Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

18 A long time passed. Then, in the third year, the word of Adonai came to Eliyahu: “Go, present yourself to Ach’av, and I will send rain down on the land.” ² When Eliyahu went to present himself to Ach’av, the famine in Shomron had become severe. ³ Ach’av called ‘Ovadyah, who was in charge of the palace. Now ‘Ovadyah greatly revered Adonai; ⁴ for example, when Izevel was murdering Adonai’s prophets, ‘Ovadyah took a hundred prophets, hid them in two caves, fifty in each, and supplied them with food and water. ⁵ Ach’av said to ‘Ovadyah, “Go throughout the land, and check all the springs and vadis; maybe we can find grass somewhere, so that we can keep the horses and mules alive and not lose all the animals.” ⁶ So they divided between them the territory to be visited; Ach’av went one way by himself, and ‘Ovadyah went another way by himself.

⁷ ‘Ovadyah was on the road when suddenly Eliyahu encountered him. ‘Ovadyah recognized him, fell on his face and said, “Is it really you, my lord Eliyahu?” ⁸ He answered, “Yes, it is I; go, tell your master, ‘Eliyahu is here.’” ⁹ ‘Ovadyah replied, “How have I sinned, that you would hand your servant over to Ach’av to kill me? ¹⁰ As Adonai your God lives, there can’t be a single nation or kingdom where my master hasn’t sent to search you out; and in each kingdom or nation where they said, ‘He isn’t here,’ he made them take an oath that they hadn’t found you. ¹¹ Now you say, ‘Go tell your master, “Eliyahu is here.”’ ¹² But as soon as I leave you, the Spirit of Adonai will carry you off to I don’t know where; so that when I come and tell Ach’av, and he can’t find you, he will kill me. But I your servant have revered Adonai from my youth — ¹³ wasn’t my lord told what I did when Izevel killed Adonai’s prophets, how I hid a hundred of Adonai’s prophets by fifties in caves and supplied their food and water? ¹⁴ Now you say, ‘Go tell your master, “Look, Eliyahu is here.”’ Why, he’ll kill me!” ¹⁵ Eliyahu said, “As Adonai-Tzva’ot lives, before whom I stand, I will present myself to him today.”

¹⁶ So ‘Ovadyah went, found Ach’av and told him; and Ach’av went to meet Eliyahu. ¹⁷ When Ach’av saw Eliyahu, Ach’av said to him, “Is it really you, you troubler of Isra’el?” ¹⁸ He answered, “I haven’t troubled Isra’el, you have, you and your father’s house, by abandoning Adonai’s mitzvot and following the ba‘alim. ¹⁹ Now order all Isra’el to assemble before me on Mount Karmel, along with the 450 prophets of Ba‘al and the 400 prophets of the asherah who eat at Izevel’s table.”

³¹ He went down to K’far-Nachum, a town in the Galil, and made a practice of teaching them on Shabbat. ³² They were amazed at the way he taught, because his word carried the ring of authority.

³³ In the synagogue there was a man who had an unclean demonic spirit, who shouted in a loud voice, ³⁴ “Yaah! What do you want with us, Yeshua from Natzeret? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God!” ³⁵ But Yeshua rebuked it: “Be quiet, and come out of him!” The demonic spirit threw the man down in the middle of the crowd and came out of him, having done him no harm. ³⁶ They were all astounded and said to one another, “What kind of teaching is this? Why, he gives orders with power and authority to the unclean spirits, and they come out!” ³⁷ And reports about him went out through the whole surrounding district.