1 Kings

1 Kings 18 ©

1 In the extremity of the famine Elijah is sent to meet Ahab. 3 Ahab and Obadiah go different ways in search of pasture for the cattle. 7 Elijah meeteth Obadiah, and sendeth him to call Ahab. 18 Ahab, after receiving a reproof, by Elijah's direction gathereth together all the prophets of Baal. 21 Elijah proposeth to decide by a sign from heaven between the Lord and Baal. 25 Baal's prophets invoke him in vain. 30 Elijah praying is answered by fire from heaven: the people own the Lord to be God: Baal's prophets are slain. 41 Elijah giveth Ahab notice of rain, which he obtaineth by prayer, and runneth before Ahab to Jezreel.

1

AND it came to pass after amany days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the bthird year, saying, cGo, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I dwill send rain upon the earth.

a Lu. 4.25. Ja. 5.17. ch. 17.1.
b ch. 17.9,15.
c v.18-41.
d De. 28.12,22,23. Le. 26.4. Am. 4.7. Mal. 3.10. Zec. 10.1. Job 5.10.
2

And Elijah went eto shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a *sore famine in Samaria.

e He. 13.5,6. Ps. 119.46; 56.4.
3

And Ahab called 1Obadiah, which was 2the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah ffeared the LORD greatly:

f Ge. 42.18. Ne. 7.2. 2Ki. 4.1. Pr. 14.27; 28.14. Mal. 3.16. Ac. 10.2; 24.16.
4

For it was so, when 3Jezebel gcut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and hfed them with bread and water.)

g Re. 17.4-6.
h v.13. Mat. 10.40-42; 25.35. Is. 33.16.
5

And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find igrass to save the horses and mules alive, 4that we lose not all the beasts.

i Job 8.11,12. Ps. 104.14.
6

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

j Je. 14.3.
7

¶And as Obadiah was kin the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and lfell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah?

k ch. 11.29. 2Ki. 1.8.
l Ge. 18.2; 50.18. 1Sa. 20.41. 2Sa. 19.18. 1Ti. 5.17.
8

And he answered him, I am : go, tell thy mlord, Behold, Elijah is here.

m v.3.
9

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

n v.12. ch. 17.18. Lu. 5.8. Mat. 14.31. Mar. 5.36.
10

As othe LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, pwhither 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.

o Ju. 8.19. Ru. 3.13. 1Sa. 14.39; 19.6; 29.6. ch. 1.29; 2.24; 7.1,12. v.15.
p Ps. 10.2; 69.26. Je. 26.20-23. Jn. 5.16.
11

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

12

And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the LORD shall qcarry 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 rfrom my youth.

q 2Ki. 2.11,16. Eze. 3.12,14; 8.3. Ac. 8.39.
r 2Ch. 34.3. 2Ti. 3.15. 1Sa. 1.27,28. Ps. 71.17.
13

Was it not told my lord swhat 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?

s v.4. Mat. 10.40-42; 25.35.
14

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

15

And Elijah said, As the tLORD of hosts liveth, before whom uI stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day.

t Ge. 2.1. De. 4.29. Ps. 103.21; 148.2; 24.9,10.
u ch. 17.1. Ge. 18.22. De. 1.38; 18.5.
16

So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

17

¶And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, vArt thou he that wtroubleth Israel?

v ch. 21.20.
w Jos. 6.18; 7.25. Lu. 23.2. Ac. 16.20; 17.6; 24.5; 2.36,37. Am. 7.10.
18

And he answered, I xhave not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and ythou hast followed Baalim.

x Ac. 24.13. Mat. 14.4. Eze. 3.8. 2Sa. 12.7. 1Sa. 12.25. Pr. 11.19; 13.21. Is. 3.11. Ro. 2.8,9.
y ch. 16.31.
19

Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount zCarmel, and the aprophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at bJezebel's table.

a 2Pe. 2.1. ch. 16.33; 15.13; 22.6. 2Ki. 13.6; 10.19.
b 2Ki. 3.13.
z Jos. 19.26.
20

So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and cgathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

c ch. 22.6.
21

And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, dHow long halt ye between two 5opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered ehim not a word.

d Mat. 6.24. 2Co. 6.14. Re. 3.15. Jos. 24.15.
e Ro. 3.19,20; 6.21. Ge. 44.16. Job 40.4; 9.3. Mat. 22.12.
22

Then said Elijah unto the people, I, feven I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are gfour hundred and fifty men.

f ch. 19.10,14.
g v.19,20. ch. 22.6. Re. 9.3.
23

Let 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 :

24

And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that hanswereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, 6It is well spoken.

h Le. 9.24. 1Ch. 21.26. 2Ch. 7.1. Ju. 6.20,21; 13.19,20. v.38.
25

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 gods, but put no fire under.

26

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, 7hear us. But there was ino voice, nor any that 8answered. And they 9leaped upon the altar which was made.

i Ps. 115.5. Is. 44.17; 45.20. Je. 10.5,14,15. Hab. 2.18,19. 1Co. 12.2; 8.4.
27

And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah jmocked them, and said, Cry 10aloud: for he is a god; either 11he is talking, or he 12is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or *peradventure he sleepeth, kand must be awaked.

j ch. 22.15. 2Ch. 25.8. Ec. 11.9. La. 4.21. Am. 4.4,5. Eze. 20.39.
k Ps. 121.4.
28

And they cried aloud, and lcut themselves after their *manner with knives and lancets, till 13the blood gushed out upon them.

l Le. 19.28. De. 14.1. Mi. 6.7. Eze. 16.36.
29

And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they mprophesied until the time of the 14offering of nthe evening sacrifice, that there was oneither voice, nor any to answer, nor any 15that regarded.

m 1Sa. 18.10. ch. 22.10. Ac. 16.16,17.
n Ex. 29.41. Ac. 3.1.
o Je. 10.15. Ps. 115.4-7; 135.15-18. 2Ti. 3.9. 1Co. 8.4; 12.2. Is. 45.20; 46.1,2. Hab. 2.19.
30

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 the LORD that was pbroken down.

p ch. 19.10,14. 2Ki. 16.17.
31

And Elijah took qtwelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, rIsrael shall be thy name:

q Jos. 4.20. Ezr. 6.17. Ex. 24.4; 1.2-5. 1Co. 1.10. Ep. 4.3-6.
r Ge. 32.28. 2Ki. 17.34.
32

And with the stones he sbuilt 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.

s Ju. 21.4. 1Sa. 7.9,17. 1Co. 10.31. Col. 3.17. 1Pe. 2.4,5. Mi. 4.5. v.36.
33

And he tput the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and upour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

t Ge. 22.9. Le. 1.6,7.
u Ju. 6.20.
34

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.

35

And the water 16ran round about the altar; and he filled the vtrench also with water.

v v.32,38.
36

And it came to pass wat the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, xLORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, ylet it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that zI have done all these things at thy word.

w Ezr. 9.5. Ex. 29.39,41.
x Ge. 26.24. Ex. 3.6. 1Ch. 29.18. ch. 20.13. Jos. 4.24. 1Sa. 17.46.
y Ps. 9.16; 58.11; 83.18. Jos. 24.17,23. Ex. 32.16. Jn. 3.2. He. 2.4.
z Nu. 16.28.
37

aHear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast bturned their heart back again.

a v.24,29,36. Phi. 4.6. Jn. 14.13,14. Ps. 65.2.
b Je. 10.23; 31.18. 1Th. 1.9.
38

Then cthe 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.

c Le. 9.24. Ju. 6.21. 1Ch. 21.26. 2Ch. 7.1.
39

And when all the people saw it, they dfell on their faces: and ethey said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.

d Le. 9.24. Ju. 13.20. 1Ch. 21.16.
e v.24. Ho. 6.4. Jn. 5.35.
40

And Elijah said unto them, 17Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook fKishon, and slew them there.

f Ju. 4.7,13; 5.21. Ps. 83.9,10.
41

¶And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, geat and drink; for there is 18a sound of abundance of rain.

g Jos. 7.6. 2Sa. 21.14. Ac. 27.34. Ec. 9.7.
42

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

h Mat. 17.1. Ac. 10.9.
i 2Sa. 7.27. Da. 9.2,3. Eze. 36.36,37. Ps. 50.15; 91.15. Phi. 4.6. 2Ki. 4.34,35. Ja. 5.18.
43

And said to his servant, jGo up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, kGo again seven times.

j Ps. 5.3. Lu. 18.1-6; 11.8.
k Ge. 32.26. Hab. 2.3. Lu. 18.1. Ep. 6.18. He. 10.36,37.
44

And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth la little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, 19Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.

l Zec. 4.10; 10.1. Job 8.7. Is. 60.22. Lu. 12.54.
45

And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and mthere was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to nJezreel.

m Nu. 16.50; 25.8. 2Sa. 21.14. v.39,40. Ja. 5.16. Mal. 3.10. Joel 2.23. Je. 10.13; 51.16. Job 37.6.
n Jos. 19.13. ch. 21.1.
46

And the ohand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he pgirded up his loins, and ran before Ahab 20to the entrance of Jezreel.

o 2Ki. 3.15. Eze. 1.3; 3.14.
p 2Ki. 9.1. Je. 1.17. 1Pe. 1.13. He. 12.1.