1 Kings 18
18
Elijah and Obadiah
1It was now three years since it had rained. A message came to Elijah from the Lord. He said, “Go. Speak to Ahab. Then I will send rain on the land.” 2So Elijah went to speak to Ahab.
There wasn’t enough food in Samaria. The people there were very hungry. 3Ahab had sent for Obadiah. He was in charge of Ahab’s palace. Obadiah had great respect for the Lord. 4Ahab’s wife Jezebel had been killing off the Lord’s prophets. So Obadiah had hidden 100 prophets in two caves. He had put 50 in each cave. He had supplied them with food and water. 5Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go through the land. Go to all the valleys and springs of water. Maybe we can find some grass there. It will keep the horses and mules alive. Then we won’t have to kill any of our animals.” 6So they decided where each of them would look. Ahab went in one direction. Obadiah went in another.
7As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized him. He bowed down to the ground. He said, “My master Elijah! Is it really you?”
8“Yes,” he replied. “Go and tell your master Ahab, ‘Elijah is here.’ ”
9“What have I done wrong?” asked Obadiah. “Why are you handing me over to Ahab to be put to death? 10My master has sent people to look for you everywhere. There isn’t a nation or kingdom where he hasn’t sent someone to look for you. Suppose a nation or kingdom would claim you weren’t there. Then Ahab would make them give their word that they couldn’t find you. And that’s just as sure as the Lord your God is alive. 11But now you are telling me to go to my master. You want me to say, ‘Elijah is here.’ 12But the Spirit of the Lord might carry you away when I leave you. Then I won’t know where you are. If I go and tell Ahab and he doesn’t find you, he’ll kill me. But I’ve worshiped the Lord ever since I was young. 13My master, haven’t you heard what I did? Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets. But I hid 100 of them in two caves. I put 50 in each cave. I supplied them with food and water. 14And now you are telling me to go to my master Ahab. You want me to say to him, ‘Elijah is here.’ Ahab will kill me!”
15Elijah said, “I serve the Lord who rules over all. You can be sure that he lives. And you can be just as sure that I will speak to Ahab today.”
Elijah on Mount Carmel
16Obadiah went back to Ahab. He told Ahab that Elijah wanted to see him. So Ahab went to where Elijah was. 17When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you? You are always stirring up trouble in Israel.”
18“I haven’t made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you and your father’s family have. You have turned away from the Lord’s commands. You have followed gods that are named Baal. 19Now send for people from all over Israel. Tell them to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the 450 prophets of the god named Baal. Also bring the 400 prophets of the female god named Asherah. All of them eat at Jezebel’s table.”
20So Ahab sent that message all through Israel. He gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. 21Elijah went there and stood in front of the people. He said, “How long will it take you to make up your minds? If the Lord is the one and only God, worship him. But if Baal is the one and only God, worship him.”
The people didn’t say anything.
22Then Elijah said to them, “I’m the only one of the Lord’s prophets left. But Baal has 450 prophets. 23Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves. Let them cut it into pieces. Then let them put it on the wood. But don’t let them set fire to it. I’ll prepare the other bull. I’ll put it on the wood. But I won’t set fire to it. 24Then you pray to your god. And I’ll pray to the Lord. The god who answers by sending fire down is the one and only God.”
Then all the people said, “What you are saying is good.”
25Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls. There are many of you. So prepare your bull first. Pray to your god. But don’t light the fire.” 26So they prepared the bull they had been given.
They prayed to Baal from morning until noon. “Baal! Answer us!” they shouted. But there wasn’t any reply. No one answered. Then they danced around the altar they had made.
27At noon Elijah began to tease them. “Shout louder!” he said. “I’m sure Baal is a god! Perhaps he has too much to think about. Or maybe he has gone to the toilet. Or perhaps he’s away on a trip. Maybe he’s sleeping. You might have to wake him up.” 28So they shouted louder. They cut themselves with swords and spears until their blood flowed. That’s what they usually did when things really looked hopeless. 29It was now past noon. The prophets of Baal continued to prophesy with all their might. They did it until the time came to offer the evening sacrifice. But there wasn’t any reply. No one answered. No one paid any attention.
30Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” So they went to him. He rebuilt the altar of the Lord. It had been torn down. 31Elijah got 12 stones. There was one for each tribe in the family line of Jacob. The Lord’s message had come to Jacob. It had said, “Your name will be Israel.” 32Elijah used the stones to build an altar to honor the Lord. He dug a ditch around it. The ditch was large enough to hold 24 pounds of seeds. 33He arranged the wood for the fire. He cut the bull into pieces. He placed the pieces on the wood. Then he said to some of the people, “Fill four large jars with water. Pour it on the offering and the wood.” So they did.
34“Do it again,” he said. So they did it again.
“Do it a third time,” he ordered. And they did it the third time. 35The water ran down around the altar. It even filled the ditch.
36When it was time to offer the evening sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward. He prayed, “Lord, you are the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel. Today let everyone know that you are God in Israel. Let them know I’m your servant. Let them know I’ve done all these things because you commanded me to. 37Answer me. Lord, answer me. Then these people will know that you are the one and only God. They’ll know that you are turning their hearts back to you again.”
38The fire of the Lord came down. It burned up the sacrifice. It burned up the wood and the stones and the soil. It even dried up the water in the ditch.
39All the people saw it. Then they fell down flat with their faces toward the ground. They cried out, “The Lord is the one and only God! The Lord is the one and only God!”
40Then Elijah commanded them, “Grab the prophets of Baal. Don’t let a single one of them get away!” So they grabbed them. Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley. There he had them put to death.
41Elijah said to Ahab, “Go. Eat and drink. I can hear the sound of a heavy rain.” 42So Ahab went off to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel. He bent down toward the ground. Then he put his face between his knees.
43“Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. So he went up and looked.
“I don’t see anything there,” he said.
Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”
44The seventh time the servant said, “I see a cloud. It’s as small as a man’s hand. It’s coming up over the sea.”
Elijah said, “Go to Ahab. Tell him, ‘Tie your chariot to your horse. Go down to Jezreel before the rain stops you.’ ”
45Black clouds filled the sky. The wind came up, and a heavy rain began to fall. Ahab rode off to Jezreel. 46The power of the Lord came on Elijah. He tucked his coat into his belt. And he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
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1 Kings 18: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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Melachim Alef 18
18
1And it came to pass after yamim rabbim, that the Devar Hashem came to Eliyahu in the shanah hashlishit, saying, Go, show thyself unto Ach'av; and I will send matar upon the face of ha'adamah.
2And Eliyahu went to show himself unto Ach'av. And there was a ra'av chazak (strong famine) in Shomron.
3And Ach'av summoned Ovadyah, who was in charge of the Bayit (Palace) — now Ovadyah feared Hashem me'od (greatly);
4For it was so, when Izevel cut off the Nevi'im of Hashem, that Ovadyah took a hundred Nevi'im, and hid them by fifty in a me'arah (cave), and fed them with lechem and mayim —
5And Ach'av said unto Ovadyah, Go into HaAretz unto all springs of mayim, and unto all brooks; perhaps we may find khatzir (grass) to save the sus (horse) and pered (mules) alive, that we not be dispossessed of all the behemah.
6So they divided ha'aretz between them to pass throughout it; Ach'av went derech echad by himself, and Ovadyah went derech echad by himself.
7And as Ovadyah was baderech (on the way, road), hinei, Eliyahu met him; and he recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, Is it you, adoni Eliyahu?
8And he answered him, I am; go, tell adoneicha, Hinei, Eliyahu!
9And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy eved into the yad Ach'av to slay me?
10As Hashem Eloheicha liveth, there is no goy (nation) or mamlachah (kingdom), to where adoni hath not sent to seek thee there: and when they said, He is not there, he had the mamlachah and goy swear, that they found thee not.
11And now thou sayest, Go, tell adoneicha, Hinei, Eliyahu!
12And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Ruach#18:12 Hakodesh of Hashem shall carry thee to where I know not; and so when I come and tell Ach'av, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me; but I thy eved fear Hashem from my youth.
13Was it not told to adoni what I did when Izevel slaughtered the Nevi'im of Hashem, how I hid a hundred ish of Hashemʼs Nevi'im by fifty in a me'arah, and fed them with lechem and mayim?
14And now thou sayest, Go, tell adoneicha, Hinei, Eliyahu! And he shall slay me.
15And Eliyahu said, As Hashem Tzva'os liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him today.
16So Ovadyah went to meet Ach'av, and told him; and Ach'av went to meet Eliyahu.
17And it came to pass, when Ach'av saw Eliyahu, that Ach'av said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Yisroel?
18And he answered, I have not troubled Yisroel; but thou, and the Bais Avicha, in that ye have forsaken the Mitzvot Hashem, and thou hast followed after the Ba'alim.
19Now therefore summon, and gather to me kol Yisroel unto Har HaCarmel and the nevi'im of Ba'al four hundred and fifty, and the nevi'im haAsherah four hundred, which eat at shulchan Izevel.
20So Ach'av sent unto kol Bnei Yisroel, and gathered the Nevi'im together unto Har HaCarmel.
21And Eliyahu came unto kol haAm, and said, Ad Mosai (how long) ye be polekhim (limping ones, dancing ones) between two se'ipim (opinions)? If Hashem be HaElohim, follow after him; but if HaBa'al, then follow after him. And HaAm answered him not a word.
22Then said Eliyahu unto HaAm, I, even I only, am left a navi of Hashem; but Ba'alʼs nevi'im are four hundred and fifty ish.
23Let them therefore give us two parim (bulls); and let them choose one bull for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no eish under it; and I will dress the other bull, and lay it on wood, and put no eish under it;
24And call ye on the shem eloheichem, and I will call on the Shem of Hashem; and haelohim that answereth by eish, let him be HaElohim. And kol haAm answered and said, Tov hadavar!
25And Eliyahu said unto the nevi'im of Ba'al, Choose you one bull for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are rabbim (many); and call on the shem eloheichem, but put no eish under it.
26And they took the bull which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the shem of Ba'al from boker even until tzohorayim (noon), saying, O Ba'al, answer us. But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they danced#18:26 same word used in verse 18:21 around the mizbe'ach which had been made.
27And it came to pass at tzohorayim, that Eliyahu mocked them, taunting, saying, Shout with a kol gadol (loud voice); for he is a g-d; either he is meditating, or he is pursuing,#18:27 something or ki derech lo (perhaps he had to travel, heʼs relieving himself), or perhaps he sleepeth and must be awakened.
28And they shouted with a kol gadol, and cut themselves after their mishpat (custom) with charavot (swords) and lances, till the dahm gushed out upon them.
29And it came to pass, when tzohorayim was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the minchah (evening sacrifice), that there was neither kol (voice), nor any oneh (responder) nor any attender.
30And Eliyahu said unto kol HaAm, Come near unto me. And kol HaAm came near unto him. And he repaired the Mizbe'ach Hashem that was in ruins.
31And Eliyahu took twelve avanim (stones), according to the mispar (number) of the Shivtei Bnei Ya'akov, unto whom the Devar Hashem came, saying, Yisroel shall be Shemecha;
32And with the avanim (stones) he built a Mizbe'ach in the Shem of Hashem; and he made a te'alah (trench) around the Mizbe'ach, as the space of two seahs of zera (seed).
33And he laid the wood in order, and cut up the bull, and laid it on the wood, and said, Fill four jugs with mayim, and pour it on the olah and on the wood.
34And Eliyahu 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 mayim ran around about the Mizbe'ach; and even filled the te'alah (trench) also with mayim.
36And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the minchah (evening sacrifice), that Eliyahu HaNavi came near, and said, Hashem Elohei Avraham, Yitzchak and of Yisroel, let it be known this day that Thou art Elohim in Yisroel, and that I am Thy Eved, and that I have done all these things at Thy Davar.
37Answer me, Hashem, answer me, that HaAm Hazeh may know that Thou art Hashem HaElohim, and that Thou hast turned back their lev.
38Then the Eish of Hashem fell, and consumed the olah and the wood, and the avanim, and the aphar, and licked up the mayim that was in the te'alah (trench).
39And when kol HaAm saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, Hashem hu HaElohim; Hashem hu HaElohim.
40And Eliyahu said unto them, Seize the nevi'im of Ba'al; let not one of them escape. And they took them; and Eliyahu brought them down to the Brook Kishon, and slaughtered them there.
41And Eliyahu said unto Ach'av, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a kol hamon hageshem (sound of rushing rain, sound of rain coming).
42So Ach'av went up to eat and to drink. But Eliyahu climbed up to Rosh HaCarmel (top of Carmel); and he cast himself down upon the ground, and put his face between his birkayim (knees),
43And said to his eved, Go up now, look toward the yam. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again sheva pe'amim (seven times).
44And it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, Hinei, there ariseth a little cloud out of the yam, as small as kaf ish (a manʼs palm). And he said, Go, say unto Ach'av, Harness up [thy merkavah] and get thee down that the geshem stop thee not.
45And it came to pass in the meanwhile, that the Shomayim grew black with clouds and ruach, and there was a geshem gadol. And Ach'av rode, and went to Yizre'el.#18:45 Jezreel
46And the Yad Hashem was on Eliyahu; and he girded up his loins, and ran ahead of Ach'av to the entrance of Yizre'el.
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