1 Kings 18:19-46

¹⁹ "Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel,
 the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of
Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table."

²⁰ So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together
on Mount Carmel.

²¹ And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If
Yahweh is Elohim, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word.

²² Then Elijah said to the people, "I alone am left a prophet of Yahweh; but Baal's prophets
 are four hundred and fifty men.

²³ "Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces,
 and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood,
 but put no fire under it.

²⁴ "Then you call on the name of your elohims, and I will call on the name of Yahweh; and the Elohim
who answers by fire, He is Elohim." So all the people answered and said, "It is well spoken."

²⁵ Now Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for
you are many; and call on the name of your elohim, but put no fire under it."

²⁶ So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of
Baal from morning even till noon, saying, "O Baal, hear us!" But there was no voice; no one answered.
 Then they leaped about the altar which they had made.

²⁷ And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, "Cry aloud, for he is an elohim; either
he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened."

²⁸ So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood
gushed out on them.

²⁹ And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice.
But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.

³⁰ Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." So all the people came near to him.
And he repaired the altar of Yahweh that was broken down.

³¹ And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob,
to whom the word of Yahweh had come, saying, "Israel shall be your name."

³² Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of Yahweh; and he made a trench around
the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.

³³ And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said,
"Fill four waterpots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood."

³⁴ Then he said, "Do it a second time," and they did it a second time; and he said, "Do it
a third time," and they did it a third time.

³⁵ So the water ran all around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water.

³⁶ And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that
Elijah the prophet came near and said, "Yahweh Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and
Israel, let it be known this day that You are Elohim in Israel and I am Your servant,
 and that I have done all these things at Your word.

³⁷ "Hear me, O Yahweh, hear me, that this people may know that You are Yahweh
 Elohim, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again."

³⁸ Then the fire of Yahweh fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and
the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.

³⁹ Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "Yahweh,
He is Elohim! Yahweh, He is Elohim!"

⁴⁰ And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!"
 So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon and executed
them there.

⁴¹ Then Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain."

⁴² So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed
down on the ground, and put his face between his knees,

⁴³ and said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up and looked, and
 said, "There is nothing." And seven times he said, "Go again."

⁴⁴ Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, "There is a cloud, as small as a man's
hand, rising out of the sea!" So he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot, and go
down before the rain stops you.' "

⁴⁵ Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and
there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel.

⁴⁶ Then the hand of Yahweh came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of
Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.