20
So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together
unto mount Carmel.
21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two
opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the
people answered him not a word. 22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I
only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and
fifty men. 23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one
bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no
fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no
fire under: 24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name
of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the
people answered and said, It is well spoken. 25 And Elijah said unto the
prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for
ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. 26 And
they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on
the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But
there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which
was made. 27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry
aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a
journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. 28 And they cried
aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the
blood gushed out upon them. 29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and
they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that
there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. 30 And Elijah
said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto
him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. 31 And Elijah
took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob,
unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: 32 And
with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench
about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. 33 And he put
the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and
said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on
the wood. 34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second
time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. 35 And
the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.
36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice,
that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of
Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy
servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. 37 Hear me, O LORD,
hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou
hast turned their heart back again. 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and
consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and
licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it,
they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he
is the God. 40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one
of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook
Kishon, and slew them there.
Elijah prays for rain.
41 And Elijah
said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of
rain. 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of
Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his
knees, 43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went
up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.
44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth
a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto
Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. 45
And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black 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 on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab
to the entrance of Jezreel.
Elijah flees to Sinai.
1
And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all
the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah,
saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the
life of one of them by to morrow about this time. 3 And when he saw that, he
arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah,
and left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day's journey into the
wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for
himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my
life; for I am not better than my fathers. 5 And as he lay and slept under a
juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and
eat. 6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a
cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. 7
And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said,
Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. 8 And he arose, and
did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty
nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
The LORD speaks to Elijah.
9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of
the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? 10 And
he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of
Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy
prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to
take it away. 11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the
LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the
mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not
in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the
earthquake: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the
fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 13 And it was so, when Elijah
heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the
entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said,
What doest thou here, Elijah? 14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the
LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant,
thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I
only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 15 And the LORD said unto
him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest,
anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou
anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah
shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. 17 And it shall come to pass, that
him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth
from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. 18 Yet I have left me seven thousand
in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which
hath not kissed him.