1 Kings 18:26-46

Legacy Standard Bible

²⁶ Then they took the ox which ^[a]was given them and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon saying, “O Baal, answer us.” But there was ^(A)no voice and no one answered. And they ^[b]limped about the altar which ^[c]they had made. ²⁷ Now it happened at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or relieving himself, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened.” ²⁸ So they cried with a loud voice and ^(B)gashed themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them. ²⁹ Now it happened when noon had passed, that they prophesied ^(C)until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice; but there was no voice, no one answered, and no ^[d]one paid attention.

³⁰ Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And ^(D)he repaired the altar of Yahweh which had been pulled down. ³¹ Then Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of Yahweh had come, saying, “^(E)Israel shall be your name.” ³² And with the stones he built an altar in ^(F)the name of Yahweh, and he made a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two ^[e]seahs of seed. ^33 (G)Then he arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces and placed it on the wood. ³⁴ And he said, “Fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” And he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. ³⁵ And the water flowed around the altar and he also filled the trench with water.

Yahweh Answers, He Is God

^36 (H)Now it happened at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “^(I)O Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that ^(J)You are God in Israel and that I am Your slave and ^(K)I have done all these things at Your word. ³⁷ Answer me, O Yahweh, answer me, that this people may know that You, O Yahweh, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.” ³⁸ Then the ^(L)fire of Yahweh fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. ³⁹ And all the people saw it and fell on their faces and said, “^(M)Yahweh, He is God; Yahweh, He is God.” ⁴⁰ Then 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 ^(N)the brook Kishon, ^(O)and slaughtered them there.

Yahweh Sends Rain

⁴¹ Now Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the tumult of rain.” ⁴² So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of ^(P)Carmel; and he ^(Q)stretched himself down toward the ground and put his face between his knees. ⁴³ And he said to his young man, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go back” seven times. ⁴⁴ Now it happened at the seventh time, that he said, “Behold, ^(R)a cloud as small as a man’s hand is coming up from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘^[f]Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the rain does not stop you.’” ⁴⁵ Now it happened that in a little while the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. And Ahab rode and went to ^(S)Jezreel. ⁴⁶ But ^(T)the hand of Yahweh was on Elijah, and ^(U)he girded up his loins and ^[g]outran Ahab unto where you enter Jezreel.