1 Kings 18

Obadiah Meets Elijah

1Now it happenedH1961 1after manyH7227 daysH3117 that the wordH1697 of the LordH3068 cameH1961 to ElijahH452 in the thirdH7992 yearH8141, sayingH559, “GoH1980, presentH7200 yourself to AhabH256, and 2I will provideH5414 rainH4306 on the faceH6440 of the earthH127.” 2So ElijahH452 wentH1980 to presentH7200 himself to AhabH256. Now the famineH7458 was severeH2389 in SamariaH8111. 3AhabH256 summonedH7121 ObadiahH5662, 3whoH834 was inH5921 chargeH5921 ofH5921 the householdH1004. (Now ObadiahH5662 45fearedH3372 the LordH3068 greatlyH3966; 4for 6when JezebelH348 killedH3772 the prophetsH5030 of the LordH3068, ObadiahH5662 tookH3947 a hundredH3967 prophetsH5030 and hidH2244 them by fiftiesH2572 in a caveH4631, and 7providedH3557 them with breadH3899 and waterH4325.) 5Then AhabH256 saidH559 to ObadiahH5662, “GoH1980 through the landH776 to allH3605 the springsH4599 of waterH4325 and to allH3605 the riverH5158 valleysH5158; perhapsH194 we will findH4672 grassH2682 and keepH2421 the horsesH5483 and mulesH6505 aliveH2421, and not have to killH3772 someH4480 of the cattleH929.” 6So they dividedH2505 the landH776 between them to 8surveyH5674 it; AhabH256 wentH1980 oneH259 wayH1870 byH905 himselfH905, and ObadiahH5662 wentH1980 anotherH259 wayH1870 byH905 himselfH905.

7Now as ObadiahH5662 was on the wayH1870, beholdH2009, ElijahH452 metH7122 him, 9and he recognizedH5234 him and fellH5307 on his faceH6440 and saidH559, “Is it you, ElijahH452 my masterH113?” 8And he saidH559 to him, “It is I. GoH1980, sayH559 to your masterH113, ‘BeholdH2009, ElijahH452 is here.’” 9But he saidH559, “WhatH4100 10sinH2398 have I committedH2398, that you are handingH5414H3027 your servantH5650 over to AhabH256, to putH4191 me toH4191 deathH4191? 1011As surely as the LordH3068 your GodH430 livesH2416, thereH3426 isH3426 noH518 nationH1471 or kingdomH4467 to whichH834 my masterH113 has not sentH7971 word to searchH1245 for you; and whenever they sayH559, ‘He is not here,’ he makes the kingdomH4467 or nationH1471 swearH7650 that they could not findH4672 you. 11Yet nowH6258 you are sayingH559, ‘GoH1980, sayH559 to your masterH113, “BeholdH2009, ElijahH452 is here!”’ 12And it will comeH1961 aboutH1961 when I leaveH1980H4480 you 12that the SpiritH7307 of the LordH3068 will carryH5375 you to whereH5921H834 I do not knowH3045; so when I comeH935 and informH5046 AhabH256 and he cannotH3808 findH4672 you, he will killH2026 me, though I, your servantH5650, have 13fearedH3372 the LordH3068 from my youthH5271. 1314Has it not been reportedH5046 to my masterH113 whatH834 I didH6213 when JezebelH348 killedH2026 the prophetsH5030 of the LordH3068, that I hidH2244 a hundredH3967 15prophetsH5030 of the LordH3068 by fiftiesH2572 in a caveH4631, and providedH3557 them with breadH3899 and waterH4325? 14Yet nowH6258 you are sayingH559, ‘GoH1980, sayH559 to your masterH113, “BeholdH2009, ElijahH452 is here”’; he will then killH2026 me!” 15Then ElijahH452 saidH559, “16As surely as the LordH3068 of armiesH6635 livesH2416, beforeH6440 whomH834 I standH5975, I will certainlyH3588 presentH7200 myself to him todayH3117.” 16So ObadiahH5662 wentH1980 to meetH7122 AhabH256 and informedH5046 him; then AhabH256 wentH1980 to meetH7122 ElijahH452.

17When AhabH256 sawH7200 ElijahH452, 17AhabH256 saidH559 to him, “Is thisH2088 you, the causeH5916 ofH5916 disasterH5916 to IsraelH3478?” 18He saidH559, “I have not broughtH5916 disasterH5916 toH5916 IsraelH3478, but you and your father’sH1 houseH1004 have, because 18you have abandonedH5800 the commandmentsH4687 of the LordH3068 and 19you have followedH1980H310 the BaalsH1168. 19NowH6258 then, sendH7971 orders and gatherH6908 to me allH3605 IsraelH3478 at 20MountH2022 CarmelH3760, 21together with 450H702H3967H2572 prophetsH5030 of BaalH1168 and fourH702 hundredH3967 prophetsH5030 of 2223the AsherahH842, who eatH398 at Jezebel’sH348 tableH7979.”

God or Baal on Mount Carmel

20So AhabH256 sentH7971 orders among allH3605 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 and broughtH6908 the prophetsH5030 togetherH6908 at MountH2022 CarmelH3760. 21Then ElijahH452 approachedH5066 allH3605 the peopleH5971 and saidH559, “24HowH4970 longH5704H4970 are you going to 25struggleH6452 with the twoH8147 choicesH5589? 26IfH518 the LordH3068 is GodH430, followH1980H310 Him; but ifH518 BaalH1168, followH1980H310 him.” But the peopleH5971 did not answerH6030 him so much as a wordH1697. 22Then ElijahH452 saidH559 to the peopleH5971, “I 27aloneH905 am leftH3498 as a prophetH5030 of the LordH3068, while Baal’sH1168 prophetsH5030 are 28450H702H3967H2572 menH376. 23Now have them giveH5414 us twoH8147 oxenH6499; and have them chooseH977 the oneH259 oxH6499 for themselves and cutH5408 it upH5408, and placeH7760 it on the woodH6086, but putH7760 noH3808 fireH784 under it; and I will prepareH6213 the otherH259 oxH6499 and layH5414 it on the woodH6086, and I will not putH7760 a fireH784 under it. 24Then you callH7121 on the nameH8034 of your godH430, and I will callH7121 on the nameH8034 of the LordH3068; and 29the GodH430 whoH834 answersH6030 by fireH784, He is GodH430.” And allH3605 the peopleH5971 repliedH6030H559, “30That is a goodH2896 ideaH1697.”

25So ElijahH452 saidH559 to the prophetsH5030 of BaalH1168, “ChooseH977 the oneH259 oxH6499 for yourselves and prepareH6213 it firstH7223, sinceH3588 there are manyH7227 of you, and callH7121 on the nameH8034 of your godH430, but putH7760 noH3808 fireH784 under the ox.” 26Then they tookH3947 the oxH6499 whichH834 31was givenH5414 them and they preparedH6213 it, and they calledH7121 on the nameH8034 of BaalH1168 from morningH1242 untilH5704 noonH6672, sayingH559, “O BaalH1168, answerH6030 us!” But thereH369 wasH369 32noH369 voiceH6963 and noH369 oneH369 answeredH6030. And they 33limpedH6452 aboutH5921 the altarH4196 whichH834 34they had madeH6213. 27And at noonH6672 ElijahH452 ridiculedH2048 them and saidH559, “CallH7121 outH7121 with a loudH1419 voiceH6963, sinceH3588 he is a godH430; undoubtedlyH3588 he is attendingH7879 toH7879 businessH7879, or is on the wayH5509, or is on a journeyH1870. PerhapsH194 he is asleepH3463, and will awakenH3364.” 28So they criedH7121 outH7121 with a loudH1419 voiceH6963, and 35cutH1413 themselves according to their customH4941 with swordsH2719 and lancesH7420 untilH5704 bloodH1818 gushedH8210 outH8210 on them. 29When middayH6672 wasH5674 pastH5674, they ravedH5012 36untilH5704 the time of the offeringH5927 of the evening sacrificeH4503; but thereH369 wasH369 noH369 voiceH6963, noH369 oneH369 answeredH6030, and 37noH369 oneH369 paidH7182 attentionH7182.

30Then ElijahH452 saidH559 to allH3605 the peopleH5971, “ComeH5066 forwardH5066 to me.” So allH3605 the peopleH5971 cameH5066 forwardH5066 to him. And 38he repairedH7495 the altarH4196 of the LordH3068 which had been tornH2040 downH2040. 31Then ElijahH452 tookH3947 twelveH8147H6240 stonesH68, corresponding to the numberH4557 of the tribesH7626 of the sonsH1121 of JacobH3290, to whomH834 the wordH1697 of the LordH3068 had comeH1961, sayingH559, “39IsraelH3478 shall be your nameH8034.” 32And with the stonesH68 he builtH1129 an altarH4196 in 40the nameH8034 of the LordH3068; and he madeH6213 a trenchH8585 aroundH5439 the altarH4196, largeH1004 enoughH1004 to holdH1004 two 41measuresH5429 of seedH2233. 3342Then he laidH6186 outH6186 the woodH6086, and he cutH5408 the oxH6499 inH5408 piecesH5408 and placedH7760 it on the woodH6086. 34And he saidH559, “FillH4390 fourH702 largeH3537 jarsH3537 with waterH4325 and pourH3332 it on the burntH5930 offeringH5930 and on the woodH6086.” And he saidH559, “DoH8138 it aH8138 secondH8138 timeH8138,” so they didH8138 it aH8138 secondH8138 timeH8138. Then he saidH559, “DoH8027 it aH8027 thirdH8027 timeH8027,” so they didH8027 it aH8027 thirdH8027 timeH8027. 35The waterH4325 flowedH1980 aroundH5439 the altarH4196, and he alsoH1571 filledH4390 the trenchH8585 with waterH4325.

Elijah’s Prayer

36Then 43at the timeH3117 of the offeringH5927 of the evening sacrificeH4503, ElijahH452 the prophetH5030 approachedH5066 and saidH559, “44LordH3068, GodH430 of AbrahamH85, IsaacH3327, and IsraelH3478, todayH3117 let it be knownH3045 that 45You are GodH430 in IsraelH3478 and that I am Your servantH5650, and that 46I have doneH6213 allH3605 theseH428 thingsH1697 at Your wordH1697. 37AnswerH6030 me, LordH3068, answerH6030 me, so that thisH2088 peopleH5971 may knowH3045 that You, LordH3068, are GodH430, and that You have turnedH5437 their heartH3820 backH322.” 38Then the 47fireH784 of the LordH3068 fellH5307 and consumedH398 the burntH5930 offeringH5930 and the woodH6086, and the stonesH68 and the dustH6083; and it lickedH3897 upH3897 the waterH4325 that was in the trenchH8585. 39When allH3605 the peopleH5971 sawH7200 this, they fellH5307 on their facesH6440; and they saidH559, “48The LordH3068, He is GodH430; the LordH3068, He is GodH430!” 40Then ElijahH452 saidH559 to them, “SeizeH8610 the prophetsH5030 of BaalH1168; do not let oneH376 of them escapeH4422.” So they seizedH8610 them; and ElijahH452 broughtH3381 them downH3381 to 49the brookH5158 KishonH7028, 50and slaughteredH7819 them thereH8033.

41Now ElijahH452 saidH559 to AhabH256, “GoH5927 upH5927, eatH398 and drinkH8354; for there is the soundH6963 of the roarH1995 of a heavy showerH1653.” 42So AhabH256 wentH5927 upH5927 to eatH398 and drinkH8354. But ElijahH452 wentH5927 upH5927 to the topH7218 of 51CarmelH3760; and he 52bentH1457 downH1457 to the earthH776 and putH7760 his faceH6440 betweenH996 his kneesH1290. 43And he saidH559 to his servantH5288, “GoH5927 upH5927 nowH4994, lookH5027 towardH1870 the seaH3220.” So he wentH5927 upH5927 and lookedH5027, but he saidH559, “ThereH369 isH369 nothingH369H3972.” Yet Elijah saidH559, “GoH7725 backH7725” sevenH7651 timesH6471. 44And when he returned the seventhH7637 time, he saidH559, “BeholdH2009, 53a cloudH5645 as smallH6996 as a person’sH376 handH3709 is comingH5927 upH5927 from the seaH3220.” And Elijah saidH559, “GoH5927 upH5927, sayH559 to AhabH256, ‘HarnessH631 your chariot horses and goH3381 downH3381, so that the heavy showerH1653 does not stopH6113 you.’” 45MeanwhileH5704H3541 the skyH8064 becameH6937 darkH6937 with cloudsH5645 and windH7307 came up, and there was a heavyH1419 showerH1653. And AhabH256 rodeH7392 and wentH1980 to 54JezreelH3157. 46Then 55the handH3027 of the LordH3068 was on ElijahH452, and 56he 57beltedH8151 his cloak aroundH8151 his waistH4975 and 58outranH7323H6440 AhabH256 59to JezreelH3157.