1 Kings 18

Elijah’s Message to Ahab

1AfterH1961 a longH7227 timeH3117, in the thirdH7992 yearH8141 of the drought,1 the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 toH413 ElijahH452: “GoH1980 and presentH7200 yourself toH413 AhabH256, and I will sendH5414 rainH4306 uponH5921 the faceH6440 of the earthH127.”

2So ElijahH452 wentH1980 to present himselfH7200 toH413 AhabH256. The famineH7458 was severeH2389 in SamariaH8111, 3and AhabH256H413 summonedH7121 ObadiahH5662, whoH834 was in charge ofH5921 the palaceH1004.

(Now ObadiahH5662 greatlyH3966 fearedH1961H3373 the LORDH3068, 4for whenH1961 JezebelH348 had slaughteredH3772 the prophetsH5030 of the LORDH3068, ObadiahH5662 had takenH3947 a hundredH3967 prophetsH5030 and hidden themH2244, fiftyH2572 menH376 per caveH4631, providing themH3557 with foodH3899 and waterH4325.)

5Then AhabH256 saidH559 toH413 ObadiahH5662, “GoH1980 throughout the landH776 toH413 everyH3605 springH4599 andH413 everyH3605 valleyH5158. PerhapsH194 we will findH4672 grassH2682 to keep the horsesH5483 and mulesH6505 aliveH2421 so that we will notH3808 have to destroyH3772 any livestockH929.”

6So they dividedH2505 the landH776 to exploreH5674. AhabH256 wentH1980 oneH259 wayH1870 by himselfH905, and ObadiahH5662 wentH1980 the otherH259 wayH1870 by himselfH905.

7Now as ObadiahH5662 wentH1961 on his wayH1870, ElijahH452 suddenlyH2009 met himH7122. When Obadiah recognized himH5234, he fellH5307 facedownH5921H6440 and saidH559, “Is itH2088 youH859, my lordH113 ElijahH452?”

8“It is IH589,” he answeredH559. “GoH1980 tellH559 your masterH113, ‘ElijahH452 is hereH2009!’”

9But Obadiah repliedH559, “HowH4100 have I sinnedH2398, thatH3588 youH859 are handing your servantH5650 over toH5414 AhabH256 to put me to deathH4191? 10As surely as the LORDH3068 your GodH430 livesH2416, there isH3426 noH518 nationH1471 or kingdomH4467 whereH834 my lordH113H8033 has notH3808 sentH7971 someone to search for youH1245. When they saidH559, ‘He is notH369 here,’ he made that kingdomH4467 or nationH1471H3588 swearH7650 thatH853 they had notH3808 found youH4672. 11And nowH6258 youH859 sayH559, ‘GoH1980 tellH559 your masterH113 that ElijahH452 is hereH2009!’

12

I do notH3808 knowH3045 whereH5921 the SpiritH7307 of the LORDH3068 may carry you offH5375 when IH589 leaveH1980 youH854. Then when I goH935 and tellH5046 AhabH256 and he does notH3808 find youH4672, he will kill meH2026. But I, your servantH5650, have fearedH3373 the LORDH3068 from my youthH5271. 13Was it notH3808 reportedH5046 to my lordH113 whatH834 I didH6213 when JezebelH348 slaughteredH2026 the prophetsH5030 of the LORDH3068? I hidH2244 a hundredH3967 prophetsH5030 of the LORDH3068, fiftyH2572H376 menH376 per caveH4631, and I provided themH3557 with foodH3899 and waterH4325. 14And nowH6258 youH859 sayH559, ‘GoH1980 tellH559 your lordH113 that ElijahH452 is hereH2009!’ He will kill meH2026!”

15Then ElijahH452 saidH559, “As surely as the LORDH3068 of HostsH6635 livesH2416, beforeH6440H3588 whomH834 I standH5975, I will present myselfH7200 to AhabH413 todayH3117.”

Elijah on Mount Carmel

16So ObadiahH5662 wentH1980 toH7122 informH5046 AhabH256, who wentH1980 to meetH7122 ElijahH452. 17When AhabH256 sawH7200 ElijahH452, he saidH559 to himH413, “Is thatH2088 youH859, O troublerH5916 of IsraelH3478?”

18“I have notH3808 troubledH5916 IsraelH3478,” Elijah repliedH559, “butH3588H518 youH859 and your father’sH1 houseH1004 have, for you have forsakenH5800 the commandmentsH4687 of the LORDH3068 and have followedH1980H310 the BaalsH1168. 19NowH6258 summonH7971 allH3605 IsraelH3478 to meetH6908 meH413 onH413 MountH2022 CarmelH3760, along withH853 the fourH702 hundredH3967 and fiftyH2572 prophetsH5030 of BaalH1168 and the fourH702 hundredH3967 prophetsH5030 of AsherahH842 who eatH398 at Jezebel’sH348 tableH7979.”

20So AhabH256 summonedH7971 allH3605 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 and assembledH6908 the prophetsH5030 onH413 MountH2022 CarmelH3760. 21Then ElijahH452H413 approachedH5066 allH3605 the peopleH5971 and saidH559, “How longH5704H4970 will youH859 waverH6452 betweenH5921 twoH8147 opinionsH5587? IfH518 the LORDH3068 is GodH430, followH1980 HimH310. But ifH518 BaalH1168 is God, followH1980 himH310.”

But the peopleH5971 did notH3808 answerH6030 a wordH1697.

22Then ElijahH452 saidH559 toH413 the peopleH5971, “IH589 am the onlyH905 remainingH3498 prophetH5030 of the LORDH3068, but BaalH1168 has fourH702 hundredH3967 and fiftyH2572 prophetsH5030H376. 23GetH5414 twoH8147 bullsH6499 for us. Let the prophets of Baal chooseH977 oneH259 bullH6499 for themselves, cut it into piecesH5408, and placeH7760 it onH5921 the woodH6086 but notH3808 lightH7760 the fireH784. And IH589 will prepareH6213 the otherH259 bullH6499 and placeH5414 it onH5921 the woodH6086 but notH3808 lightH7760 the fireH784. 24Then you may callH7121 on the nameH8034 of your godH430, and IH589 will callH7121 on the nameH8034 of the LORDH3068. The GodH430 whoH834 answersH6030 by fireH784, HeH1931 is GodH430.”

And allH3605 the peopleH5971 answeredH559H6030, “What you sayH1697 is goodH2896.”

25Then ElijahH452 saidH559 to the prophetsH5030 of BaalH1168, “SinceH3588 youH859 are so numerousH7227, chooseH977 for yourselves oneH259 bullH6499 and prepareH6213 it firstH7223. Then callH7121 on the nameH8034 of your godH430, but do notH3808 lightH7760 the fireH784.”

26And they tookH3947 the bullH6499 thatH834 was givenH5414 them, preparedH6213 it, and calledH7121 on the nameH8034 of BaalH1168 from morningH1242 untilH5704 noonH6672, shoutingH559, “O BaalH1168, answer usH6030!”

But there was noH369 soundH6963, and no oneH369 answeredH6030 as they leapedH6452 aroundH5921 the altarH4196 they had madeH6213.

27

At noonH6672 ElijahH452 began to tauntH2048 them, sayingH559, “ShoutH7121H6963 louderH1419, forH3588 he isH1931H3588 a godH430! Perhaps he is deep in thoughtH7879H3588, or occupiedH7873, or on a journeyH1870. PerhapsH194 he isH1931 sleepingH3463 and must be awakenedH3364!”

28So they shouted louderH7121H6963H1419 and cutH1413 themselves with knivesH2719 and lancesH7420, as was their customH4941, untilH5704 the bloodH1818 gushedH8210 over themH5921.

29

Midday passedH5674H6672, and they kept on ravingH5012 untilH5704 theH5927 time of the evening sacrificeH4503. But there was noH369 responseH6963; noH369 one answeredH6030, noH369 one paid attentionH7182.

30Then ElijahH452 saidH559 to allH3605 the peopleH5971, “Come nearH5066 to meH413.” So allH3605 the peopleH5971H413 approached himH5066, and he repairedH7495 the altarH4196 of the LORDH3068 that had been torn downH2040.

31And ElijahH452 tookH3947 twelveH8147H6240 stonesH68, one for eachH4557 tribeH7626 of the sonsH1121 of JacobH3290, toH413 whomH834 the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 had comeH1961 and saidH559, “IsraelH3478 shall beH1961 your nameH8034.” 32And with the stonesH68, Elijah builtH1129 an altarH4196 in the nameH8034 of the LORDH3068. Then he dugH6213 a trenchH8585 aroundH5439 the altarH4196 large enough to holdH1004 two seahsH5429 of seedH2233.2

33Next, he arrangedH6186 the woodH6086, cut upH5408 the bullH6499, placedH7760 it onH5921 the woodH6086, 34and saidH559, “FillH4390 fourH702 waterpotsH3537H4325 and pourH3332 the water onH5921 the offeringH5930 and onH5921 the woodH6086.”3

“Do it a second timeH8138,” he saidH559, and they did it a second timeH8138.

“Do it a third timeH8027,” he saidH559, and they did it a third timeH8027.

35So the waterH4325 ran downH1980 aroundH5439 the altarH4196 and evenH1571 filledH4390 the trenchH8585.

36

Elijah’s Prayer

At the time ofH5927 the evening sacrificeH4503, ElijahH452 the prophetH5030 approachedH5066 the altar and saidH559, “O LORDH3068, GodH430 of AbrahamH85, IsaacH3327, and IsraelH3478, let it be knownH3045 this dayH3117 thatH3588 YouH859 are GodH430 in IsraelH3478 and that IH589 am Your servantH5650 and have doneH6213 allH3605 theseH428 thingsH1697 at Your commandH1697. 37Answer meH6030, O LORDH3068! Answer meH6030, so that thisH2088 peopleH5971 will knowH3045 thatH3588 YouH859, the LORDH3068, are GodH430, and that YouH859 have turnedH5437 their heartsH3820 back againH322.”

38Then the fireH784 of the LORDH3068 fellH5307 and consumedH398 the sacrificeH5930, the woodH6086, the stonesH68, and the dustH6083, and it licked upH3897 the waterH4325 in the trenchH8585.

39When allH3605 the peopleH5971 saw thisH7200, they fellH5307 facedownH5921H6440 and saidH559, “The LORDH3068, HeH1931 is GodH430! The LORDH3068, HeH1931 is GodH430!”

40Then ElijahH452 orderedH559 them, “SeizeH8610 the prophetsH5030 of BaalH1168! Do notH408 let a single oneH376 escapeH4422.” So they seized themH8610, and ElijahH452 brought them downH3381 toH413 the KishonH7028 ValleyH5158 and slaughtered themH7819 thereH8033.

The LORD Sends Rain

41And ElijahH452 saidH559 to AhabH256, “Go upH5927, eatH398 and drinkH8354, forH3588 there is the soundH6963 of a heavyH1995 rainH1653.”

42So AhabH256 went upH5927 to eatH398 and drinkH8354. But ElijahH452 climbedH5927 toH413 the summitH7218 of CarmelH3760, bent downH1457 on the groundH776, and putH7760 his faceH6440 betweenH996 his kneesH1290. 43“GoH5927H4994 and lookH5027 towardH1870 the seaH3220,” he saidH559 toH413 his servantH5288.

So the servant wentH5927 and lookedH5027, and he saidH559, “There is nothing thereH369H3972.”

SevenH7651 timesH6471 Elijah saidH559, “Go backH7725.”

44

On the seventh timeH7637 the servant reportedH559, “There isH2009 a cloudH5645 as smallH6996 as a man’sH376 handH3709 risingH5927 from the seaH3220.”

And Elijah repliedH559, “GoH5927 and tellH559H413 AhabH256, ‘PrepareH631 your chariot and go downH3381 before the rainH1653H3808 stops youH6113.’”

45MeanwhileH1961H5704H3541, the skyH8064 grew darkH6937 with cloudsH5645 and windH7307, and a heavyH1419 rainH1653 began to fallH1961. So AhabH256 rode awayH7392 and wentH1980 to JezreelH3157.

46And the handH3027 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 uponH413 ElijahH452, and he tucked his cloakH8151 into his beltH49754 and ranH7323 ahead ofH6440 AhabH256 all the way toH5704H935 JezreelH3157.