1 Kings 18:22-44

22Then Elijah said to the people, “I 1alone am left as a prophet of the Lord, while Baal’s prophets are 2450 men. 23Now have them give us two oxen; and have them choose the one ox for themselves and cut it up, and place it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other ox and lay it on the wood, and I will not put a fire under it. 24Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and 3the God who answers by fire, He is God.” And all the people replied, “4That is a good idea.”

25So Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose the one ox for yourselves and prepare it first, since there are many of you, and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under the ox.” 26Then they took the ox which 5was given them and they prepared it, and they called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was 6no voice and no one answered. And they 7limped about the altar which 8they had made. 27And at noon Elijah ridiculed them and said, “Call out with a loud voice, since he is a god; undoubtedly he is attending to business, or is on the way, or is on a journey. Perhaps he is asleep, and will awaken.” 28So they cried out with a loud voice, and 9cut themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until blood gushed out on them. 29When midday was past, they raved 10until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice; but there was no voice, no one answered, and 11no one paid attention.

30Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come forward to me.” So all the people came forward to him. And 12he repaired the altar of the Lord which had been torn down. 31Then Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “13Israel shall be your name.” 32And with the stones he built an altar in 14the name of the Lord; and he made a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two 15measures of seed. 3316Then he laid out the wood, and he cut the ox in pieces and placed it on the wood. 34And he said, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” And he said, “Do it a second time,” so they did it a second time. Then he said, “Do it a third time,” so they did it a third time. 35The water flowed around the altar, and he also filled the trench with water. 36Then 17at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet approached and said, “18Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, today let it be known that 19You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant, and that 20I have done all these things at Your word. 37Answer me, Lord, answer me, so that this people may know that You, Lord, are God, and that You have turned their heart back.” 38Then the 21fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood, and the stones and the dust; and it licked up the water that was in the trench. 39When all the people saw this, they fell on their faces; and they said, “22The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God!” 40Then Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.” So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to 23the brook Kishon, 24and slaughtered them there.

41Now Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower.” 42So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of 25Carmel; and he 26bent down to the earth and put his face between his knees. 43And he said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, but he said, “There is nothing.” Yet Elijah said, “Go back” seven times. 44And when he returned the seventh time, he said, “Behold, 27a cloud as small as a person’s hand is coming up from the sea.” And Elijah said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Harness your chariot horses and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.’”