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1 Kings

Elijah on Mount Carmel and the Fall of Baal's Prophets

18
Chapter 18
16 Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 And it was, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, "Are you this troubler of Israel?" 18 He said, "I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have, in that you have abandoned the commandments of the LORD and gone after the Baals." 19 And now send and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the Asherah four hundred who eat at Jezebel's table. 20 Ahab sent to all the sons of Israel and gathered the prophets to Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah drew near to all the people and said, "How long will you pass over on two branches? If the LORD is God, go after him; and if Baal, go after him." And the people did not answer him a word. 22 And he said to the people, "Elijah: I have been left, a prophet of the LORD, alone, and the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty men." 23 They shall give us two bulls, and they shall choose one bull for themselves, cut it up, and put it on the wood, but they shall not put fire to it. And I will do the other bull, put it on the wood, and I will not put fire to it. 24 You shall call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The God who answers by fire—he is God. And all the people answered and said, "The word is good." 25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one bull for yourselves from the herd and prepare it first, for you are many. Call on the name of your God, but do not put fire to it." 26 And they took the bull that he had given them and prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, "Baal, answer us!" But there was no voice and no answer, and they limped around the altar that he had made. 27 At noon Elijah mocked them and said, "Cry out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he has turned aside, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and will wake up." 28 And they cried out with a loud voice and gashed themselves according to their custom with swords and spears until blood poured out on them. 29 And it was as the passing of noon, and they prophesied until the time the sacrifice/offering went up, and there was no voice and there was no answer and there was no attention. 30 Elijah said to all the people, "Draw near to me." And all the people drew near to him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been destroyed. 31 Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, "Israel shall be your name." 32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he made a trench as the capacity of two seahs of seed around the altar. 33 And he arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and put it on the wood. 34 And he said, "Fill four jars 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. 35 And the water went around the altar, and the trench was also full of water. 36 And it was at the time of the ascending of the minchah, and Elijah the prophet approached and said, "LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, today let it be known that you are God in Israel, and I am your servant, and by your word I have done all these things." 37 Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so that this people may know that you are the LORD God and that you have turned their heart back. 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust and the water that was in the trench, licking it up. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, "The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God." 40 And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let a single one escape." And they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the wadi of Kishon and slaughtered them there. 41 And Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of abundant rain." 42 Ahab went up to eat and drink, but Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground, and put his face between his knees. 43 And he said to his servant, "Go up, please, and look toward the sea." And he went up and looked and said, "There is nothing at all." And he said, "Return seven times." 44 And it was at the seventh time, and he said, "Look—a small cloud the size of a man's palm has ascended from the sea." And he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Harness up and go down, that the rain may not restrain you.'" 45 And in a little while the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. 46 And the hand of the LORD was upon Elijah, and he girded up his loins and ran before Ahab until you enter Jezreel.