Holman Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

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."

1Now it happened after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, "Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the face of the earth."

2So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria.

2So Elijah went to show himself to 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

3Ahab called Obadiah who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly;

4and took 100 prophets and hid them, 50 men to a cave, and provided them with food and water when Jezebel slaughtered the LORD's prophets.

4for when Jezebel destroyed the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water.)

5Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go throughout the land to every spring of water 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."

5Then Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys; perhaps we will find grass and keep the horses and mules alive, and not have to kill some of the cattle."

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.

6So they divided the land between them to survey it; Ahab went one way by himself and Obadiah went another way by himself.

7While Obadiah was walking along the road, Elijah suddenly met him. When Obadiah recognized him, he fell with his face to the ground and said, "Is it you, my lord Elijah?""

7Now as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him, and he recognized him and fell on his face and said, "Is this you, Elijah my master?"

8It is I," he replied. "Go tell your lord, 'Elijah is here!'"

8He said to him, "It is I. Go, say to your master, 'Behold, Elijah is here.'"

9But Obadiah said, "What sin have I committed, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to put me to death?

9He said, "What sin have I committed, that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab to put me to death?

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."

10"As the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent to search for you; and when they said, 'He is not here,' he made the kingdom or nation swear that they could not find you.

11Now you say, 'Go tell your lord, "Elijah is here!"'

11"And now you are saying, 'Go, say to your master, "Behold, Elijah is here."'

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.

12"It will come about when I leave you that the Spirit of the LORD will carry you where I do not know; so when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me, although I your servant have feared the LORD from my youth.

13Wasn't it reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel slaughtered the LORD's prophets? I hid 100 of the prophets of the LORD, 50 men to a cave, and I provided them with food and water.

13"Has it not been told to my master what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD, that I hid a hundred prophets of the LORD by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water?

14Now you say, 'Go tell your lord, "Elijah is here!"' He will kill me!"

14"And now you are saying, 'Go, say to your master, "Behold, Elijah is here"'; he will then kill me."

15Then Elijah said, "As the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, today I will present myself to Ahab."

15Elijah said, "As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today."

16Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him. Then Ahab went to meet Elijah.

16So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

17When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, "Is that you, you destroyer of Israel?"

17When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, "Is this you, you troubler of Israel?"

18He replied, "I have not destroyed Israel, but you and your father's house have, because you have abandoned the LORD's commands and followed the Baals.

18He said, "I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have, because you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and you have followed 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."

19"Now then send and gather to me all Israel at Mount Carmel, together with 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table."

20So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and gathered the prophets at Mount Carmel.

20So Ahab sent a message among all the sons of Israel and brought the prophets together at Mount Carmel.

21Then Elijah approached all the people and said, "How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If Yahweh is God, follow Him. But if Baal, follow him." But the people didn't answer him a word.

21Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people did not answer him a word.

22Then Elijah said to the people, "I am the only remaining prophet of the LORD, but Baal's prophets are 450 men.

22Then Elijah said to the people, "I alone am left a prophet of the LORD, but Baal's prophets are 450 men.

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.

23"Now let them give us two oxen; and let them choose one ox for themselves and cut it up, and place it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other ox and lay it on the wood, and I will not put a fire under it.

24Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Yahweh. The God who answers with fire, He is God." All the people answered, "That sounds good."

24"Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD, and the God who answers by fire, He is God." And all the people said, "That is a good idea."

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."

25So Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one ox for yourselves and prepare it first for you are many, and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it."

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, hobbling around the altar they had made.

26Then they took the ox which was given them and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon saying, "O Baal, answer us." But there was no voice and no one answered. And they leaped about the altar which they 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!"

27It came about at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, "Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep 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 cried with a loud voice and cut themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them.

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.

29When midday was past, they raved until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice; but there was no voice, no one answered, and no one paid attention.

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:

30Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD which had been torn down.

31Elijah took 12 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"--

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 shall be your name."

32and he built an altar with the stones in the name of Yahweh. Then he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold about four gallons.

32So with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he made a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two measures 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."

33Then he arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces and laid 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.

34And he said, "Fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood." And he said, "Do it a second time," and they did it a second time. And he said, "Do it a third time," and they did it a third time.

35So the water ran all around the altar; he even filled the trench with water.

35The water flowed around the altar and he also filled the trench with water.

36At the time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, "Yahweh, 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.

36At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said, "O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have done all these things at Your word.

37Answer me, LORD! Answer me so that this people will know that You, Yahweh, are God and that You have turned their hearts back."

37"Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again."

38Then Yahweh'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 the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

39When all the people saw it, they fell facedown and said, "Yahweh, He is God! Yahweh, He is God!"

39When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is 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.

40Then Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape." So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

41Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a rainstorm."

41Now Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower."

42So Ahab went to eat and drink, but Elijah went up to the summit of Carmel. He bowed down on the ground and put his face between his knees.

42So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he crouched down on the earth 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 said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up and looked and said, "There is nothing." And he said, "Go back " seven times.

44On the seventh time, he reported, "There's a cloud as small as a man's hand coming from the sea." Then Elijah said, "Go and tell Ahab, 'Get your chariot ready and go down so the rain doesn't stop you.'"

44It came about at the seventh time, that he said, "Behold, a cloud as small as a man's hand is coming up from the sea." And he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop 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.

45In a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower. And Ahab rode and went to 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.

46Then the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and outran Ahab to Jezreel.

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org