| Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 1After a long time, the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year: "Go and present yourself to Ahab. I will send rain on the surface of the land." | 1Some time later, in the third year of the famine, the LORD told Elijah, "Go, make an appearance before Ahab, so I may send rain on the surface of the ground." |
| 2So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria. | 2So Elijah went to make an appearance before Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria. |
| 3Ahab called for Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. Obadiah was a man who greatly feared the LORD | 3So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who supervised the palace. (Now Obadiah was a very loyal follower of the LORD. |
| 4and took a hundred prophets and hid them, fifty men to a cave, and provided them with food and water when Jezebel slaughtered the LORD's prophets. | 4When Jezebel was killing the LORD's prophets, Obadiah took one hundred prophets and hid them in two caves in two groups of fifty. He also brought them food and water.) |
| 5Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go throughout the land to every spring 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." | 5Ahab told Obadiah, "Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grazing areas so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to kill some of the animals." |
| 6They divided the land between them in order to cover it. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went the other way by himself. | 6They divided up the land between them; Ahab went one way and Obadiah went the other. |
| 7While Obadiah was walking along the road, Elijah suddenly met him. When Obadiah recognized him, he fell facedown and said, "Is it you, my lord Elijah?" | 7As Obadiah was traveling along, Elijah met him. When he recognized him, he fell facedown to the ground and said, "Is it really you, my master, Elijah?" |
| 8"It is I," he replied. "Go tell your lord, 'Elijah is here!'" | 8He replied, "Yes, go and say to your master, 'Elijah is back.'" |
| 9But Obadiah said, "What sin have I committed, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to put me to death? | 9Obadiah said, "What sin have I committed that you are ready to hand your servant over to Ahab for execution? |
| 10As 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. | 10As certainly as the LORD your God lives, my master has sent to every nation and kingdom in an effort to find you. When they say, 'He's not here,' he makes them swear an oath that they could not find you. |
| 11"Now you say, 'Go tell your lord, "Elijah is here!"' | 11Now you say, 'Go and say to your master, "Elijah is back."' |
| 12But when I leave you, the Spirit of the LORD may carry you off 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. | 12But when I leave you, the LORD's spirit will carry you away so I can't find you. If I go tell Ahab I've seen you, he won't be able to find you and he will kill me. That would not be fair, because your servant has been a loyal follower of the LORD from my youth. |
| 13Wasn'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. | 13Certainly my master is aware of what I did when Jezebel was killing the LORD's prophets. I hid one hundred of the LORD's prophets in two caves in two groups of fifty and I brought them food and water. |
| 14Now you say, 'Go tell your lord, "Elijah is here!"' He will kill me!" | 14Now you say, 'Go and say to your master, "Elijah is back,"' but he will kill me." |
| 15Then Elijah said, "As the LORD of Armies lives, in whose presence I stand, today I will present myself to Ahab." | 15But Elijah said, "As certainly as the LORD who rules over all lives (whom I serve), I will make an appearance before him today." |
| 16Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him. Then Ahab went to meet Elijah. | 16When Obadiah went and informed Ahab, the king went to meet Elijah. |
| 17When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, "Is that you, the one ruining Israel?" | 17When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, "Is it really you, the one who brings disaster on Israel?" |
| 18He replied, "I have not ruined Israel, but you and your father's family have, because you have abandoned the LORD's commands and followed the Baals. | 18Elijah replied, "I have not brought disaster on Israel. But you and your father's dynasty have, by abandoning the LORD's commandments and following the Baals. |
| 19Now summon all Israel to meet me at Mount Carmel, along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel's table." | 19Now send out messengers and assemble all Israel before me at Mount Carmel, as well as the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah whom Jezebel supports. |
| 20So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and gathered the prophets at Mount Carmel. | 20Ahab sent messengers to all the Israelites and had the prophets assemble at Mount Carmel. |
| 21Then Elijah approached all the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him. But if Baal, follow him." But the people didn't answer him a word. | 21Elijah approached all the people and said, "How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision? If the LORD is the true God, then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!" But the people did not say a word. |
| 22Then Elijah said to the people, "I am the only remaining prophet of the LORD, but Baal's prophets are 450 men. | 22Elijah said to them: "I am the only prophet of the LORD who is left, but there are 450 prophets of Baal. |
| 23Let 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. | 23Let them bring us two bulls. Let them choose one of the bulls for themselves, cut it up into pieces, and place it on the wood. But they must not set it on fire. I will do the same to the other bull and place it on the wood. But I will not set it on fire. |
| 24Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The God who answers with fire, he is God." All the people answered, "That's fine." | 24Then you will invoke the name of your god, and I will invoke the name of the LORD. The god who responds with fire will demonstrate that he is the true God." All the people responded, "This will be a fair test." |
| 25Then 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." | 25Elijah told the prophets of Baal, "Choose one of the bulls for yourselves and go first, for you are the majority. Invoke the name of your god, but do not light a fire." |
| 26So 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; no one answered. Then they danced around the altar they had made. | 26So they took a bull, as he had suggested, and prepared it. They invoked the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, "Baal, answer us." But there was no sound and no answer. They jumped around on the altar they had made. |
| 27At noon Elijah mocked them. He said, "Shout loudly, for he's a god! Maybe he's thinking it over; maybe he has wandered away; or maybe he's on the road. Perhaps he's sleeping and will wake up!" | 27At noon Elijah mocked them, "Yell louder! After all, he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or perhaps he stepped out for a moment or has taken a trip. Perhaps he is sleeping and needs to be awakened." |
| 28They shouted loudly, and cut themselves with knives and spears, according to their custom, until blood gushed over them. | 28So they yelled louder and, in accordance with their prescribed ritual, mutilated themselves with swords and spears until their bodies were covered with blood. |
| 29All afternoon they kept on raving until the offering of the evening sacrifice, but there was no sound; no one answered, no one paid attention. | 29Throughout the afternoon they were in an ecstatic frenzy, but there was no sound, no answer, and no response. |
| 30Then 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: | 30Elijah then told all the people, "Approach me." So all the people approached him. He repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down. |
| 31Elijah took twelve 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"-- | 31Then Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of tribes that descended from Jacob, to whom the LORD had said, "Israel will be your new name." |
| 32and he built an altar with the stones in the name of the LORD. Then he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold about four gallons. | 32With the stones he constructed an altar for the LORD. Around the altar he made a trench large enough to contain two seahs of seed. |
| 33Next, 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." | 33He arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. |
| 34Then 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. | 34Then he said, "Fill four water jars and pour the water on the offering and the wood." When they had done so, he said, "Do it again." So they did it again. Then he said, "Do it a third time." So they did it a third time. |
| 35So the water ran all around the altar; he even filled the trench with water. | 35The water flowed down all sides of the altar and filled the trench. |
| 36At the time for offering the evening sacrifice, the prophet Elijah approached the altar and said, "LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, today let it be known that you are God in Israel and I am your servant, and that at your word I have done all these things. | 36When it was time for the evening offering, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and prayed: "O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. |
| 37Answer me, LORD! Answer me so that this people will know that you, the LORD, are God and that you have turned their hearts back." | 37Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are the true God and that you are winning back their allegiance." |
| 38Then the LORD'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. | 38Then fire from the LORD fell from the sky. It consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dirt, and licked up the water in the trench. |
| 39When all the people saw it, they fell facedown and said, "The LORD, he is God! The LORD, he is God!" | 39When all the people saw this, they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and said, "The LORD is the true God! The LORD is the true God!" |
| 40Then Elijah ordered them, "Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let even one of them escape." So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Wadi Kishon and slaughtered them there. | 40Elijah told them, "Seize the prophets of Baal! Don't let even one of them escape!" So they seized them, and Elijah led them down to the Kishon Valley and executed them there. |
| 41Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a rainstorm." | 41Then Elijah told Ahab, "Go on up and eat and drink, for the sound of a heavy rainstorm can be heard." |
| 42So Ahab went to eat and drink, but Elijah went up to the summit of Carmel. He bent down on the ground and put his face between his knees. | 42So Ahab went on up to eat and drink, while Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel. He bent down toward the ground and put his face between his knees. |
| 43Then 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." | 43He told his servant, "Go on up and look in the direction of the sea." So he went on up, looked, and reported, "There is nothing." Seven times Elijah sent him to look. |
| 44On the seventh time, he reported, "There's a cloud as small as a man's hand coming up from the sea." Then Elijah said, "Go and tell Ahab, 'Get your chariot ready and go down so the rain doesn't stop you.'" | 44The seventh time the servant said, "Look, a small cloud, the size of the palm of a man's hand, is rising up from the sea." Elijah then said, "Go and tell Ahab, 'Hitch up the chariots and go down, so that the rain won't overtake you.'" |
| 45In 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. | 45Meanwhile the sky was covered with dark clouds, the wind blew, and there was a heavy rainstorm. Ahab rode toward Jezreel. |
| 46The power of the LORD was on Elijah, and he tucked his mantle under his belt and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. | 46Now the LORD energized Elijah with power; he tucked his robe into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel. |
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