3 Kingdoms 18

1So Ahab said to Obadiah, 'Let us go into the land, to the springs of water and brooks. Perhaps we will find grass to keep the horses and mules alive, so none of the livestock dies.'

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2So to explore it, they divided the path between them. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

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3Now Obadiah was alone on his way, and Elijah came alone to meet him. Obadiah quickly fell on his face in Elijah's presence and said, 'My lord Elijah, is that you?'

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4Elijah replied, 'It is I; go, tell your master, 'Behold, Elijah is here.' '

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5So Obadiah said, 'What sin did I commit for you to give me, your servant, into the hand of Ahab to put me to death?

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6As the Lord your God lives, there is not a nation or kingdom where my master has not sent to hunt you. If they said, 'He is not here,' then he set fire to the kingdom and its territories, because he did not find you.

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7So now you say to me, 'Go, tell your master, 'Behold, Elijah is here' '!

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8But if I so do, it shall come to pass, when I leave you, the Spirit of the Lord shall carry you to a land I do not know. Moreover, when I go and report this to Ahab, he will kill me. Yet your servant fears the Lord from his youth.

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9Was it not reported to you, my lord, as to 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?

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10But now you say to me, 'Go, tell your master, 'Behold, Elijah is here,' ' but he will kill me.'

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11Then Elijah said, 'As the Lord of hosts lives before whom I stand, today I will appear to him.'

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12So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab ran out and went to meet Elijah.

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13When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, 'Are you the one who is troubling Israel?'

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14Elijah answered, 'I have not troubled Israel, but rather you and the house of your father, in that you forsook the Lord your God and followed after the Baals.

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15Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of shame, and the four hundred prophets of the sacred groves who eat at Jezebel's table.'

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16So Ahab went back to Israel and gathered all the prophets on Mount Carmel.

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17Then Elijah came near to all of them and said, 'How long will you be undecided between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him, but if Baal, follow him.' But the people did not answer.

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18Then Elijah said to the people, 'I alone remain as a prophet of the Lord, but there are four hundred and fifty men who are prophets of Baal and four hundred prophets of the sacred groves.

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19Let them give us two oxen. Then let them choose one bull for themselves, to be cut into pieces and laid on the wood; but they shall not light a fire under it. I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood; and I will not light a fire under it.

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20Then you will call loudly on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord, my God. So it shall come to pass that the God who answers by fire, He is God.' So all the people answered and said, 'The word you have spoken is good.'

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21Then Elijah said to the prophets of shame, 'Choose one calf for yourselves and prepare it, for there are many of you. Then call on the name of your god, but do not put fire to the wood under it.'

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22So they took a calf and prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, 'Hear us, O Baal, hear us.' But there was no voice, for no one answered, and they ran about the altar they had made.

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23Then it came to pass at noon that Elijah the Tishbite mocked them and said, 'Cry out with a loud voice, for he is a god; for either he is away meditating, or he is too busy, or preoccupied with other business. Perhaps he is sleeping and has need to be awakened from his nap.'

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24So they cried aloud and cut themselves with knives and lances, as is their custom, until blood gushes forth.

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25They prophesied until early evening, until the appointed time to offer the evening sacrifice. But even still, there was no voice. Finally, Elijah the Tishbite spoke to the prophets of the idols, saying, 'Now remove yourselves from this place, for I will offer my whole burnt offering.' And they turned away and departed.

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26Then Elijah said to the people, 'Come near me.' So all the people came near to him.

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27Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of Israel, for the Lord said, 'Israel shall be your name.'

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28Then he built an altar with the stones in the name of the Lord, and he repaired the altar of sacrifice that was scattered about, and around the altar he made a furrow holding two measures of seed.

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29He piled the firewood on the altar he had made, divided the whole burnt offering, laid it on the firewood, and laid it in order on the altar.

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30Then he said, 'Bring me four pots of water, and pour it on the whole burnt offering and pour it on the unlit firewood.' They did so. Again Elijah said, 'Do it a second time.' So they did it again. Again he said, 'Do it a third time.' So they did it a third time.

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31And the water ran all about the altar, and even the furrow became filled with water.

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32After this, Elijah cried out to heaven and said, 'O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, answer me, O Lord, answer me this day with fire, and let this people know You are the God of Israel, and I am Your servant; and for Your sake I do all these works.

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33Hear me, O Lord, hear me with fire, and let these people know You are the Lord God, so as turn the heart of this people back.'

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34Then fire fell from the Lord out of the heaven and consumed the whole burnt offering, the firewood, and the water in the furrow. The fire also licked up the stones and the soil.

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35So all the people fell on their faces, and they said, 'Truly, the Lord is God; He is God.'

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36Elijah then said to the people, 'Seize the prophets of Baal. Let not one of them escape.' So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon, where he slaughtered them.

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37After this, Elijah said to Ahab, 'Go up and eat and drink, for there is a sound of rain.'

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38So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, where he bowed down on the ground and put his face between his knees.

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39He said to his servant, 'Go up and look toward the sea.' So the servant went up, and looked and said, 'There is nothing.' Then Elijah said, 'Go again seven times, and return to me seven times.'

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40So it came to pass that on the seventh time he said, 'Behold, a little cloud, like the footprint of a man, bringing up water.' So Elijah said, 'Go up, say to Ahab, 'Make ready your chariot and get down from here before the rain overcomes you.' '

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41Thus it came to pass that the sky darkened with black clouds and wind, and there was a heavy downpour of rain. But Ahab mourned and went to Jezreel.

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42Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab as far as Jezreel.

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43Now Ahab told Jezebel his wife everything Elijah did, and how he put to death the prophets with the sword.

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44Then Jezebel sent to Elijah, saying, 'If you are Elijah and I this Jezebel, may God do so to me and more also if at this hour tomorrow, I do not make your life like the life of one of them.'

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45Elijah was fearful, and he arose and ran for his life. He came to Beersheba of Judah, where he left his servant.

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46But Elijah himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat under a juniper tree. He prayed concerning his life, that he might die, and said, 'I pray it be enough, O Lord. Now take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.'

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