1Kings:18

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* And it came to pass after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah , in the third year , saying , "Go , present yourself to Ahab , and I will send rain on the earth ." * So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab ; and there was a severe famine in Samaria . * And Ahab had called Obadiah , who was in charge of his house . (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly . * For so it was , while Jezebel massacred the prophets of the LORD , that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them , fifty to a cave , and had fed them with bread and water .) * And Ahab had said to Obadiah , "Go into the land to all the springs of water and to all the brooks ; perhaps we may find grass to keep the horses and mules alive , so that we will not have to kill any livestock ." * So they divided the land between them to explore it ; Ahab went one way by himself , and Obadiah went another way by himself . * Now as Obadiah was on his way , suddenly Elijah met him ; and he recognized him , and fell on his face , and said , "Is that you , my lord Elijah ?" * And he answered him , "It is I . Go , tell your master , "Elijah is here ."' * So he said , "How have I sinned , that you are delivering your servant into the hand of Ahab , to kill me ? * As the LORD your God lives , there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to hunt for you ; and when they said , "He is not here ,' he took an oath from the kingdom or nation that they could not find you . * And now you say , "Go , tell your master , "Elijah is here "'! * And it shall come to pass , as soon as I am gone from you , that the Spirit of the LORD will carry you to a place I do not know ; so when I go and tell Ahab , and he cannot find you , he will kill me . But I your servant have feared the LORD from my youth . * Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD , how I hid one hundred men of the LORD 's prophets , fifty to a cave , and fed them with bread and water ? * And now you say , "Go , tell your master , "Elijah is here ."' He will kill me !" * Then Elijah said , "As the LORD of hosts lives , before whom I stand , I will surely present myself to him today ." * So Obadiah went to meet Ahab , and told him ; and Ahab went to meet Elijah . * Then it happened , when Ahab saw Elijah , that Ahab said to him , "Is that you , O troubler of Israel ?" * And he answered , "I have not troubled Israel , but you and your father 's house have , in that you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals . * Now therefore , send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel , the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal , and the four hundred prophets of Asherah , who eat at Jezebel 's table ." * So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel , and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel . * And Elijah came to all the people , and said , "How long will you falter between two opinions ? If the LORD is God , follow Him ; but if Baal , follow him ." But the people answered him not a word . * Then Elijah said to the people , "I alone am left a prophet of the LORD ; but Baal 's prophets are four hundred and fifty men . * Therefore let them give us two bulls ; and let them choose one bull for themselves , cut it in pieces , and lay it on the wood , but put no fire under it ; and I will prepare the other bull , and lay it on the wood , but put no fire under it . * Then you call on the name of your gods , and I will call on the name of the LORD ; and the God who answers by fire , He is God ." So all the people answered and said , "It is well spoken ." * Now Elijah said to the prophets of Baal , "Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first , for you are many ; and call on the name of your god , but put no fire under it ." * So they took the bull which was given them , and they prepared it , and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon , saying , "O Baal , hear us !" But there was no voice ; no one answered . Then they leaped about the altar which they had made . * And so it was , at noon , that Elijah mocked them and said , "Cry aloud , for he is a god ; either he is meditating , or he is busy , or he is on a journey , or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened ." * So they cried aloud , and cut themselves , as was their custom , with knives and lances , until the blood gushed out on them . * And when midday was past , they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice . But there was no voice ; no one answered , no one paid attention . * Then 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 that was broken down . * And Elijah 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 ." * Then 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 seahs of seed . * And he put the wood in order , cut the bull in pieces , and laid it on the wood , and said , "Fill four waterpots with water , and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood ." * Then 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 . * So the water ran all around the altar ; and he also filled the trench with water . * 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 Israel , let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant , and that I have done all these things at Your word . * Hear me , O LORD , hear me , that this people may know that You are the LORD God , and that You have turned their hearts back to You again ." * Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice , and the wood and the stones and the dust , and it licked up the water that was in the trench . * Now when all the people saw it , they fell on their faces ; and they said , "The LORD , He is God ! The LORD , He is God !" * And 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 executed them there . * Then Elijah said to Ahab , "Go up , eat and drink ; for there is the sound of abundance of rain ." * So Ahab went up to eat and drink . And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel ; then he bowed down on the ground , and put his face between his knees , * and said to his servant , "Go up now , look toward the sea ." So he went up and looked , and said , "There is nothing ." And seven times he said , "Go again ." * Then it came to pass the seventh time , that he said , "There is a cloud , as small as a man 's hand , rising out of the sea !" So he said , "Go up , say to Ahab , "Prepare your chariot , and go down before the rain stops you ."' * Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind , and there was a heavy rain . So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel . * Then the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah ; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel .

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