¹⁵ Elijah said, “As the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, I will surely present^(A) myself to Ahab today.”

Elijah Announces a Great Drought

17 Now Elijah^(A) the Tishbite, from Tishbe^[a] in Gilead,^(B) said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain^(C) in the next few years except at my word.”

¹⁰ As surely as the Lord your God lives, there is not a nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to look^(A) for you. And whenever a nation or kingdom claimed you were not there, he made them swear they could not find you.

¹⁶ People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.^{(A) 17} Because God wanted to make the unchanging^(B) nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised,^(C) he confirmed it with an oath.

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁹ The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel.^(A) I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.

² They will be exposed to the sun and the moon and all the stars of the heavens, which they have loved and served^(A) and which they have followed and consulted and worshiped.^(B) They will not be gathered up or buried,^(C) but will be like dung lying on the ground.^(D)

³ And they were calling to one another: