NET Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

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."

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 make an appearance before Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria.

2So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria.

3So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who supervised the palace. (Now Obadiah was a very loyal follower of the LORD.

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

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.)

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 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."

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 up the land between them; Ahab went one way and Obadiah went the other.

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

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?"

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?"

8He replied, "Yes, go and say to your master, 'Elijah is back.'"

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

9Obadiah said, "What sin have I committed that you are ready to hand your servant over to Ahab for execution?

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

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.

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 and say to your master, "Elijah is back."'

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

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.

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.

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.

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 and say to your master, "Elijah is back,"' but he will kill me."

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

15But Elijah said, "As certainly as the LORD who rules over all lives (whom I serve), I will make an appearance before him today."

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

16When Obadiah went and informed Ahab, the king went to meet Elijah.

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

17When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, "Is it really you, the one who brings disaster on Israel?"

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

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.

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 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.

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."

20Ahab sent messengers to all the Israelites and had the prophets assemble at Mount Carmel.

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

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.

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.

22Elijah said to them: "I am the only prophet of the LORD who is left, but there are 450 prophets of Baal.

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

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.

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 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."

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."

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."

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 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.

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, "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."

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."

28So they yelled louder and, in accordance with their prescribed ritual, mutilated themselves with swords and spears until their bodies were covered with blood.

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.

29Throughout the afternoon they were in an ecstatic frenzy, but there was no sound, no answer, and no response.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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."

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.

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.

33He arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood.

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

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.

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.

35The water flowed down all sides of the altar and filled the trench.

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

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.

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, 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."

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 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.

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 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!"

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

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.

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.

41Then Elijah told Ahab, "Go on up and eat and drink, for the sound of a heavy rainstorm can be heard."

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.'"

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.'"

45Meanwhile the sky was covered with dark clouds, the wind blew, and there was a heavy rainstorm. Ahab rode toward 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.

46Now the LORD energized Elijah with power; he tucked his robe into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

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

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