Chapter 18
1 After many days , Yahweh ’s word came to Elijah, in the third year , saying , " Go , show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain on the earth."
2 Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria .
3 Ahab called Obadiah , who was over the household . ( Now Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly ;
4 for when Jezebel cut off Yahweh ’s prophets , Obadiah took one hundred prophets , and hid them fifty to a cave , and fed them with bread and water .)
5 Ahab said to Obadiah , " Go through the land, to all the springs of water , and to all the brooks . Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive , that we not lose all the animals ."
6 So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it . Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
7 As Obadiah was on the way , behold , Elijah met him . He recognized him , and fell on his face , and said, " Is it you , my lord Elijah?"
8 He answered him, " It is I . Go , tell your lord, ‘ Behold , Elijah is here !’"
9 He said, " How have I sinned , that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me ?
10 As Yahweh your God lives , there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent to seek you . When they said, ‘ He is not here ,’ he took an oath of the kingdom and nation that they didn’t find you .
11 Now you say, ‘ Go , tell your lord, " Behold , Elijah is here ."’
12 It will happen , as soon as I leave you , that Yahweh ’s Spirit will carry you I don’t know where ; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he can ’t find you , he will kill me . But I , your servant , have feared Yahweh from my youth .
13 Wasn’t it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed Yahweh ’s prophets , how I hid one hundred men of Yahweh ’s prophets with fifty to a cave , and fed them with bread and water ?
14 Now you say, ‘ Go , tell your lord, " Behold , Elijah is here ".’ He will kill me ."
15 Elijah said, " As Yahweh of Armies lives , before whom I stand , I will surely show myself to him today ."
16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him ; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him , " Is that you , you troubler of Israel ?"
18 He answered, " I have not troubled Israel , but you and your father’s house , in that you have forsaken Yahweh ’s commandments and you have followed the Baals .
19 Now therefore send , and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel , and four hundred fifty of the prophets of Baal , and four hundred of the prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table ."
20 So Ahab sent to all the children of Israel , and gathered the prophets together to Mount Carmel .
21 Elijah came near to all the people , and said , " How long will you waver between the two sides? If Yahweh is God , follow him ; but if Baal , then follow him ." The people didn’t say a word .
22 Then Elijah said to the people , " I , even I only, am left as a prophet of Yahweh ; but Baal ’s prophets are four hundred fifty men .
23 Let them therefore give us two bulls ; and let them choose one bull for themselves , and cut it in pieces , and lay it on the wood , and put no fire under ; and I will dress the other bull , and lay it on the wood , and put no fire under it .
24 You call on the name of your god , and I will call on Yahweh ’s name . The God who answers by fire, let him be God ." All the people answered , " What you say is good ."
25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal , "Choose one bull for yourselves, and dress it first , for you are many ; and call on the name of your god , but put no fire under it ."
26 They took the bull which was given them , and they dressed it , and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon , saying , " Baal , hear us !" But there was no voice , and nobody answered . They leaped about the altar which was made .
27 At noon , Elijah mocked them , and said , " Cry aloud , for he is a god. Either he is deep in thought, or he has gone somewhere, or he is on a journey , or perhaps he sleeps and must be awakened ."
28 They cried aloud , and cut themselves in their way with knives and lances until the blood gushed out on them .
29 When midday was past , they prophesied until the time of the evening offering ; but there was no voice , no answer , and nobody paid attention .
30 Elijah said to all the people , " Come near to me !"; and all the people came near to him . He repaired Yahweh ’s altar that had been thrown down .
31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob , to whom Yahweh ’s word came , saying , " Israel shall be your name ."
32 With the stones he built an altar in Yahweh ’s name . He made a trench around the altar large enough to contain two seahs of seed .
33 He put the wood in order , and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood . He said, "Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood ."
34 He said, " Do it a second time ;" and they did it the second time . He said, " Do it a third time ;" and they did it the third time .
35 The water ran around the altar ; and he also filled the trench with water .
36 At the time of the evening offering , Elijah the prophet came near and said , " Yahweh , the God of Abraham, of Isaac , and of Israel , let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant , and that I have done all these things at your word .
37 Hear me , Yahweh , hear me , that this people may know that you , Yahweh , are God , and that you have turned their heart back again ."
38 Then Yahweh ’s fire fell and consumed the burnt offering , the wood , the stones, and the dust ; and it licked up the water that was in the trench .
39 When all the people saw it , they fell on their faces . They said, " Yahweh , he is God ! Yahweh , he is God !"
40 Elijah said to them , " Seize the prophets of Baal ! Don’t let one of them escape !" They seized them ; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon , and killed them there .
41 Elijah said to Ahab, " Get up , eat and drink ; for there is the sound of abundance of rain ."
42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink . Elijah went up to the top of Carmel ; and he bowed himself down on the earth , and put his face between his knees .
43 He said to his servant , " Go up now and look toward the sea ." He went up and looked , then said, " There is nothing ." He said, " Go again " seven times .
44 On the seventh time , he said, " Behold , a small cloud , like a man’s hand , is rising out of the sea ." He said, " Go up , tell Ahab, ‘ Get ready and go down , so that the rain doesn’t stop you .’"
45 In a little while , the sky grew black with clouds and wind , and there was a great rain . Ahab rode , and went to Jezreel .
46 Yahweh ’s hand was on Elijah; and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel .