| Holman Christian Standard Bible | King James Bible |
| 1After a long time, the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year: "Go and present yourself to Ahab. I will send rain on the surface of the land." | 1And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. |
| 2So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria. | 2And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria. |
| 3Ahab called for Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. Obadiah was a man who greatly feared the LORD | 3And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly: |
| 4and took 100 prophets and hid them, 50 men to a cave, and provided them with food and water when Jezebel slaughtered the LORD's prophets. | 4For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) |
| 5Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go throughout the land to every spring of water and to every wadi. Perhaps we'll find grass so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to destroy any cattle." | 5And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts. |
| 6They divided the land between them in order to cover it. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went the other way by himself. | 6So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. |
| 7While Obadiah was walking along the road, Elijah suddenly met him. When Obadiah recognized him, he fell with his face to the ground and said, "Is it you, my lord Elijah?"" | 7And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah? |
| 8It is I," he replied. "Go tell your lord, 'Elijah is here!'" | 8And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. |
| 9But Obadiah said, "What sin have I committed, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to put me to death? | 9And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? |
| 10As the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent someone to search for you. When they said, 'He is not here,' he made that kingdom or nation swear they had not found you." | 10As the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not. |
| 11Now you say, 'Go tell your lord, "Elijah is here!"' | 11And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. |
| 12But when I leave you, the Spirit of the LORD may carry you off to some place I don't know. Then when I go report to Ahab and he doesn't find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared the LORD from my youth. | 12And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth. |
| 13Wasn't it reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel slaughtered the LORD's prophets? I hid 100 of the prophets of the LORD, 50 men to a cave, and I provided them with food and water. | 13Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD'S prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water? |
| 14Now you say, 'Go tell your lord, "Elijah is here!"' He will kill me!" | 14And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me. |
| 15Then Elijah said, "As the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, today I will present myself to Ahab." | 15And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day. |
| 16Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him. Then Ahab went to meet Elijah. | 16So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah. |
| 17When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, "Is that you, you destroyer of Israel?" | 17And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? |
| 18He replied, "I have not destroyed Israel, but you and your father's house have, because you have abandoned the LORD's commands and followed the Baals. | 18And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim. |
| 19Now summon all Israel to meet me at Mount Carmel, along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel's table." | 19Now 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 groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. |
| 20So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and gathered the prophets at Mount Carmel. | 20So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. |
| 21Then Elijah approached all the people and said, "How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If Yahweh is God, follow Him. But if Baal, follow him." But the people didn't answer him a word. | 21And 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. |
| 22Then Elijah said to the people, "I am the only remaining prophet of the LORD, but Baal's prophets are 450 men. | 22Then 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. |
| 23Let two bulls be given to us. They are to choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and place it on the wood but not light the fire. I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood but not light the fire. | 23Let 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: |
| 24Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Yahweh. The God who answers with fire, He is God." All the people answered, "That sounds good." | 24And 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. |
| 25Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Since you are so numerous, choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god but don't light the fire." | 25And 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. |
| 26So they took the bull that he gave them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, "Baal, answer us!" But there was no sound; no one answered. Then they danced, hobbling around the altar they had made. | 26And 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. |
| 27At noon Elijah mocked them. He said, "Shout loudly, for he's a god! Maybe he's thinking it over; maybe he has wandered away; or maybe he's on the road. Perhaps he's sleeping and will wake up!" | 27And 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. |
| 28They shouted loudly, and cut themselves with knives and spears, according to their custom, until blood gushed over them. | 28And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. |
| 29All afternoon they kept on raving until the offering of the evening sacrifice, but there was no sound; no one answered, no one paid attention. | 29And 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. |
| 30Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near me." So all the people approached him. Then he repaired the LORD's altar that had been torn down: | 30And 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. |
| 31Elijah took 12 stones--according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, "Israel will be your name"-- | 31And 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: |
| 32and he built an altar with the stones in the name of Yahweh. Then he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold about four gallons. | 32And 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. |
| 33Next, he arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. He said, "Fill four water pots with water and pour it on the offering to be burned and on the wood." | 33And 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. |
| 34Then he said, "A second time!" and they did it a second time. And then he said, "A third time!" and they did it a third time. | 34And 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. |
| 35So the water ran all around the altar; he even filled the trench with water. | 35And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. |
| 36At the time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, "Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that at Your word I have done all these things. | 36And 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. |
| 37Answer me, LORD! Answer me so that this people will know that You, Yahweh, are God and that You have turned their hearts back." | 37Hear 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. |
| 38Then Yahweh's fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. | 38Then 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. |
| 39When all the people saw it, they fell facedown and said, "Yahweh, He is God! Yahweh, He is God!" | 39And 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. |
| 40Then Elijah ordered them, "Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let even one of them escape." So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Wadi Kishon and slaughtered them there. | 40And 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. |
| 41Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a rainstorm." | 41And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. |
| 42So Ahab went to eat and drink, but Elijah went up to the summit of Carmel. He bowed down on the ground and put his face between his knees. | 42So 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, |
| 43Then he said to his servant, "Go up and look toward the sea." So he went up, looked, and said, "There's nothing." Seven times Elijah said, "Go back." | 43And 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. |
| 44On the seventh time, he reported, "There's a cloud as small as a man's hand coming from the sea." Then Elijah said, "Go and tell Ahab, 'Get your chariot ready and go down so the rain doesn't stop you.'" | 44And 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. |
| 45In a little while, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there was a downpour. So Ahab got in his chariot and went to Jezreel. | 45And 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. |
| 46The power of the LORD was on Elijah, and he tucked his mantle under his belt and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. | 46And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. |
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