known¹¹ this day that thou [art] God in Israel, and [that] I [am] thy servant, and [that] I have done¹ all these things at thy word.

Hear³ me, O LORD, hear³ me, that this people may know⁴ that thou [art] the LORD God, and [that] thou hast turned⁵² their heart back again.

Then the fire of the LORD fell,⁴ and consumed⁴ the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up¹⁴ the water that [was] in the trench.

And when all the people saw⁴ [it], they fell⁴ on their faces: and they said,⁴ The LORD, he [is] the God; the LORD, he [is] the God.

And Elijah said⁴ unto them, Take³ the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.¹¹ And they took⁴ them: and Elijah brought them down⁵⁵ to the brook Kishon, and slew⁴ them there.

And Elijah said⁴ unto Ahab, Get thee up,³ eat³ and drink;³ for [there is] a sound of abundance of rain.

So Ahab went up⁴ to eat² and to drink.² And Elijah went up¹ to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down⁴ upon the earth, and put⁴ his face between his knees,

And said⁴ to his servant, Go up³ now, look⁵⁴ toward the sea. And he went up,⁴ and looked,⁵⁵ and said,⁴ [There is] nothing. ³⁹⁷² And he said,⁴ Go again³ seven times.

And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said,⁴ Behold, there ariseth⁶ a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said,⁴ Go up,³ say³ unto Ahab, Prepare³ [thy chariot], and get thee down,³ that the rain stop⁴ thee not.

And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black⁹⁸ with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode,⁴ and went⁴ to Jezreel.

And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up¹⁷ his loins, and ran⁴ before Ahab to the entrance² of Jezreel.