18:001

And it came to pass after many days, that the word of HaShem came to Elijah, in the third year, saying: 'Go, show thyself unto Ahab, and I will send rain upon the land.

18:002

And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. And the famine was sore in Samaria

18:003

And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. --Now Obadiah feared HaShem greatly

18:004

for it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of HaShem, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.-

18:005

And Ahab said unto Obadiah: 'Go through the land, unto all the springs of water, and unto all the brooks; peradventure we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.

18:006

So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself

18:007

And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him; and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said: 'Is it thou, my lord Elijah?

18:008

And he answered him: 'It is I; go, tell thy lord: Behold, Elijah is here.

18:009

And he said: 'Wherein have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me

18:010

As HaShem thy G-d liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee; and when they said: He is not here, he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not

18:011

And now thou sayest: Go, tell thy lord: Behold, Elijah is here

18:012

And it will come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the spirit of HaShem will carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he will slay me; but I thy servant fear HaShem from my youth

18:013

Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of HaShem, how I hid a hundred men of HaShem'S prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water

18:014

And now thou sayest: Go, tell thy lord: Behold, Elijah is here; and he will slay me.

18:015

And Elijah said: 'As HaShem of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him to-day.

18:016

So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah

18:017

And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him: 'Is it thou, thou troubler of Israel?

18:018

And be answered: 'I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of HaShem, and thou hast followed the Baalim

18:019

Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the Asherah four hundred, that eat at Jezebel's table.

18:020

And Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel

18:021

And Elijah came near unto all the people, and said: 'How long halt ye between two opinions? if HaShem be G-d, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.' And the people answered him not a word

18:022

Then said Elijah unto the people: 'I, even I only, am left a prophet of HaShem; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men

18:023

Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under; and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under

18:024

And call ye on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of HaShem; and the G-d that answereth by fire, let him be G-d.' And all the people answered and said: 'It is well spoken.

18:025

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 god, but put no fire under.

18:026

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, answer us.' But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they danced in halting wise about the altar which was made

18:027

And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said: 'Cry aloud; for he is a god; either he is musing, or he is gone aside, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

18:028

And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with swords and lances, till the blood gushed out upon them

18:029

And it was so, when midday was past, that they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening offering; but their was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded

18:030

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 HaShem that was thrown down

18:031

And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of HaShem came, saying: 'Israel shall be thy name.

18:032

And with the stones he built an altar in the name of HaShem; and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed

18:033

And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid it on the wood

18:034

And he said: 'Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt-offering, and on the wood.' 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

18:035

And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water

18:036

And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening offering, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said: 'O HaShem, the G-d of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that Thou art G-d in Israel, and that I am Thy servant, and that I have done all these things at Thy word

18:037

Hear me, O HaShem, hear me, that this people may know that Thou, HaShem, art G-d, for Thou didst turn their heart backward.

18:038

Then the fire of HaShem 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

18:039

And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said: 'The HaShem, He is G-d; HaShem, He is G-d.

18:040

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

18:041

And Elijah said unto Ahab: 'Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.

18:042

So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees

18:043

And he 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.

18:044

And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said: 'Behold, there ariseth a cloud out of the sea, as small as a man's hand.' And he said: 'Go up, say unto Ahab: Make ready thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.

18:045

And it came to pass in a little while, that the heaven grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel

18:046

And the hand of HaShem was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel