Beginning
18 And 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.
2 And Eliyahu went to show himself unto Ach’av. And there was a ra’av chazak (strong famine) in Shomron.
3 And Ach’av summoned Ovadyah, who was in charge of the Bayit (Palace)—now Ovadyah feared Hashem me’od (greatly);
4 For 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—
5 And 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.
6 So they divided ha’aretz between them to pass throughout it; Ach’av went derech echad by himself, and Ovadyah went derech echad by himself.
7 And 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?
8 And he answered him, I am; go, tell adoneicha, Hinei, Eliyahu!
9 And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy eved into the yad Ach’av to slay me?
10 As 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.
11 And now thou sayest, Go, tell adoneicha, Hinei, Eliyahu!
12 And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Ruach [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.
13 Was it not told to adoni what I did when Izevel slaughtered the Nevi’im of Hashem, how I hid a hundred ish of Hashem’s Nevi’im by fifty in a me’arah, and fed them with lechem and mayim?
14 And now thou sayest, Go, tell adoneicha, Hinei, Eliyahu! And he shall slay me.
15 And Eliyahu said, As Hashem Tzva’os liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him today.
16 So Ovadyah went to meet Ach’av, and told him; and Ach’av went to meet Eliyahu.
17 And it came to pass, when Ach’av saw Eliyahu, that Ach’av said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Yisroel?
18 And 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.
19 Now 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.
20 So Ach’av sent unto kol Bnei Yisroel, and gathered the Nevi’im together unto Har HaCarmel.
21 And 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.
22 Then said Eliyahu unto HaAm, I, even I only, am left a navi of Hashem; but Ba’al’s nevi’im are four hundred and fifty ish.
23 Let 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;
24 And 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!
25 And 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.
26 And 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 [same word used in verse 21] around the mizbe’ach which had been made.
27 And 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 [something], or ki derech lo (perhaps he had to travel, he’s relieving himself), or perhaps he sleepeth and must be awakened.
28 And 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.
29 And 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.
30 And 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.
31 And 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;
32 And 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).
33 And 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.
34 And 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.
35 And the mayim ran around about the Mizbe’ach; and even filled the te’alah (trench) also with mayim.
36 And 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.
37 Answer me, Hashem, answer me, that HaAm Hazeh may know that Thou art Hashem HaElohim, and that Thou hast turned back their lev.
38 Then 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).
39 And when kol HaAm saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, Hashem hu HaElohim; Hashem hu HaElohim.
40 And Eliyahu said unto them, Seize the nevi’im of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them; and Eliyahu brought them down to the Brook Kishon, and slaughtered them there.
41 And 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).
42 So 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),
43 And 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).
44 And 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 man’s palm). And he said, Go, say unto Ach’av, Harness up [thy merkavah] and get thee down that the geshem stop thee not.
45 And 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 [Jezreel].
46 And the Yad Hashem was on Eliyahu; and he girded up his loins, and ran ahead of Ach’av to the entrance of Yizre’el.
19 And Ach’av told Izevel all that Eliyahu had done, and how he had slain kol haNevi’im with the cherev.
2 Then Izevel sent a malach unto Eliyahu, saying, So let elohim do to me, and more also, if I make not thy nefesh as the life of one of them by this time makhar (tomorrow).
3 And when he saw that, he arose, and fled for his nefesh, and came to Be’er Sheva, which belongeth to Yehudah, and left his na’ar (servant) there.
4 But he himself went derech yom (a day’s journey) into the midbar, and came and sat down under a broom tree; and he requested for his nefesh to die; and said, It is enough; now, O Hashem, take away my nefesh; for I am no better than my avot.
5 And as he lay and slept under a broom tree, hinei, then a malach touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
6 And he looked, and, hinei, there at his rosh was an oogah (disk or cake of bread) baked on hot coals, and a jar of mayim. And he did eat and drink, and returned to lie down again.
7 And the Malach Hashem came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the derech is too great for thee.
8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the ko’ach ha’achilah hahi (strength of that food) arba’im yom v’arba’im lailah unto Chorev the Har HaElohim.
9 And he came there unto hame’arah (the cave), and lodged there; and, hinei, the Devar Hashem came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Eliyahu?
10 And he said, I have been very kina (jealous, zealous) for Hashem Elohei Tzivos; for the Bnei Yisroel have forsaken Thy Brit (Covenant, i.e., Sinai Covenant), thrown down Thine mizbechot, and slain Thy nevi’im with the cherev; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my nefesh, to take it away.
11 And He said, Go forth, and stand upon the Har before Hashem. And, hinei, Hashem passed by, and a ruach gedolah v’chazak rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the sela’im (rocks) before Hashem; but Hashem was not in the ruach; and after the ruach, a ra’ash (earthquake); but Hashem was not in the ra’ash;
12 And after the ra’ash an eish; but Hashem was not in the eish; and after the eish a kol demamah dakkah (a quiet, gentle voice).
13 And it was so, when Eliyahu heard it, that he wrapped his face in his aderet (cloak, mantle), and went out, and stood in the mouth of the me’arah. And, hinei, there came a kol (voice) unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Eliyahu?
14 And he said, I have been very kina for Hashem Elohei Tzivos; because the Bnei Yisroel have forsaken Thy Brit (Covenant, i.e., Sinai Covenant), thrown down Thine mizbechot, and slain Thy nevi’im with the cherev; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my nefesh, to take it away.
15 And Hashem said unto him, Go, shuv (return) on thy derech to the midbar of Damascus; and when thou comest, anoint Chatzael to be Melech over Syria;
16 And Yehu ben Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be Melech over Yisroel; and Elishah ben Shaphat of Avel Mecholah shalt thou anoint to be navi in thy place.
17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the cherev of Chatzael shall Yehu slay; and him that escapeth from the cherev of Yehu shall Elishah slay.
18 Yet I have left me shivat alafim in Yisroel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Ba’al, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
19 So he departed from there, and found Elishah ben Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth; and Eliyahu passed by him, and cast his aderet (cloak, mantle) upon him.
20 And he left the bakar (oxen), and ran after Eliyahu, and said, Let me now kiss Avi and Immi, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Shuv (go back again): for what have I done to thee?
21 And he returned from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them, and boiled their basar with the equipment of the oxen, and gave unto the Am, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Eliyahu, and ministered unto him.
20 And Ben-Hadad Melech Aram gathered all his army together; and there were thirty and two melech with him, and sus, and chariots; and he went up and laid siege against Shomron, and warred against her.
2 And he sent malachim to Ach’av Melech Yisroel into the Ir, and said unto him, Thus saith Ben-Hadad,
3 Thy kesef and thy zahav is mine; thy nashim also and thy banim, even the tovim (best) are mine.
4 And the Melech Yisroel answered and said, Adoni, O melech, according to thy word, I am thine, and all that I have.
5 And the malachim came again, and said, Thus speaketh Ben-Hadad, saying, Although I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy kesef, thy zahav, thy nashim, thy banim;
6 Yet I will send my avadim unto thee tomorrow about this time, and they shall search thine Bais (Palace), and the batim (houses) of thy avadim; and it shall be, that whatsoever is makhmad (precious) in thine eyes, they shall put it in their yad, and take it away.
7 Then the Melech Yisroel summoned kol Ziknei HaAretz, and said, Mark, now, and see how this man seeketh ra’ah; for he sent unto me for my nashim, for my banim, for my kesef, for my zahav; and I denied him not.
8 All the zekenim and kol HaAm said unto him, Pay not heed unto him, nor consent.
9 Wherefore he said unto the malachim of Ben-Hadad, Tell adoni HaMelech, All that thou didst send for to thy eved at the first I will do; but this thing I may not do. And the malachim departed, and took him back davar.
10 And Ben-Hadad sent unto him, and said, The elohim (g-ds) do so unto me, and more also, if the aphar Shomron shall provide even a handful for kol haAm (each of the people) who are at my raglayim.
11 And the Melech Yisroel answered and said, Tell him, Let not khoger (one girding on [his battle armor]) boast himself as he that taketh off.
12 And it came to pass, when Ben-Hadad heard this davar, as he was drinking, he and the melachim in the sukkot, that he said unto his avadim, Get ready to attack. And they set themselves in array against the Ir.
13 And, hinei, there came one navi unto Ach’av Melech Yisroel, saying, Thus saith Hashem, Hast thou seen all this hamon hagadol (vast multitude)? Hineni, I will deliver it into thine yad this day; and thou shalt know that I am Hashem.
14 Ach’av said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith Hashem, Even by the na’arei sarei hamedinot (the servants of the provincial commanders). Then he said, Who shall lead out in the milchamah? He answered, Thou.
15 Then he numbered the na’arei sarei hamedinot, and they were two hundred and thirty-two; and after them he numbered kol HaAm, even all the Bnei Yisroel, being shivat alafim.
16 And they set forth at tzohorayim. But Ben-Hadad was drinking himself shikkor in the sukkot, he and the melachim, the thirty and two melachim ozer (allied with) him.
17 And the na’arei sarei hamedinot went out first; and Ben-Hadad sent out, and they reported to him, saying, There are anashim come out from Shomron.
18 And he said, Whether they be come out for shalom, take them chayyim (alive); or whether they be come out for milchamah, take them chayyim (alive).
19 So these na’arei sarei hamedinot came out of the Ir, and the army which followed them.
20 And they struck down every ish his ish; and Aram (the Syrians) fled; and Yisroel pursued them; and Ben-Hadad Melech Aram escaped al-sus (on horse) and the parashim (cavalry).
21 And the Melech Yisroel went out, and struck down sus and chariot, and slaughtered Aram with a makkah gedolah (great slaughter).
22 And the navi came to the Melech Yisroel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest; for at the teshuvat hashanah (the turn of the year, springtime) Melech Aram will come up against thee.
23 The avadim of Melech Aram said unto him, Their elohim are elohei harim (g-ds of the hills); therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them on the plain; then surely we shall be stronger than they.
24 And do this thing: Remove the melachim, every ish from his makom (place, post), and put officers in their places;
25 And muster thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, sus for sus, and merkavah for merkavah; and we will fight against them on the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he paid heed unto their voice, and did so.
26 And it came to pass at the teshuvat hashanah, that Ben-Hadad mustered Aram, and went up to Aphek, to war against Yisroel.
27 And the Bnei Yisroel were mustered, and were all outfitted as battle-ready, and marched out to meet them; and the Bnei Yisroel encamped opposite them like two little flocks of izzim (goats); but Aram (the Syrians) filled ha’aretz.
28 And there came an Ish HaElohim, and spoke unto Melech Yisroel, and said, Thus saith Hashem, Because Aram have said, Hashem is Elohei Harim, but not Elohei Amakim (G-d of Valleys) therefore will I deliver all this hamon hagadol (vast multitude) into thine yad, and ye shall know that I am Hashem.
29 And they encamped these opposite those shivat yamim. And so it was, that in the yom hashevi’i the milchamah was joined; and the Bnei Yisroel slaughtered of Aram a hundred thousand foot soldiers in yom echad.
30 But the rest fled to Aphek, into the Ir; and there a chomah (wall) fell upon twenty and seven elef ish that were left. And Ben-Hadad fled, and went into the Ir, into cheder b’cheder (a room within a room, an inner room).
31 And his avadim said unto him, Hinei now, we have heard that the melachim of Bais Yisroel are malkhei chesed; let us, now, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the Melech Yisroel; perhaps he will save thy nefesh.
32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the Melech Yisroel, and said, Thy eved Ben-Hadad saith, Let now my nefesh live. And he said, Is he yet alive? He is achi (my brother).
33 Now the anashim did interpret this as a sign of mercy from him, and did hastily seize on it; and they said, Thy brother Ben-Hadad! Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Ben-Hadad came forth to him; and he brought him up onto the merkavah.
34 And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, which Avi took from Avicha, I will return; and thou shalt set up chutzot (market areas) for thee in Damascus, just as Avi set up in Shomron. Then said Ach’av, I will send thee [to let thee go] away with this brit (covenant). So he made a brit (covenant) with him, and sent him [to let him go] away.
35 And a certain man of the Bnei HaNevi’im said unto his re’a (neighbor) in the Devar Hashem, Strike me, now. The ish refused to strike him.
36 Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the kol Hashem, behold, thou, as soon as thou art departed from me, an aryeh shall kill thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, an aryeh found him, and killed him.
37 Then he found another ish, and said, strike me, now. And the ish struck him, so that in striking he wounded him.
38 So the navi departed, and stood waiting for HaMelech by the derech, and disguised himself with bandage over his eyes.
39 And as HaMelech passed by, he cried out unto HaMelech; and he said, Thy eved went out into the thick of the milchamah; and, hinei, an ish turned aside, and brought an ish unto me, and said, Be shomer over (guard) this ish: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy nefesh be for his nefesh, or else thou must pay a talent of kesef.
40 And while thy eved was busy here and there, he was gone. And the Melech Yisroel said unto him, So shall thy mishpat be; thyself hast decided it.
41 And he hasted, and removed the bandage from over his eyes; and Melech Yisroel recognized him that he was of the Nevi’im.
42 And he said unto him, Thus saith Hashem, Because thou hast let go out of thy yad an ish whom I appointed to cherem (utter destruction), therefore thy nefesh shall be for his nefesh, and thy people instead of his people.
43 And Melech Yisroel came to his bais sar veza’ef (sullen and dejected), and came to Shomron.
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International