Israel’s King Ahab

²⁹ Ahab son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Judah’s King Asa; Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. ³⁰ But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight more than all who were before him.^{(A) 31} Then, as if following the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat were not enough, he married Jezebel,^(B) the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians,^(C) and then proceeded to serve Baal and bow in worship to him.^{(D) 32} He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal^(E) that he had built in Samaria. ³³ Ahab also made an Asherah pole.^(F) Ahab did more to anger the Lord God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.^(G)

Elijah Announces Famine

17 Now Elijah^(A) the Tishbite, from the Gilead settlers,^[a](B) said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives,^(C) in whose presence I stand, there will be no dew or rain during these years except by my command!” ^(D)

² Then the word of the Lord came to him: ³ “Leave here, turn eastward, and hide^(E) at the Wadi Cherith where it enters the Jordan. ⁴ You are to drink from the wadi. I have commanded the ravens^(F) to provide for you there.”

⁵ So he proceeded to do what the Lord commanded. Elijah left and lived at the Wadi Cherith where it enters the Jordan.

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^(A) 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 a hundred of the prophets of the Lord, fifty 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 Armies lives,^(B) in whose presence 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, the one ruining Israel?” ^(C)

¹⁸ He replied, “I have not ruined Israel, but you and your father’s family have, because you have abandoned the Lord’s commands^(D) and followed the Baals.^(E)