1After a long time, in the third year, Yahweh spoke to Elijah, saying, “Go and show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.”
2So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. There was a terrible famine in Samaria.
3Ahab called Obadiah, who was in charge of his palace. (Obadiah greatly respected Yahweh;
4because when Jezebel was killing off Yahweh’s prophets, Obadiah hid one hundred of them in two caves, fifty in each, and provided them with bread and water.)
5Ahab said to Obadiah, “Let’s go through the land to all the springs and streams. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive so we don’t lose all our animals.”
6So they divided the land between them to travel through it. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
7While Obadiah was on his way, Elijah suddenly met him. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down with his face to the ground, and asked, “Is it really you, my master Elijah?”
8Elijah answered, “Yes, it is I. Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here!’”
9Obadiah said, “How have I offended you, that you would hand your servant over to Ahab, for him to kill me?
10As surely as Yahweh your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master hasn't sent people to search for you. When they said, ‘He isn’t here,’ he made that kingdom and nation swear an oath that they hadn’t found you.
11And now you say, ‘Go, tell your master, “Elijah is here.”’
12As soon as I leave you, the Spirit of Yahweh will carry you off to some place I don’t know. Then, when I come and tell Ahab, and he can’t find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have respected Yahweh since I was young.
13Hasn’t my master been told what I did when Jezebel was killing Yahweh’s prophets? How I hid a hundred of Yahweh’s prophets in two groups of fifty in caves and provided them with bread and water?
14Now you say, ‘Go, tell your master, “Elijah is here.”’ He will kill me.”
15Elijah said, “As surely as Yahweh of Armies lives, before whom I stand, I will definitely show myself to Ahab today.”
16So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him. Then Ahab went to meet Elijah.
17When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is that you, the one who brings trouble to Israel?”
18Elijah answered, “I haven’t brought trouble to Israel; you and your father’s family have, because you have abandoned Yahweh’s commands and followed the Baals.
19Now, send for all Israel to gather to me at Mount Carmel, along with four hundred fifty prophets of Baal and four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
20So Ahab sent word to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel.
21Elijah approached all the people and said, "How long will you hesitate between two choices? If Yahweh is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, then follow him." The people did not say a word.
22Then Elijah said to the people, "I am the only prophet of Yahweh left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.
23So, let two bulls be given to us. Let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it into pieces, and place it on the wood, but don't put fire under it. I will prepare the other bull, place it on the wood, and not put fire under it.
24You call on the name of your god, and I will call on Yahweh's name. The God who answers by sending fire, he is truly God." All the people responded, "That sounds good."
25Elijah said to Baal's prophets, "Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, because there are many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not put fire under it."
26They took the bull given to them, prepared it, and called on Baal's name from morning until noon, saying, "Baal, hear us!" But there was no voice, and no one answered. They danced around the altar they had made.
27At noon, Elijah made fun of them, saying, "Shout louder! Maybe he's a god who is deep in thought, or he's gone somewhere, or he's on a trip, or perhaps he's asleep and needs to be woken up."
28They shouted louder and cut themselves with knives and spears, as was their custom, until blood gushed out on them.
29When midday passed, they continued their prophetic cries until the time of the evening sacrifice, but there was no voice, no answer, and no one paid attention.
30Elijah said to all the people, "Come closer to me!" And all the people came closer to him. He repaired Yahweh's altar that had been torn down.
31Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes of Jacob. Yahweh had told Jacob, "Israel will be your name."
32With the stones, he built an altar in honor of Yahweh. Around the altar, he dug a trench large enough to hold about two gallons of seed.
33He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces, and placed it on the wood. He said, "Fill four jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood."
34He said, "Do it a second time," and they did it a second time. He said, "Do it a third time," and they did it a third time.
35The water flowed all around the altar, and he also filled the trench with water.
36At the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came forward and said, "Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your command.
37Answer me, Yahweh, answer me, so that these people may know that you, Yahweh, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back again."
38Then Yahweh's fire fell and burned up the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It also dried up the water in the trench.
39When all the people saw this, they fell to the ground and cried out, "Yahweh—he is God! Yahweh—he is God!"
40Elijah told them, "Seize the prophets of Baal! Don't let a single one escape!" So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon Brook and killed them there.
41Elijah told Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink, because I hear the sound of heavy rain."
42So Ahab went up to eat and drink. Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel, and he bent down to the ground, putting his face between his knees.
43He told his servant, "Go up now and look toward the sea." The servant went up, looked, and reported, "There's nothing there." Elijah told him to "Go again" seven times.
44On the seventh time, the servant said, "Look! A small cloud, about the size of a man’s hand, is rising out of the sea." Elijah said, "Go up and tell Ahab, 'Get ready and go down, so the rain doesn't stop you.'"
45Soon after, the sky turned black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. Ahab rode his chariot and went to Jezreel.
46The power of Yahweh was on Elijah; he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to the entrance of Jezreel.