1 Kings 18
18
Elijah Meets the King’s Servant
1 Some time later, in the third year of the famine, the Lord told Elijah,#tn Heb “the word of the Lord came to Elijah.” “Go, make an appearance before Ahab, so I may send rain on the surface of the ground.” 2 So Elijah went to make an appearance before Ahab.
Now the famine was severe in Samaria.#map For location see Map2-B1; Map4-D3; Map5-E2; Map6-A4; Map7-C1. 3 So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who supervised the palace. (Now Obadiah was a very loyal follower of the Lord.#tn Heb “now Obadiah greatly feared the Lord.” “Fear” refers here to obedience and allegiance, the products of healthy respect for the Lord’s authority. 4 When Jezebel was killing#tn Heb “cutting off.” the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah took one hundred prophets and hid them in two caves in two groups of fifty. He also brought them food and water.) 5 Ahab told Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grazing areas#tn Heb “grass.” so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to kill#tn Heb “to cut off.” some of the animals.” 6 They divided up the land between them; Ahab went#tn The Hebrew text has “alone” here and again in reference to Obadiah toward the end of the verse. one way and Obadiah went the other.
7 As Obadiah was traveling along, Elijah met him.#tn Heb “look, Elijah [came] to meet him.” When he recognized him, he fell facedown to the ground and said, “Is it really you, my master, Elijah?” 8 He replied, “Yes,#tn Heb “[It is] I.” go and say to your master, ‘Elijah is back.’”#tn Heb “Look, Elijah”; or “Elijah is here.” 9 Obadiah#tn Heb “he”; the referent (Obadiah) has been specified in the translation for clarity. said, “What sin have I committed that you are ready to hand your servant over to Ahab for execution?#tn Heb “to kill me.” 10 As certainly as the Lord your God lives, my master has sent to every nation and kingdom in an effort to find you. When they say, ‘He’s not here,’ he makes them#tn Heb “he makes the kingdom or the nation swear an oath.” swear an oath that they could not find you. 11 Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back.”’#tn Heb “Look, Elijah”; or “Elijah is here.” 12 But when I leave you, the Lord’s spirit will carry you away so I can’t find you.#tn Heb “to [a place] which I do not know.” If I go tell Ahab I’ve seen you, he won’t be able to find you and he will kill me.#tn Heb “and I will go to inform Ahab and he will not find you and he will kill me.” That would not be fair,#tn The words “that would not be fair” are added to clarify the logic of Obadiah’s argument. because your servant has been a loyal follower of#tn Heb “has feared the Lord” (also see the note at 1 Kgs 18:3). the Lord from my youth. 13 Certainly my master is aware of what I did#tn Heb “Has it not been told to my master what I did…?” The rhetorical question expects an answer, “Of course it has!” when Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets. I hid one hundred of the Lord’s prophets in two caves in two groups of fifty and I brought them food and water. 14 Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back,”’#tn Heb “Look, Elijah”; or “Elijah is here.” but he will kill me.” 15 But Elijah said, “As certainly as the Lord who rules over all#tn Traditionally, “the Lord of Hosts.” lives (whom I serve),#tn Heb “(before whom I stand).” I will make an appearance before him today.”
Elijah Confronts Baal’s Prophets
16 When Obadiah went and informed Ahab, the king went to meet Elijah.#tn Heb “Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah.” 17 When Ahab saw Elijah, he#tn Heb “Ahab.” said to him, “Is it really you, the one who brings disaster#tn Or “trouble.” on Israel?” 18 Elijah#tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elijah) has been specified in the translation for clarity. replied, “I have not brought disaster#tn Or “trouble.” on Israel. But you and your father’s dynasty have, by abandoning the Lord’s commandments and following the Baals. 19 Now send out messengers#tn The word “messengers” is supplied in the translation both here and in v. 20 for clarification. and assemble all Israel before me at Mount Carmel, as well as the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah whom Jezebel supports.#tn Heb “who eat at the table of Jezebel.”
20 Ahab sent messengers to all the Israelites and had the prophets assemble at Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision?#tn Heb “How long are you going to limp around on two crutches?” (see HALOT 762 s.v. סְעִפִּים). In context this idiomatic expression refers to indecision rather than physical disability. If the Lord is the true God,#tn Heb “the God.” then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!” But the people did not say a word. 22 Elijah said to them:#tn Heb “to the people.” “I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but there are 450 prophets of Baal. 23 Let them bring us two bulls. Let them choose one of the bulls for themselves, cut it up into pieces, and place it on the wood. But they must not set it on fire. I will do the same to the other bull and place it on the wood. But I will not set it on fire. 24 Then you#tn Elijah now directly addresses the prophets. will invoke the name of your god, and I will invoke the name of the Lord. The god who responds with fire will demonstrate that he is the true God.”#tn Heb “the God.” All the people responded, “This will be a fair test.”#tn Heb “The matter [i.e., proposal] is good [i.e., acceptable].”
25 Elijah told the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls for yourselves and go first, for you are the majority. Invoke the name of your god, but do not light a fire.”#tc The last sentence of v. 25 is absent in the Syriac Peshitta. 26 So they took a bull, as he had suggested,#tn Heb “and they took the bull which he allowed them.” and prepared it. They invoked the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us.” But there was no sound and no answer. They jumped#tn Heb “limped” (the same verb is used in v. 21). around on the altar they had made.#tc The MT has “which he made,” but some medieval Hebrew mss and the ancient versions have the plural form of the verb. 27 At noon Elijah mocked them, “Yell louder! After all, he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or perhaps he stepped out for a moment or has taken a trip. Perhaps he is sleeping and needs to be awakened.”#sn Elijah’s sarcastic proposals would have been especially offensive and irritating to Baal’s prophets, for they believed Baal was imprisoned in the underworld as death’s captive during this time of drought. Elijah’s apparent ignorance of their theology is probably designed for dramatic effect; indeed the suggestion that Baal is away on a trip or deep in sleep comes precariously close to the truth as viewed by the prophets. 28 So they yelled louder and, in accordance with their prescribed ritual,#tn Or “as was their custom.” mutilated themselves with swords and spears until their bodies were covered with blood.#tn Heb “until blood poured out on them.”sn mutilated…covered with blood. This self-mutilation was a mourning rite designed to facilitate Baal’s return from the underworld. 29 Throughout the afternoon they were in an ecstatic frenzy,#tn Heb “when noon passed they prophesied until the offering up of the offering.” but there was no sound, no answer, and no response.#tc The Old Greek translation and Syriac Peshitta include the following words here: “When it was time to offer the sacrifice, Elijah the Tishbite spoke to the prophets of the abominations: ‘Stand aside for the time being, and I will offer my burnt offering.’ So they stood aside and departed.”sn In 2 Kgs 4:31 the words “there was no sound and there was no response” are used to describe a dead boy. Similar words are used here to describe the god Baal as dead and therefore unresponsive.
30 Elijah then told all the people, “Approach me.” So all the people approached him. He repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down.#sn Torn down. The condition of the altar symbolizes the spiritual state of the people. 31 Then Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of tribes that descended from Jacob, to whom the Lord had said, “Israel will be your new#tn The word “new” is implied but not actually present in the Hebrew text. name.”#sn Israel will be your new name. See Gen 32:28; 35:10. 32 With the stones he constructed an altar for the Lord.#tn Heb “and he built the stones into an altar in the name of the Lord.” Around the altar he made a trench large enough to contain two seahs#tn A seah was a dry measure equivalent to about seven quarts. of seed. 33 He arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. 34 Then he said, “Fill four water jars and pour the water on the offering and the wood.” When they had done so,#tn The words “when they had done so” are supplied in the translation for clarification. he said, “Do it again.” So they did it again. Then he said, “Do it a third time.” So they did it a third time. 35 The water flowed down all sides of the altar and filled the trench. 36 When it was time for the evening offering,#tn Heb “at the offering up of the offering.” Elijah the prophet approached the altar#tn The words “the altar” are supplied in the translation for clarification. and prayed: “O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, prove#tn Heb “let it be known.” today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are the true God#tn Heb “the God.” and that you are winning back their allegiance.”#tn Heb “that you are turning their heart[s] back.” 38 Then fire from the Lord fell from the sky.#tn The words “from the sky” are added for stylistic reasons. It consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dirt, and licked up the water in the trench. 39 When all the people saw this, they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and said, “The Lord is the true God!#tn Heb “the God” (the phrase occurs twice in this verse). The Lord is the true God!” 40 Elijah told them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let even one of them escape!” So they seized them, and Elijah led them down to the Kishon Valley and executed#tn Or “slaughtered.” them there.
41 Then Elijah told Ahab, “Go on up and eat and drink, for the sound of a heavy rainstorm can be heard.”#tn Heb “for [there is] the sound of the roar of the rain.” 42 So Ahab went on up to eat and drink, while Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel. He bent down toward the ground and put his face between his knees. 43 He told his servant, “Go on up and look in the direction of the sea.” So he went on up, looked, and reported, “There is nothing.”#sn So he went on up, looked, and reported, “There is nothing.” Several times in this chapter those addressed by Elijah obey his orders. In vv. 20 and 42 Ahab does as instructed, in vv. 26 and 28 the prophets follow Elijah’s advice, and in vv. 30, 34, 40 and 43 the people and servants do as they are told. By juxtaposing Elijah’s commands with accounts of those commands being obeyed, the narrator emphasizes the authority of the Lord’s prophet. Seven times Elijah sent him to look.#tn Heb “He said, ‘Return,’ seven times.” 44 The seventh time the servant#tn Heb “he”; the referent (the servant) has been specified in the translation for clarity. said, “Look, a small cloud, the size of the palm of a man’s hand, is rising up from the sea.” Elijah#tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elijah) has been specified in the translation for clarity. then said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up the chariots and go down, so that the rain won’t overtake you.’”#tn Heb “so that the rain won’t restrain you.” 45 Meanwhile the sky was covered with dark clouds, the wind blew, and there was a heavy rainstorm. Ahab rode toward#tn Heb “rode and went to.” Jezreel. 46 Now the Lord energized Elijah with power;#tn Heb “and the hand of the Lord was on Elijah.” he tucked his robe into his belt#tn Heb “and girded up his loins.” The idea is that of gathering up the robes and tucking them into the sash or belt so that they do not get in the way of the legs when running (or working or fighting). and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
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1 Kings 18
18
Elijah Returns to Ahab
1And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Eli´jah in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. 2And Eli´jah went to show himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria. 3And Ahab called Obadi´ah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadi´ah feared the Lord greatly: 4for it was so, when Jez´ebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, that Obadi´ah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) 5And Ahab said unto Obadi´ah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts. 6So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadi´ah went another way by himself.
7And as Obadi´ah was in the way, behold, Eli´jah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Eli´jah? 8And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Eli´jah is here. 9And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? 10As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not. 11And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Eli´jah is here. 12And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the Lord shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth. 13Was it not told my lord what I did when Jez´ebel slew the prophets of the Lord, how I hid a hundred men of the Lord's prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water? 14And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Eli´jah is here: and he shall slay me. 15And Eli´jah said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him today. 16So Obadi´ah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Eli´jah.
17And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Eli´jah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? 18And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Ba´alim. 19Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Ba´al four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jez´ebel's table.
The Contest on Mount Carmel
20So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. 21And Eli´jah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Ba´al, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. 22Then said Eli´jah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Ba´al's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 23Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: 24and call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. 25And Eli´jah said unto the prophets of Ba´al, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. 26And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Ba´al from morning even until noon, saying, O Ba´al, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. 27And it came to pass at noon, that Eli´jah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. 28And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. 29And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
30And Eli´jah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. 31#Gen 32.28; 35.10. And Eli´jah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: 32and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. 33And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. 34And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. 35And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.
36And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Eli´jah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. 37Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. 38Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God. 40And Eli´jah said unto them, Take the prophets of Ba´al; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Eli´jah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.
Elijah Prays for Rain
41And Eli´jah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. 42#Jas 5.18. So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Eli´jah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, 43and said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. 44And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. 45And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. 46And the hand of the Lord was on Eli´jah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
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King James Version 1611, spelling, punctuation and text formatting modernized by ABS in 1962; typesetting © 2010 American Bible Society.