1 Kings 18:1-19

1Now it happened 1after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, “Go, present yourself to Ahab, and 2I will provide rain on the face of the earth.” 2So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria. 3Ahab summoned Obadiah, 3who was in charge of the household. (Now Obadiah 45feared the Lord greatly; 4for 6when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and 7provided them with bread and water.) 5Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the river valleys; perhaps we will find grass and keep the horses and mules alive, and not have to kill some of the cattle.” 6So they divided the land between them to 8survey it; Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

7Now as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him, 9and he recognized him and fell on his face and said, “Is it you, Elijah my master?” 8And he said to him, “It is I. Go, say to your master, ‘Behold, Elijah is here.’” 9But he said, “What 10sin have I committed, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab, to put me to death? 1011As surely as the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom to which my master has not sent word to search for you; and whenever they say, ‘He is not here,’ he makes the kingdom or nation swear that they could not find you. 11Yet now you are saying, ‘Go, say to your master, “Behold, Elijah is here!”’ 12And it will come about when I leave you 12that the Spirit of the Lord will carry you to where I do not know; so when I come and inform Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me, though I, your servant, have 13feared the Lord from my youth. 1314Has it not been reported to my master what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, that I hid a hundred 15prophets of the Lord by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water? 14Yet now you are saying, ‘Go, say to your master, “Behold, Elijah is here”’; he will then kill me!” 15Then Elijah said, “16As surely as the Lord of armies lives, before whom I stand, I will certainly present myself to him today.” 16So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and informed him; then Ahab went to meet Elijah.

17When Ahab saw Elijah, 17Ahab said to him, “Is this you, the cause of disaster to Israel?” 18He said, “I have not brought disaster to Israel, but you and your father’s house have, because 18you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and 19you have followed the Baals. 19Now then, send orders and gather to me all Israel at 20Mount Carmel, 21together with 450 prophets of Baal and four hundred prophets of 2223the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”