Elijah on Mount Carmel

After many days without rain, Yahweh told Elijah to go and show himself to Ahab, and promised to send rain on the earth. The famine was severe in Samaria. On the way, Elijah met Obadiah, who served over Ahab’s household and feared Yahweh greatly. Obadiah had hidden a hundred of Yahweh’s prophets in caves and kept them alive with bread and water. Though afraid, he went to tell Ahab that Elijah had come.

When Ahab saw Elijah, he called him the troubler of Israel. Elijah answered that Ahab and his father’s house had forsaken Yahweh’s commandments and followed the Baals. Elijah told Ahab to gather all Israel at Mount Carmel, together with the prophets of Baal and the prophets of the Asherah. Then Elijah asked the people how long they would keep wavering between two sides. The people said nothing.

Elijah proposed a test. Two bulls would be prepared, but no fire would be put under them. The prophets of Baal would call on their god, and Elijah would call on Yahweh. The God who answered by fire would show himself to be God. The people agreed. The prophets of Baal called from morning until noon, and then on until the time of the evening offering, but no one answered.

Then Elijah called the people near and repaired Yahweh’s altar with twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, whose name became Israel. He rebuilt the altar, made a trench around it, prepared the wood and bull, and had water poured over the offering three times until even the trench was filled. At the time of the evening offering, Elijah prayed that the people would know Yahweh is God in Israel and that Elijah had acted at Yahweh’s word.

Then Yahweh’s fire fell and consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, the dust, and the water in the trench. When the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said that Yahweh is God. Elijah ordered the prophets of Baal to be seized. They were taken down to the brook Kishon, and Elijah killed them there.

After this, Elijah told Ahab to eat and drink because the sound of abundant rain was coming. Elijah went to the top of Carmel, bowed to the ground, and sent his servant to look towards the sea. Six times there was nothing. The seventh time, a small cloud rose from the sea. Soon the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and a great rain fell. Yahweh’s hand was on Elijah as he ran ahead of Ahab towards Jezreel.