1 Kings 18
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Elijah’s Message to Ahab
18 After a long time, the word of the Lord(A) came to Elijah in the third year:(B) “Go and present yourself to Ahab.(C) I will send rain on the surface of the land.” 2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab.
The famine was severe in Samaria.(D) 3 Ahab called for Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace.(E) Obadiah was a man who greatly feared the Lord(F) 4 and took 100 prophets and hid them, 50 men to a cave, and provided them with food and water when Jezebel(G) slaughtered the Lord’s prophets.(H) 5 Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go throughout the land to every spring of water and to every wadi. Perhaps we’ll find grass so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to destroy any cattle.”(I) 6 They divided the land between them in order to cover it. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went the other way by himself.
7 While Obadiah was walking along the road, Elijah suddenly met him.(J) When Obadiah recognized him, he fell with his face to the ground and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?”
8 “It is I,” he replied. “Go tell your lord, ‘Elijah is here!’”
9 But Obadiah said, “What sin have I committed,(K) that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to put me to death? 10 As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent someone to search for you. When they said, ‘He is not here,’ he made that kingdom or nation swear they had not found you.
11 “Now you say, ‘Go tell your lord, “Elijah is here!”’ 12 But when I leave you, the Spirit of the Lord may carry you off(L) to some place I don’t know. Then when I go report to Ahab and he doesn’t find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared the Lord from my youth. 13 Wasn’t it reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel slaughtered the Lord’s prophets? I hid 100 of the prophets of the Lord, 50 men to a cave, and I provided them with food and water. 14 Now you say, ‘Go tell your lord, “Elijah is here!”’ He will kill me!”
15 Then Elijah said, “As the Lord of Hosts lives,(M) before whom I stand, today I will present myself to Ahab.”
16 Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him. Then Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is that you, you destroyer of Israel?”(N)
18 He replied, “I have not destroyed Israel, but you and your father’s house have, because you have abandoned the Lord’s commands(O) and followed the Baals.(P) 19 Now summon all Israel to meet me at Mount Carmel,(Q) along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah(R) who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
Elijah at Mount Carmel
20 So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and gathered the prophets at Mount Carmel. 21 Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions?(S) If Yahweh is God, follow Him. But if Baal, follow him.”(T) But the people didn’t answer him a word.
22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I am the only remaining prophet of the Lord,(U) but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. 23 Let two bulls be given to us. They are to choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and place it on the wood but not light the fire. I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood but not light the fire. 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Yahweh.(V) The God who answers with fire, He is God.”
All the people answered, “That sounds good.”
25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Since you are so numerous, choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god but don’t light the fire.”
26 So they took the bull that he gave them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound;(W) no one answered. Then they danced, hobbling around the altar they had made.
27 At noon Elijah mocked them. He said, “Shout loudly, for he’s a god! Maybe he’s thinking it over; maybe he has wandered away;[a] or maybe he’s on the road. Perhaps he’s sleeping and will wake up!”(X) 28 They shouted loudly, and cut themselves(Y) with knives and spears, according to their custom, until blood gushed over them. 29 All afternoon they kept on raving until the offering of the evening sacrifice,(Z) but there was no sound; no one answered, no one paid attention.(AA)
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near me.” So all the people approached him. Then he repaired the Lord’s altar that had been torn down:(AB) 31 Elijah took 12 stones—according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Israel will be your name”(AC)— 32 and he built an altar(AD) with the stones in the name of Yahweh. Then he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold about four gallons.[b][c] 33 Next, he arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. He said, “Fill four water pots with water and pour it on the offering to be burned and on the wood.” 34 Then he said, “A second time!” and they did it a second time. And then he said, “A third time!” and they did it a third time. 35 So the water ran all around the altar; he even filled the trench with water.
36 At the time for offering the evening sacrifice,(AE) Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, “Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,(AF) today let it be known(AG) that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that at Your word I have done all these things. 37 Answer me, Lord! Answer me so that this people will know that You, Yahweh, are God(AH) and that You have turned their hearts back.”
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 facedown(AI) and said, “Yahweh, He is God! Yahweh, He is God!”(AJ)
40 Then Elijah ordered them, “Seize the prophets of Baal!(AK) Do not let even one of them escape.” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Wadi Kishon(AL) and slaughtered them there.(AM) 41 Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a rainstorm.”(AN)
42 So Ahab went to eat and drink, but Elijah went up to the summit of Carmel.(AO) He bowed down on the ground and put his face between his knees.(AP) 43 Then he said to his servant, “Go up and look toward the sea.”
So he went up, looked, and said, “There’s nothing.”
Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”
44 On the seventh(AQ) time, he reported, “There’s a cloud as small as a man’s hand coming from the sea.”
Then Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Get your chariot ready and go down so the rain doesn’t stop you.’”
45 In a little while, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there was a downpour. So Ahab got in his chariot and went to Jezreel.(AR) 46 The power of the Lord(AS) was on Elijah, and he tucked his mantle under his belt(AT) and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 18:27 Or has turned aside; possibly to relieve himself
- 1 Kings 18:32 LXX reads trench containing two measures of seed
- 1 Kings 18:32 Lit altar corresponding to a house of two seahs of seed
1 Kings 18
International Standard Version
Elijah Rebukes Ahab
18 Quite some time later—three years later!—this message from the Lord came to Elijah: “Go visit Ahab, and I’ll send some rain to the surface of the ground.” 2 So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab, right when the famine in Samaria was most severe.
3 Ahab called for Obadiah, his household supervisor. This man, who feared the Lord very much, 4 had taken 100 prophets and had hidden them by fifties in a cave, providing them with food and water when Jezebel was trying to destroy the Lord’s prophets.
5 Ahab had instructed Obadiah, “Go throughout the land to all of the water springs and to all of the valleys. Maybe we’ll find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive. Also, maybe we won’t have to kill some of our cattle.” 6 So they divided the land between them so they could conduct their survey. Ahab went off by himself in one direction and Obadiah went off by himself in the other.
7 While Obadiah was on the road, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized him and bowed down with his face to the ground. “It’s you, isn’t it, my master Elijah?”
8 “I am,” he replied. “Go tell your master, ‘Look! Elijah!’”
9 But Obadiah replied, “What did I do wrong, that you would put me in a position where Ahab would execute me? 10 As surely as the Lord your God lives, there isn’t a nation or kingdom where my master hasn’t tried to find you. Whenever they would say ‘He isn’t here,’ he forced that kingdom or nation to swear that they hadn’t seen you. 11 But now you’re saying ‘Go tell your master, “Elijah is here!”’ 12 As soon as I’ve left you, the Spirit of the Lord will carry you off to I don’t know where! Then when I go tell Ahab and he can’t find you, he’ll kill me, even though I have been your servant and have feared the Lord since I was young! 13 Hasn’t anyone told you, my master, what I did when Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets? I hid 100 of the Lord’s prophets by fifties in a cave and provided food and water for them. 14 Now you’re saying, ‘Go tell your master, “Elijah’s here!”’ He’s sure to kill me!”
15 But Elijah promised him, “As the Lord of the Heavenly Armies lives, in whose presence I stand, I will appear to Ahab today.”
16 So Obadiah went out to meet Ahab and reported to him. Then Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab asked him, “Is it really you, you destroyer of Israel?”
18 But Elijah[a] replied, “I’m no destroyer of Israel. But you and your ancestor’s household have been doing that, because you have abandoned the Lord’s commandments and have followed the Baals. 19 So go gather all of Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. Bring along 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the Asherah who are funded at Jezebel’s expense.”[b]
Elijah Defeats the Prophets of Baal
20 Ahab sent for the Israelis and brought the prophets together at Mount Carmel, 21 where Elijah approached all the people and asked them, “How long will you keep hesitating[c] between both sides? If the Lord is God, go after him. If Baal, go after him.”
But the people didn’t say a word.
22 So Elijah told the people, “I’m the only one left over as a prophet of the Lord, am I? But Baal’s prophets number 450 men? 23 So let them provide two oxen. They can choose one ox for themselves. Cut it up, lay it on top of some wood, but don’t set fire to it. I will prepare the other ox and lay it on top of some wood, and I won’t set fire to it. 24 Then you can call on the name of your god, and I’ll call on the name of the Lord. Let the God who answers by fire be our God!”
“That’s a good idea!” all the people shouted.
25 So Elijah told the prophets of Baal, “Choose an ox for yourselves and you prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but don’t set fire to the offering.”
26 So they took the ox that was given to them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from early morning until noon. “Baal! Answer us!” they cried. But there was no response. Nobody answered. So they kept on dancing[d] around the altar that they had made.
27 Starting about noon, Elijah began to tease them:
“Shout louder!
“He’s a god, so maybe he’s busy.
“Maybe he’s relieving himself.
“Maybe he’s busy someplace.
“Maybe he’s taking a nap and somebody needs to wake him up.”
28 So the prophets of Baal[e] cried even louder and slashed themselves with swords and lances until their blood gushed out all over them, as was their custom. 29 They kept on raving right through midday and until it was time to offer the evening sacrifice, but there was still no response. Nobody answered, and nobody paid attention.
30 Eventually, Elijah told everybody, “Come here!” So everybody approached him, and he repaired the Lord’s altar that had been torn down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes of Jacob’s descendants, to whom the message from the Lord had come that “Israel is to be your name.” 32 So Elijah used the stones to build an altar to the name of the Lord. But then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold two measures[f] of seed. 33 Then he laid the wood in order, cut the bull into pieces, and laid them on top of the wood.
“Fill four pitchers with water,” he ordered. “Then pour them out on the burnt offering and the wood.”
34 “Do it a second time,” he ordered. So they did it a second time.
“Do it a third time,” he said. So they did it a third time. 35 The water ran down around the altar and completely filled the trench.[g]
Elijah’s Prayer and God’s Answer by Fire
36 As the time for the evening offering arrived, Elijah the prophet approached and said, “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I, your servant, have done all of this in obedience to your word. 37 Answer me, Lord! Answer me so that this people may know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning back their hearts again.”
38 Right then the Lord’s fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, the dust, and even the water that was in the trench! 39 When all the people saw what had happened, they fell flat on their faces and cried out “The Lord is God! The Lord is God!”
40 But Elijah said, “Arrest the prophets of Baal. Don’t let even one of them get away.” So the people[h] seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Wadi[i] Kishon and executed them there.
The Rain Storm Ends the Drought
41 After this, Elijah told Ahab, “Get up and have something to eat and drink, because there’s the sound of a coming rainstorm.” 42 So Ahab got up to get something to eat and drink while Elijah went back up to the top of Mount[j] Carmel, where he bowed low to the ground and placed his face between his knees.
43 Then he told his young servant, “Go and look toward the sea.”
So he went and looked out to sea. “Nothing there,” he said.
But Elijah told him to go back seven times. 44 On the seventh look, he said, “Look! There’s a cloud, a small one, about the size of a man’s hand. It’s coming up out of the sea!”
“Get up and find Ahab!” Elijah[k] said. “Tell him, ‘Mount your chariot and ride down the mountain[l] so the storm doesn’t stop you.’”
45 A little while later, the sky turned black with storm clouds and winds, and there was a heavy shower. So Ahab rode off to Jezreel. 46 After Ahab had left,[m] the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah, and he tucked his mantle into his belt and outran Ahab in a race to the city gate of Jezreel.
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 18:18 Lit. he
- 1 Kings 18:19 Lit. who eat at Jezebel’s table
- 1 Kings 18:21 Lit. dancing; or limping
- 1 Kings 18:26 Or limping
- 1 Kings 18:28 Lit. So they
- 1 Kings 18:32 Lit. seahs; or hold four gallons; i.e. a trench encircling the altar and wide enough that a container holding about four gallons could be laid inside it
- 1 Kings 18:35 Lit. trench with water
- 1 Kings 18:40 Lit. So they
- 1 Kings 18:40 I.e. a seasonal stream or river that channels water during rain seasons but is dry at other times
- 1 Kings 18:42 The Heb. lacks Mount
- 1 Kings 18:44 Lit. he
- 1 Kings 18:44 The Heb. lacks the mountain
- 1 Kings 18:46 Lit. Then
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